The Towson Tigers reached the NCAA FCS National Championship game for the first time in program history.
The Towson Tigers football team is now resting up for its next season after taking the field in the FCS national championship game for the first time in its conference history.
Under the guidance of head coach Rob Ambrose, on the legs of junior running back Terrance West and behind the power of a veteran offensive line, the Tigers finished the season ranked No. 2 in the nation.
During its ascent to the highest place it’s ever occupied in the conference, the team racked up a program-record 13 wins—one of only 10 teams in all of NCAA football to do so this season. Nine of the 13 victories were on the road, including upsets over second-seeded Eastern Washington and third-seeded Eastern Illinois in the FCS playoffs.
On Monday, voters unanimously elected the Tigers the winners of the Lambert Meadowlands Award, presented to the top FCS team in the East.
A number of Tigers garnered individual accolades. West, who has declared for the NFL draft, rushed his way into the FCS record books en route to a third-place finish in the Walter Payton Award voting that honors the nation’s best conference player. West tallied FCS single-season records with 2,410 rushing yards and 40 rushing touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown. The junior carried the offensive load during the Tigers’ playoff run, including a record-breaking 354-yard single-game performance against Eastern Illinois. Multiple organizations named him an All-American this year, including the American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp and The Sports Network.
In his three years on the team, West set two Towson records with 4,750 rushing yards and 84 total touchdowns.
Senior tackle Eric Pike earned himself a school record as well, playing 50 games over his four-year career starting at left tackle. Pike was the cornerstone of the Tigers’ stout offensive line this season, earning AFCA, Walter Camp and The Sports Network All-America honors.
That network also honored sophomore fullback Emmanuel Holder and senior cornerback Jordan Love on its second team, and put senior linebacker Telvion Clark on its third team.
