Senior running back Craig Nelson was held to 44 yards on 15 carries vs. the Tiger's defense.
Boxscore
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Towson quarterback Sean Schaefer amassed 194 passing yards in the first half and completed the game 13-for-22 for 262 yards.
Schaefer finished the game by accounting for three touchdowns to lead the Tigers over cross-town rival Morgan State 30-2 on Saturday night at Johnny Unitas Stadium in front of a season-opening crowd of 4,484.
A 68-yard kickoff return by Jimmy McClam jump-started the Tigers in the opening moments of the 2nd half. Schaefer walked in on a quarterback keeper four plays later pushing Towson's lead to 23-0 with 12:58 remaining in the 3rd quarter. The score marked Schaefer's fourth career rushing touchdown.
Morgan State's (0-1, 0-0 MEAC) first possession of the game looked solid as the Bears started the game with four straight runs by Craig Nelson. On the ensuing play, Nelson took an option play 43 yards, only to have the play whistled for holding.
Nelson finished the game with 15 carries for 44 yards.
"We just had too many penalties and turnovers which killed drives," said Morgan head coach Don Hill-Eley. "Those types of plays just killed the momentum for us."
The Tigers (1-0, 0-0 A-10) scored its first touchdown of the game when Sean Schaefer found Eric Yancey wide open in the middle of the field on a post pattern. Ron Halbruner's extra point kick gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 3:03 remaining in the 1st quarter.
One of the Bears' few bright spots in the first half was when James Meade booted a career-long 50 yard punt to pin the Tigers deep within its own territory.
Midway through the Tigers' next possession, Rasheed McClaude turned a Schaefer swing pass into a 39-yard gain. The play helped setup a two-yard dive by Kerry Miles to lift the Tigers to a 14-0 lead with 12:14 remaining in the 1st half.
Schaefer scored his second touchdown of the game when he ran in from 7 yards to cushion the lead at 30-0.
Morgan State avoided its first shutout to Towson in 20 years when defensive end Anthony Young wrestled Schaefer to the turf for a safety.
MSU quarterback Byron Selby completed the game 14-for-24 for 75 yards, including 13 carries for 56 yards.
The Bears' defensive unit was led by the efforts of Young who recorded five tackles, a sack and a pass deflection. Herman Hayes and Everette Baker both finished with an interception apiece.
BEAR NOTES
Jai Wilson recorded four receptions for 24 yards
Newcomer Chad Simpson had 57 yards on seven carries
Byron Selby connected with eight receivers
Morgan State recorded its first safety since a 2004 matchup vs. Texas Southern in Houston, TX
