GAME TIME 
Morgan State (2-1) travels crosstown to take on the Towson Tigers (0-3) in a non-conference matchup on Saturday, Sept. 19, as the Bears and Tigers meet in the "Battle for Greater Baltimore." Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Maryland. The game will be broadcast live on FloCollege and Monumental Sports Network, with additional radio coverage provided by WEAA 88.9 FM.

GAME COVERAGE
FloSports (online) Click Here | Spiro Morekas will call the play-by-play with color analyst Gordy Combs.  

RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM, is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Renard Stubbs in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org, HSRN.com, and SiriusXM 386 and 988 on the SiriusXMmobile app. 

LIVE STATS: www.towsontigers.com

THE SERIES
• Saturday will mark the 31st meeting in the series that began with a 34-7 Morgan State win at Towson on Sept. 1, 1979.
• The Tigers hold a 24-6 advantage in the series vs. MSU.
• The Tigers have won 12 of the last 13 meetings against Morgan State since 2005, including the last eight matchups.
• Towson handed the Bears a 27-22 loss at Hughes Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025.
• Towson posted a 14-9 victory over the Bears in the last meeting at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Sept. 7, 2024.
• Morgan State's last win against Towson was on Sept. 26, 2009, in a 12-9 win at Hughes Stadium.

THE COACHES
• Damon Wilson enters his 5th season as Morgan's head coach. He previously spent 13 seasons as the head coach at Bowie State University, where he achieved three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships.

• Pete Shinnick was announced as the new head coach of Towson football on Dec. 11, 2022. He became the fifth coach in program history. Shinnick joined Towson after starting the program at West Florida, leading the Argonauts to the 2019 NCAA DII national title and the 2017 NCAA DII title game.

THE 2026 SCHEDULE
Morgan State will open the 2026 regular season with back-to-back road contests, beginning with a CAA matchup at North Carolina A&T on Aug. 29, followed by an FBS showdown at Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., on Sept. 5. The Bears return home for their home opener against Virginia University of Lynchburg on Sept. 12, before welcoming Robert Morris for Homecoming on Oct. 10. Morgan State will then open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play at home against longtime rival Howard.

QUICK HITS
• The 2026 Morgan State Bears are under the leadership of fifth-year head coach Damon Wilson. Wilson, the 24th coach in school history, previously served 13 seasons as the head football coach at Bowie State. There, he won three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships in 2021, 2019, and 2018; five NCAA playoff berths; and three CIAA Coach of the Year honors.

• Cameron Edge (6-2, 230) was named the starting quarterback for Morgan State, head coach Damon Wilson announced at the conclusion of preseason camp. The competition behind Edge remains ongoing, with Ade Olanegan (6-1, 210) currently listed as the No. 2 quarterback. Tahj Smith (6-1, 200), Raeden Oliver (6-3, 195), Howard Kennedy III (6-1, 204) and Timothy Cole II (5-10, 185) also remain in the mix as the Bears continue to develop depth at the position.

• Edge directed the Bears' offense in his third career start for Morgan State against VA-Lynchburg, completing 17-of-19 passes for 282 yards, including four TDs.

• Jordan Barnett (5-11, 235), the Bears' transfer RB from Shepherd University, scored his third touchdown of the season when he scored on a 6-yard run vs. VA-Lynchburg.

• Justin Perry led Morgan with game-high six receptions for 122 yards, including two TDs vs. VA-Lynchburg. The Bears finished with 27 completions distributed among 15 different receivers.

• Morgan has several offensive linemen as they enter the 2026 season ... The Bears have 21 OL listed on the roster and will be led by veterans  Adorain Favors (6-7, 300), Alec Washington (6-4, 325), and Daniel Casillas Jr. (6-2, 315).

• Morgan State has scored on nine of its nine trips to the red zone this season, which ranks fifth in the MEAC...The Bears have scored eight touchdowns in the redzone, including three rushing TDs, five passing TDs, along with one field goal. 

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
• Towson closed the 2025 season with back-to-back victories to finish with a 6-6 overall record and tied for fifth in the league with a 4-4 conference record.

• The Tigers are projected to finish 6th overall in the CAA Preseason Poll, and three players were named to the 2026 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team: KJ Brooks earned CAA Preseason All-Conference honors at offensive line, while quarterback Andrew Indorf and long snapper Daniel Anderla are CAA Preseason All-Conference Honorable Mentions.  All three earn preseason league honors for the first time.

• Offensively, Towson welcomes back a deep and experienced group of receivers with current leaders Aaron Enterline (16 rec, 214 yds, 3 TD's) and Cleveland Charlton (4 rec, 136 yds, TD). The Tigers have several regulars back on the offensive line, including three-year starter Dan Volpe.

• Sophomore QB Andrew Indorf, the 2025 CAA Co-Rookie of the Year, will be under center for the Tigers during their home opener against Morgan State at Johnny Unitas Stadium... So far this season, Indorf has completed 44-of-69 for 646 yards and five touchdowns, including one interception...The Miami, Fla. native had a stellar prep career at football power St. Thomas Aquinas…He currently ranks No. 3 in the CAA, averaging 237.5 passing yards per game, with a 71.8 completion percentage.

• Towson has a pair of talented RBs in Kemmarrion Battles and Tristen Kenan. Battles, a 5-10 speedster from Sawdust, Fla., has 34 carries for 115 yards (3.4 avg), while Kenan, a transfer from Gannon University, is also a talent to watch. At Gannon, he tallied 671 rushing yards, four rushing TDs, 405 receiving yards, and two receiving TDs. He also played at the University of Maine in 2023, finishing with 462 rushing yards, five rushing TDs, 226 receiving yards, and one receiving TD.

• Defensively, sophomore linebacker Jaydyn Johnson (24 tackles, TFL), redshirt sophomore DB TJ Sands (20 tackles, .5 TFL), and sophomore LB Ben Kumpon (19 tackles) lead the Tigers. Linebacker Chris Koffi has contributed 16 tackles.

• The current Morgan State Bears alumni active or recently signed on NFL rosters include defensive end Elijah Williams, while offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. is with the Atlanta Falcons. Linebacker Erick Hunter, who signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent, was waived by the club during its 2026 roster cuts; however, he landed on the New England Patriots' 53-man roster.

A LOOK AHEAD
Morgan State will return from its bye week when the Bears hit the road to face the Villanova Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 3. Kickoff is scheduled for [time] at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pa.

PRESEASON PICKED FOURTH 
Morgan State was picked to finish fourth (4th) in the MEAC standings, according to the poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors. Returning MEAC champion South Carolina State has been picked to win the MEAC Football Championship as the Bulldogs topped the league's annual preseason poll for 2026. North Carolina Central was tabbed to place 2nd.

PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
The Bears placed nine student-athletes on the 2026 Preseason All-MEAC Team, as selected by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. 

• Leading the way were three first-team selections: tight end Alex Simmons, linebacker Arturo Mattocks, and defensive back Aki Harvey.

• The Bears also had five second-team honorees, including running back Keith Jenkins Jr., wide receiver Justin Perry, defensive lineman Justin Dutton, defensive lineman Kristopher Boyd, punter Shane Messenger, and return specialist Malique Leatherbury.

BEARS OPEN 51st SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open their 51st season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) when they host Howard for the conference opener on Oct. 24.

• The Bears opened the 2025 MEAC schedule with a 33-27 loss at Howard (Oct. 25) at Greene Stadium.

• The Bears kicked off their first season in the MEAC in 1971. Morgan State withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979- 80 fiscal year, before returning to the MEAC in 1984.

MSU IN THE CIAA
Morgan State was a power as a former member of the CIAA. The Bears posted 173 wins between 1929 and 1959 when Edward P. Hurt was the head coach, and the Bears won 14 CIAA championships. Earl Banks added to the championship collection by winning four titles during the 1960s.

MSU LEGEND EARL BANKS
Earl "Papa Bear" Banks was a legendary head coach at Morgan State University,

• In 1960, Banks took over the head coaching position at Morgan State from 2011 Trailblazer Award winner, Edward Hurt.

• In his 14 seasons as head coach, he would lead the Bears to six CIAA titles, one CIAA Northern Division championship, and one Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. Banks had an overall record of 96-31-2 after he retired from coaching in 1973 and produced three undefeated seasons from 1965 through 1967.

• He guided Morgan State to four bowl games, winning the 1965 Orange Blossom Classic and the 1966 Tangerine Bowl.• He was named the American Football Coaches Association's recipient of the 2018 Trailblazer Award. The award was presented posthumously at the 2019 AFCA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

BEARS OPEN 127th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 127th season of football and will open the 2026 campaign under five-year head coach Damon Wilson.

RETURN MEN 
The 2026 Morgan State Bears return 15 starters - 4 on offense, 6 on defense, and 5 on special teams.

CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS 
The Bears enter the 2026 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated.

NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2026 campaign with seven non-conference contests, including four road games. Morgan State begins the season at North Carolina A&T on Aug. 29 before traveling to Arizona State on Sept. 5. The Bears return to Hughes Stadium for their home opener against Virginia University of Lynchburg on Sept. 12, then head back on the road to face Towson on Sept. 19 and Villanova on Oct. 3. Morgan State returns home for Homecoming against Robert Morris on Oct. 10 before wrapping up its non-conference slate against Tennessee State at Nissan Stadium on Oct. 17.

FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official website of Bear athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios, and more. 
• Follow us on social media:
 Facebook: /MorganStateBears
 Twitter: @MorganStBears
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate, and certificate programs. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.