Fordham (1-1) at Towson (2-1)
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Minnegan Stadium
Radio/TV: WTMD (89.7 FM)
Outlook: Towson is looking to rebound from a 35-14 loss to Colgate, as well as avenge a 12-7 loss to Fordham last season in New York. During that game, Towson running back Jason Corle ran for 133 yards on 39 carries. However, Corle might be running behind a jumbled offensive line once again. Left guard John Tierney is questionable after suffering an ankle sprain during the Colgate game, and right tackle Tony Campitelli is already out for the year with a knee injury suffered during the season opener.
Salisbury State (2-1) at Frostburg State (2-0)
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Bobcat Stadium, Frostburg
Radio/TV: WFRB (560 AM)
Outlook: The 26th meeting between the Sea Gulls and Bobcats takes on new meaning as both are now members of the Atlantic Central Football Conference. Frostburg, which has won eight of the last nine games in the series, comes into the matchup led by Brandon Walker, who ran for 127 yards in a 42-6 win over West Virginia Tech. Meanwhile, the Bobcats' defense has allowed an average of 6.5 points in the first two games. Its task will be to stop running back Myron Dent, who is averaging about 113 yards a game to lead a Salisbury rushing attack that produces 171 overall. Dent rushed for 138 yards in 24 carries in a 21-7 loss to Methodist last weekend.
Western Maryland (2-0) at Ursinus (1-2)
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Patterson Field, Collegeville, Pa.
Radio/TV: None
Outlook: Having conquered Gettysburg, 28-10, in its Centennial Conference opener, Western Maryland faces its first road conference game against a struggling Ursinus squad. The Bears' only win came against Lebanon Valley on Sept. 12, while they have been beaten 38-14 by Salisbury State and 26-12 by Franklin & Marshall. They will have to rev up a running game that produces just 2.2 yards per carry and will have to stop a Western Maryland offense that has been one of the toughest in the league, averaging 41 points per game. Green Terror quarterback Ron Sermarini, whose father played at Ursinus, needs only 243 yards of total offense to jump from 10th to seventh on Western Maryland's all-time list.
Merchant Marine (1-1) at Johns Hopkins (2-0)
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Homewood Field
Radio/TV: None
Outlook: Other than a game with Western Maryland on Nov. 14, this is the contest seen as the toughest on Hopkins' schedule. Though the Mariners lost to Springfield last week, 39-20, they are the two-time defending champions of the ECAC Southwest and beat the Blue Jays, 27-14, last season. Hopkins comes into the game after wins over Washington & Lee and Swarthmore averaging 466 yards per game on offense, while its defense is allowing 222 yards per game. In addition to Wayne Roccia and Jamie Monica, Donald Davis has become a force on offense, gaining 81 yards on 11 carries last week, while Adam Gentile ran for 59 yards on 13 carries. They challenge a Kings Point defense that gave up 363 yards rushing against Springfield.
Norfolk State (1-2) at Morgan State (0-2)
Time: 1: 30 p.m.
Site: Hughes Stadium
Radio/TV: WEAA (88.9 FM)
Outlook: Ordinarily, Morgan State might be motivated by revenge, having absorbed a 48-6 pasting in Norfolk last year. However, the Bears are wounded after losing two penalty- and turnover-marred games to begin the season and simply need to get well. The Morgan State defense had trouble with Bethune-Cookman running back Pa'tel Troutman in a loss two weeks ago, and it gets another test in Angelo Todd, who ran for 250 yards in a 38-26 loss to Delaware State two weeks ago. One of the lone bright spots for Morgan State has been the running game -- featuring Ali Culpepper and Jay Hinton -- which leads the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with 195 yards per game.
Navy (1-1) at Tulane (2-0)
Site: Superdome, New Orleans
Time: 3: 30 p.m.
TV/Radio: HTS/WJFK (1300 AM) and WNAV (1430 AM)
Outlook: Tulane, off to its best start since 1975, is a solid favorite (21 1/2 points) and boasts a potent and balanced offense, averaging 214 yards rushing, 315 yards passing and 42 points per game. After an opening loss to Wake Forest, Navy righted itself against Kent last week, rushing for 467 yards during a 38-24 victory. Tulane quarterback Shaun King leads the country in quarterback ratings, connecting on 64 percent of his passes for 630 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. The Middies have beaten the Green Wave three straight times, including a 35-21 win two seasons ago in Annapolis. Tulane leads the series, 6-4-1.
Bowie State (1-1) at Livingstone College (1-1)
Time: 4 p.m.
Site: Alumni Stadium, Richmond, Va.
Radio/TV: None
Outlook: Both teams enter the game trying to recover after falling in their CIAA openers last week. Bowie lost to Johnson C. Smith, 14-12, when Ray Hawkins failed to score a two-point conversion JTC after Glen Newell's touchdown catch from William Mack with six seconds left. Livingstone lost to Virginia Union, 19-7, after giving up three fumbles and one interception. Bowie has been led by cornerback Rod Williams, who blocked a punt that led to the first touchdown against J.C. Smith, and returned a fumble for a touchdown against Cheyney in the season opener.
Temple (0-3) at Maryland (1-2)
Site: Byrd Stadium in College Park
Time: 6 p.m.
Radio: WBAL (1090 AM)
Outlook: Maryland faces a must-win situation tonight against a winless Temple team before taking on seven straight Atlantic Coast Conference opponents to finish out the season. Under normal conditions, this game would be a yawner, but there is excitement in the air over the possible start of freshman quarterback Randall Jones in place of junior Ken Mastrole, who started the first three games. Jones is Mr. Excitement in the Maryland offense and has climbed all the way up the depth chart since being switched from safety to quarterback on the first day of preseason practice. Maryland coach Ron Vanderlinden said Jones "proved he could play at this level" last week in an outstanding second-half performance against West Virginia. The product of Thomas Johnson High in Frederick led the team to 17 points in the second half of a 42-20 loss to the Mountaineers. Temple is coming off a 31-7 setback to Big East foe Boston College after beginning the season with losses to Toledo (24-12) and Akron (35-28). Temple is coached by Bobby Wallace, who is in his first season in Division 1-A after winning three Division II national championships in 10 years at North Alabama. This is only the second meeting between Maryland and Temple, with the Terps winning last season, 24-21, before only 12,872 at Franklin Field.
Pub Date: 9/26/98