This weekend, the Colgate football team capped off a disappointing three-week road trip. On Saturday, the Raid­ers were handed a 42-17 loss to Towson, dropping them to 1-3 on the season. Once again, senior Nate Eachus was not in the starting line-up, and Towson tail­back Terrance West stole the show with three touchdowns. Sophomore quarter­back Gavin McCarney totaled 137 yards through the air, along with 94 yards on the ground, further implementing his double-threat skill set.

The first quarter marked the only lead that Colgate would hold throughout the day. The Raiders launched an 8:36 minute drive, culminating in first-year Joe Ugliet­to’s 40-yard field goal. The drive included two successful fourth down conversions and forty rushing yards from junior run­ning back Zauhn Lewis. Lewis would end the day with 144 yards on the ground. Colgate had another shot to put first quarter points on the board when Kenny McKenzie forced a fumble, but the offense failed to convert the turnover into a score. The Raiders had definite momentum, up 3-0, heading into the second quarter.

That momentum was short lived. The middle quarters of this football game were nothing short of dominated by Towson. When the third quarter clock read zero, Towson suddenly had a 35-3 lead. Ter­rance West had two touchdowns, each on a two-yard run. Quarterback Grant Enders added another 1-yard rushing touchdown, along with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Wharton. Dominique Booker also cruised to a score on a 43-yard run. The undefeated Tigers showed versatility and the well-rounded talent of their offense. Colgate had more unfortunate turnovers, including two interceptions and a fumble, which stymied any hopes of keeping the score close.

Colgate did show signs of life in the fourth quarter, tallying fourteen pride points. Lewis scored on a four-yard run to open the final frame to cap off his re­spectable day in the backfield. Towson an­swered immediately with a third Terrance West touchdown, this time on a twenty-two yard dash. As the final few minutes dwindled, the Raiders scored again to close out the game. McCarney hit junior Jonathon Mputu for a 5-yard touchdown pass, concluding the points on the day and rounding out a 42-17 loss. Mputu led the Raiders in receiving on the day, hauling in four catches for 41 yards. Sophomore Daniel Cason and Lewis also contributed with a combined forty receiving yards.

This weekend, the Fordham Rams come to town for a Patriot League show­down. The Rams have struggled as well, going 1-2 thus far. The Raiders and Rams kickoff at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Andy Kerr Stadium as Colgate tries to bounce back from their road trip slide.

Contact Ben Arledge at [email protected].