TOWSON, Md. -- Columbia rallied to tie the game twice in the second half, but after Columbia tied the score at 24 with five minutes left in regulation, Towson returned the ensuing kickoff into Lion territory and scored the game-winning touchdown four minutes later to capture a 31-24 victory in a game that featured a steady downpour and a 46-minute lightning delay.

Towson led 17-7 at the break, but Columbia scored on its opening drive of the second half, with Jon Rocholl hitting the 31st field goal of his career form 22 yards out, to cut the deficit to 17-10.

Columbia pinned Towson deep in its own territory on the next drive and the Lions were poised to make a move, starting on the Towson 39.  The Lions scored four plays later, when Mike Stephens, who had a career day with five catches for 82 yards, caught a 15-yard pass from Shane Kelly for his first collegiate touchdown, knotting the game at 17-17.

 

Towson responded on its next drive, included a pair of fourth-down conversions, to make the score 24-17 when Tiger quarterback Sean Schaefer threw a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Wes White with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.

 

As the rain continued and the ball became slicker, the fourth quarter saw a number of turnovers on each side. 

 

Columbia drove down the field on its next possession but Austin Knowlin was stripped from behind at the Towson 11-yard line and the Tigers recovered, but promptly gave the ball back to Columbia deep in Towson territory on a fumble recovered by Lou Miller.

 

Again seeming poised to score, Kelly was intercepted in the corner of the end zone on a third-and-goal pass play, but again the Lions came up with a timely turnover.

 

After Towson moved the ball toward midfield, Adam Mehrer picked off a pass that was tipped by Alex Gross and returned the ball into Towson territory.

 

The third time was a charm for the Lions, who capped a scoring drive when Kelly took the ball on his own from the two-yard line to tie the game at 24 with little more than five minutes remaining.

 

On the ensuing kickoff, Towson's Hakeem Moore returned the ball to Columbia's 39 and Towson deliberately moved downfield until Matt Castor's one-yard touchdown run with 1:06 remaining gave Towson a 31-24 edge.

The game was scoreless until after the delay. Columbia fumbled a punt at the Towson 35 with 5:56 left in the first.  Just 25 seconds later, the teams had to return to the locker room because of thunder.  The lightning and thunder continued, causing the delay to be extended 46 minutes.

Towson scored just after the teams returned, when Matt Castor ran 16 yards for the Tigers' first rushing touchdown of the year, giving Towson a 7-0 lead.

It was Columbia's turn to take advantage of a turnover.  On Towson's next drive into Lion territory, Schaefer fumbled on the shotgun and Columbia's Corey Cameron recovered on the Lions' 41-yard line.  Two plays later, Zack Kourouma caught a screen pass from Kelly and took it 59 yards for his first collegiate touchdown to knot the score at 7-7 with 9:31 left in the half.

Towson closed out the half with two impressive drives, resulting in a field goal and a touchdown to take a 10-point lead at the half, 17-7.

 

Columbia returns to action next Saturday, October 4 for its Homecoming game against Princeton at 1:30 p.m. on Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium.