Shortly after finals concluded in the spring, a group of veteran Tigers got together and began preparing for the demanding season that lies ahead.

In addition to a challenging schedule that features two Football Bowl Subdivision league games: one against Southeastern Conference powerhouse Louisiana State, and another versus Kent State, the Tigers will also have to deal with the increased expectations that Towson fans have following their win in the Colonial Athletic Association championship, the first ever in school history.

“When you get your guys to grow up and play hard together and you have some success and win some games, automatically people think you’re supposed to compete for a national championship from here on out,” Head Coach Rob Ambrose said. “Managing expectations is a key to happiness in life. I don’t know how many wins we’re going to get this year, but I can tell you that we’re going to put a team on the field that our school, our community, our students, our fans and alumnus will be proud of- the rest will work itself out.”

The magic number is seven, Ambrose said. The Tigers will need to manage at least seven wins to have a chance to play in the postseason.

Senior All-CAA safety Jordan Dangerfield said he is optimistic about the coming season.

“There are 11 winnable games on our schedule,” Dangerfield said. “I would love to go undefeated and we just have to take it game by game. Right now, everybody’s mind is on Kent State. We’re going to try to beat Kent State and then whoever comes after Kent State, we’re going to try to beat them.”

Towson’s games against William and Mary, James Madison and Delaware will all air on NBC Sports Network and games against Villanova, LSU and New Hampshire that will air on other networks.

“For the first time in the history of this school, there are going to be three nationally televised football games,” Ambrose said. “Not regional, not local, but national. If that is not indicative of the things to come and the work that has been put in by the staff, players and administration, I don’t think anything is.”

While some Tigers are currently in Towson preparing and working out, official summer camp is scheduled to begin August 2.

“We’re pushing each other,” Dangerfield said. “We’re just pushing everybody out here with the sprints with the lifting and everybody is getting bigger, faster and stronger and it’s important … We have a good group of guys out here working hard trying to better themselves. There are a lot of expectations for us this year and I think everybody is ready to fulfill that.”