#22/23/23 Football Remains Undefeated in Conference Play with 60-40 Win at SMU

Friday, November 6

Gerald J. Ford Stadium - Dallas

8:00 p.m.

Temple University

8-1 , 5-0

SMU

1-8 , 0-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Temple

SMU

Photo by: Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference

#22/23/23 Football Remains Undefeated in Conference Play with 60-40 Win at SMU

11.6.15 | Football

Box Score

DALLAS – Junior QB P.J. Walker threw for four touchdowns and ran for another to lead #22 (CFP)/23 (AP)/23 (Amway USA Today) Temple to a 60-40 win at SMU Friday night at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. The Owls improve to 5-0 in the American Athletic Conference and 8-1 overall with the win. SMU falls to 1-8, 0-5 in league play.

Walker, who moved past Mike McGann (5,967, '01-05) and into second place on Temple's career passing yards list (6,171), completed 18-of-25 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns. It was Walker's fourth four-touchdown passing game, the most by any Owl signal caller. It was also his 14th 200-yard passing game, moving him past McGann in that category and into second place on the school's all-time list. Walker also rushed seven times for 49 yards, including a 36-yard TD to ice the win.

True freshman RB Jager Gardner set a school record with a 94-yard touchdown run in his first collegiate start, while junior RB Jahad Thomas tied Bernard Pierce for second on the season touchdown list, scoring his 16th of the year. Thomas kept his scoring streak alive, recording a rushing TD in all nine games for the Owls this season.

The Owls, who led for all but seven minutes in the contest, played without injured senior center Kyle Friend, who had his streak of 41 straight starts snapped.

It marks only the third time Temple has scored 60 or more points since the program turned Division I-A in 1971 (63 at Army, 11/17/11; 63 at Holy Cross, 9/29/73). It is also just the third time the Owls and an opponent combined to score 100 or more points during this era [107; Temple 55, Eastern Michigan 52; (11/22/08); 105; Pitt 53, Temple 52; (10/5/96)].

The game started off with a bang for the Owls as Gardner made an immediate impact, rushing up the middle on the game's second play. The Black Mountain, N.C. native accelerated through a gaping hole created by offensive linemen Brian Carter and Eric Lofton for a 94 yard touchdown. It was the longest run from scrimmage in school history, and it gave Temple an early 7-0 lead.

The Owls quickly made it 14-0 as Walker connected with redshirt senior WR Robby Anderson (4 catches, 83 yards) for a six-yard TD on their next possession. Another true freshman, Ryquell Armstead (7 rushes, 33 yards), had a nice 14-yard first down run on the six-play, 55-yard drive. Redshirt junior TE Colin Thompson caught an 11-yard first down pass, as well.

SMU then ran off 17 unanswered points over a 10-minute stretch in the second quarter, to the delight of the home crowd, giving the Mustangs a short-lived 17-14 lead. Chad Hedlund connected on a 31-yard field goal to get SMU on the board, before the Mustangs' defense went to work.

SMU held Temple to three straight three-and-outs, and then the Mustang offense scored two quick touchdowns to take the lead. Junior QB Matt Davis (102 rushing yards, 167 passing yards) made it 17-10 on a two-yard TD run, which was set up following a trick play where WR Courtland Sutton completed a 45-yard pass to Braeden West for a first and goal at the Temple 6. On the Mustangs next possession, an explosive run by Davis (48 yards) set up a Xavier Jones 13-yard touchdown run.

Temple responded, as Walker then engineered a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped with a 16-yard pass to WR Romond Deloatch for his first touchdown of the season. The score gave the Owls a 21-17 lead at halftime.

The second half was an old-fashioned shootout with Temple scoring on its first four possessions to take what looked to be a safe 45-31 lead. Adonis Jennings, one of 10 different receivers to catch a pass from Walker, scored on a four-yard reception to open the half. That capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive that was kept alive by a fake punt and first down carry by PK Tyler Mayes.

After Jones answered with his second score of the game, this time rushing in from nine-yards out to make it 28-24, Walker directed another 75-yard scoring drive. This one encompassed seven plays with a 45-yard pass to Anderson setting up a two-yard Thomas rushing touchdown.

Junior LB Jarred Alwan forced his team-best third fumble on the Mustangs next possession with senior DL Matt Ioannidis recovering on the SMU 13. The Mustangs defense held the Owls out of the end zone, but sophomore PK Austin Jones connected on his 13th field goal of the season, this one from 31 yards out, to make it 38-24.

Davis answered right back for SMU as he marched his team 77 yards to paydirt to open what would be a wacky fourth quarter. The Mustang quarterback connected with Jeremiah Gaines on a 30-yard touchdown to make it 38-31.

It took Walker just one play to match Davis. The Owl quarterback hit redshirt freshman WR Ventell Bryant in stride down the right side for a 75-yard touchdown to again push the lead back to 14 points at 45-31.

After Temple forced a SMU punt on the next possession it looked the nationally-ranked Owls would coast to victory. Mustang punter Josh Williams, however, pinned Temple inside its one yard-line to start the drive.

Unable to make a first down, the Owls set up to punt in their own end zone. Redshirt sophomore FB Nick Sharga was whistled for holding on the punt, and with the penalty occurring in the end zone, a safety was called.

Mayes then kicked off from the Temple 20, and it was returned 80 yards for a touchdown by West. So suddenly, instead of being up by 14 points, the Owls were clinging to a 45-40 lead with just over eight minutes on the clock and momentum on the side of the home team

SMU's defense stood tall and forced a second straight three-and-out with Alex Starzyk punting the ball to the Mustang 12.

Following a first down to the SMU 26, the Owls defense clamped down, forcing a fourth-and-four play. Senior All-America candidate LB Tyler Matakevich, who made a game-high nine tackles, came up with the big play, batting down Davis' pass for a turnover on downs.

With 2:41 to play, Temple was unable to muster a first down on the first two plays. Facing a third-and-14, Walker dropped back to pass, but scrambled to not only pick up the critical first down, but to ice the win with a 36-yard touchdown.

Down 53-40, Davis went to the air and was picked off by sophomore DB Sean Chandler, who took it 41 yards to account for the final score. He became the eighth different Owl to score a touchdown on the night.

Temple next travels to USF to take on the Bulls next Saturday (Nov. 14). Time and TV outlet will be announced Monday.

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