Temple University Athletics
OWLS FALL TO SYRACUSE, 45-3
10.20.01 | Football
SYRACUSE, NY-- Sophomore quarterback R.J. Anderson passed for 308 yards and two touchdowns and classmate Jamel Riddle amassed 177 all-purpose yards, to propel Syracuse to a convincing 45-3 Big East Conference win over Temple.
Syracuse (6-2, 3-0) posted its sixth-straight win since a Sept. 1 loss at Tennessee. The Orangemen surprised a parents-day crowd of 42,115 at the Carrier Dome by donning Orange jerseys just prior to kickoff. It was the first time in 50 years for the team to play dressed head-to-toe in its bright school color. Temple (2-4, 1-2 Big East) fell to the Orangemen for a 16th straight time since 1985. The Owls will continue Big East Conference play versus Pittsburgh next Saturday at Veterans Stadium.
Syracuse got off to a fast start, limiting the Owls to five yards in three plays on the game's first possession and then starting from the Temple 20 following a blocked punt by Andre Brinson. From there it took just three plays and 59 seconds to score, with Anderson skirting left end from six yards out for the touchdown. Collin Barber's first of six successful conversion kicks made it 7-0.
The Orangemen came right back with a second three-and-out defensive series, followed by a 53-yard punt return to the Owl 15 by Jamel Riddle. Three runs from there put the ball in the end zone again, as Chris Davis dove in from two yards out for a 14-0 lead. The Temple offense failed to produce a first down on its third possession, and after a Jace Amore punt, Syracuse struck quickly once again. On first-and-10 from his own 45, Anderson connected with wide receiver Johnny Morant over the Owl defense for a 55-yard touchdown. It was the third consecutive three-play drive resulting in a Syracuse score.
Temple finally got a defensive stop and made a first down in the last minute of the first quarter. The teams traded punts before Syracuse pieced together a 56-yard drive culminating in a 37-yard field goal by Barber at the 10:12 mark of the second quarter that extended the lead to 24-0. A 48-yard bomb from Anderson to Riddle, who made a tough catch amid three Temple defenders was the key play. Although Syracuse controlled field position throughout the half --the Owls never approached mid-field-- the Temple defense held its own until the break.
Temple changed that on the first series of the second half, when defensive back Jairo Almonte forced a James Mungro fumble that was recovered by Terrance Leftwich at the Orange 44. From there, the Owls drove 19 yards in six plays to cut the deficit to 24-3 on a 42-yard field goal by Cap Poklemba. Syracuse answered on its next possession, driving 72 yards in 13 plays for a 31-3 lead with 6:10 remaining in the third period. Riddle went the final six yards around left end on an option pitch from Anderson.
Following another three-play stop deep in Temple territory, Syracuse ran the lead to 38-3 with an efficient 7-play, 46-yard drive, culminated by Mungro's two-yard touchdown run. After the Owls failed to move again, Anderson teamed with Riddle for a spectacular 48-yard pass and catch to the Temple 12 to close out the third quarter. Two plays later, the five-play 61-yard drive was capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Graham Manley, who was standing alone inside the Owl five-yard-line when he made the catch.
Limited to 11 first downs, the Temple offense was held to a total of 185 yards, while Syracuse amassed 471. Freshman quarterback Mike McGann completed 11-of-22 passes for 111 yards and was intercepted once. Lester Trammer was the Owls' top rusher, netting 43 yards on 13 carries. Leftwich and Dan Klecko paced the Temple defense with eight tackles each.
