Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE HOLDS OFF LATE MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE COMEBACK FOR FIRST FOOTBALL WIN
10.4.03 | Football
After falling behind 14-0 with 14:52 remaining in the second quarter, the Owls totally dominated the Blue Raiders over the next 30 minutes, scoring 41 unanswered points. All three facets of the team's game -- offense, defense and special teams, were working to perfection as the team built its 41-14 lead.
The Blue Raiders, however, did not collapse in this battle of winless teams. MTSU scored three fourth quarter touchdowns to cut the lead to 44-36, then recovered an onside kick with four minutes remaining in the contest. The Owls defense bent but did not break. MTSU drove to the Temple eight-yard line, but the Owls turned them over on downs to close out the game.
Temple forced four turnovers, which led to 10 points and the kicking game, which had been disappointing throughout its first four contests, finally came through. Sophomore punter Mike McLaughlin averaged nearly 40 yards on five punts for Temple while senior Jared Davis, replaced after three games as the team's field goal kicker, came off the bench to connect on all three of his attempts.
Senior wide receiver Zamir Cobb (9 catches, 99 yards also returned three punts for 96 yards, including a 74-yarder just before halftime to set up an Owl touchdown.
Senior Makonnen Fenton started at running back for the Owls. In his first action since breaking his ribs versus Villanova, Fenton carried for 77 yards on 12 carries. Junior Umar Ferguson also played well in the Owl backfield, rushing for 33 yards on 10 carries, including two touchdowns.
The game started off somewhat sluggish. MTSU drove to the Temple 36 on the game's opening possession before the Owls forced a fumble that was recovered by senior cornerback Donnie Coleman. Behind sophomore quarterback Walter Washington, making his first collegiate start in place of McGann, the Owls then drove 10 plays to the MTSU 26, where the team's kicking woes continued. Sophomore Roger Price missed a 43-yard field goal attempt and the game remained scoreless.
McGann (16-34, 186 yards), who was not in the starting lineup due to nagging knee and ankle strains sustained at Louisville, got his chance, however. On TU's second offensive series, Washington was forced to the sideline after being shaken up on a seven-yard sack. The teams proceeded to trade possessions before the Blue Raiders got on the scoreboard first. Redshirt freshman quarterback Clint Marks threw cross-field to junior wide receiver Kerry Wright, who raced 71-yards into the end zone to give the home team a 7-0 advantage with 1:43 on the clock. It was the only scoring of the first quarter.
MTSU extended its lead to 14-0 at the 14:52 point of the second stanza on a Eugene Rush 24-yard scoring scamper. That's when Temple answered. Loudly.
McLaughlin booted a 40-yard punt that the Owls downed at the home six yard-line. The defense forced a three-and-out and a Cobb 23-yard punt return gave TU the ball at the Blue Raider 37. Six plays later, McGann carried one-yard to pay dirt to decrease the margin to 14-7 after a Roger Price extra point.
Sophomore cornerback Mike Holley then gave TU the ball right back, intercepting a pass and returning 21 yards to the MTSU 24-yard line. Davis then nailed a 35-yard field goal with 6:35 on the clock to cut the Owl deficit to 14-10.
The Temple defense then generated another turnover, as senior defensive tackle Taso Apostolidis sacked Andrico Hines, forcing a fumble that was recovered at the home 18-yard line. Seven plays later, Ferguson entered the end zone on a two-yard jaunt to give the Owls their first lead 17-14, after a Davis extra point, with 3:54 remaining before intermission.
Temple's first half scoring continued on the heels of a strong defense. After forcing an MTSU punt, Cobb returned the kick 74 yards to the Blue Raiders' 14 yard-line. It marked Cobb's longest career punt return and tied for the sixth longest in Temple history. Two plays later, McGann rushed for his second score of the day, this time from 13 yards out, with 0:04 on the clock to send the Owls to the locker room at the midpoint with a 24-14 lead.
TU picked up right where it left off in the third quarter as McGann hit Phil Goodman on a two-yard touchdown pass to make the score 31-14 with 9:34 remaining in the quarter. On the team's next possession, Davis connected on his second field goal of the contest, this one from 27 yards out. On its final possession of the quarter, Ferguson scored his second TD of the contest, a two-yard run to make it a 41-14 game with 1:31 on the clock. Fenton had two big carries on that drive for 38 yards.
Then it was all Middle Tennessee in the fourth quarter with the exception of a 42-yard field goal by Davis.
The Owls were without two starters on their defensive front as sophomore defensive end Mike Mendenhall (ankle) and sophomore defensive tackle Adam Fichter (hamstring) missed the contest with injuries. Sophomore running back Sean Szarka (quadricep) was also sidelined.
Temple (1-4) returns to the gridiron next Saturday, October 11, as the Owls host Boston College in their Big East Conference opener at Lincoln Financial Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The game is being produced by ESPN Regional Television and will be broadcast live in the Philadelphia Region on WB 17.
