Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE HOSTS BOSTON COLLEGE IN BIG EAST OPENER AT LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD
10.6.03 | Football
The Owls and Eagles are meeting for the 36th time in a series that dates back to 1936, with Boston College holding a 26-7-2 advantage. BC has won the last three meetings.
TU's passing attack is ranked 22nd nationally with 286.6 yards per game and boasts two of the country's top performers in WR Zamir Cobb and QB Mike McGann. Cobb ranks eighth among all Div. I-A players with 106.6 receiving yards per game and is tied for fifth with 7.6 catches per contest. He is also among the nation's leaders in all-purpose running (19th, 141.6) and punt returns (24th, 13.36). McGann ranks 25th nationally in total offense, generating 257.6 yards per game. Defensively, LB Rian Wallace ranks fifth nationally in solo tackles (9.0 avg.), 13th in total tackles (12.2 avg.) and is tied for eighth in TFLs (2.0 avg.)
Temple is coming off its first win of the season, a 44-36 decision last Saturday night at Middle Tennessee State that gave Wallace his 99th career head coaching victory. McGann, hampered by nagging knee and ankle injuries, entered the game off the bench with 2:52 on the first quarter clock and proceeded to produce 231 total yards and three TDs. After falling behind 14-0 in the second quarter, the Owls scored 41 unanswered points to build a 41-14 lead. The defense, despite a multitude of injuries, held off a fourth quarter Blue Raider comeback to secure the win. PK Jared Davis overcame his early season struggles to nail three field goals. RB Makonnen Fenton was back in the starting lineup after suffering a rib injury versus Villanova on Sept. 6 and rushed 12 times for 77 yards.
Cobb had nine catches for 99 yards at MTSU to increase his all-time reception total to 129, one shy of the Temple record of 130 held by Sean Dillard (1999-02).
Boston College is coming off a bye week after a 53-29 home win over Ball State on Sept. 27. The Eagles offense is led by RB Derrick Knight, who has 13 career 100-yard games. Knight ranks third nationally in rushing, averaging 145.6 yards per game. Defensively, BC is tied for ninth among all I-A programs in interceptions with nine aerial thefts in five games.
