Temple University Athletics
WASHINGTON TIES SCHOOL RECORD WITH FOUR RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS BUT OWLS FALL IN SEASON FINALE, 45-28, TO WEST VIRGINIA
11.29.03 | Football
Sophomore signal caller Walter Washington, making his fifth career start, tied the school record for rushing touchdowns (Paul Palmer vs. Cincinnati, 1984; Sherman Myers vs. Syracuse, 1979) in a game with four. It also signaled the most scoring rushes for a quarterback in Big East Conference history. He led the Owls in rushing for the fifth straight contest, carrying 36 times for 117 yards. The Daytona Beach, Fla. native also completed 17 of 33 passes for 171 yards.
Temple was unable to overcome a 21-point first quarter deficit courtesy of West Virginia's defensive and special teams units. The Mountaineers held a 21-0 lead despite their offense generating just 37 total yards in the opening stanza.
After each team failed to produce significant yardage on its opening possession, West Virginia posted points on the scoreboard first when LB Leandre Washington stripped RB Makonnen Fenton of the ball in Owl territory. DB Adam Jones picked up the fumble and raced 47 yards into the endzone with 9:10 showing on the first quarter clock. It marked the first time an opponent returned a fumble for a score against Temple since Pittsburgh's Claude Harriott returned a miscue 11 yards to pay dirt last season.
After a Temple three-and-out, Mountaineer punt returner Lance Frazier wasted no time posting additional points, receiving Mike McLaughlin's punt and racing 64 yards for a touchdown. The score gave the hosts a 14-0 edge irrespective of the WVU offense, which had yet to generate a first down. It signaled the first punt return for a score against the Cherry & White since Bowling Green's Janssen Patton did the honors in 2001.
The snowball continued to roll down hill and gain momentum. Washington's pass intended for WR Ikey Chuku on the Owls' fourth offensive series was intercepted by CB Lance Frazier and returned 26 yards to the TU 30 yard line. Five plays later, RB Jason Colson, starting in place of injured Quincy Wilson, rushed-in from two yards out to give the hosts a 21-0 lead with 4:00 remaining in the initial quarter.
As the second quarter began, the skies cleared and it looked as though WVU's lead might begin to melt away.
After the teams traded second stanza possessions, WVU QB Rasheed Marshall fumbled the exchange from center at his own 28 yard-line. Owl safety Lawrence Wade recovered the drop and Temple had a first-and-ten in Mountaineer territory. Washington scampered eight yards into the end zone four plays later to reduce the deficit to 21-7 with 6:36 remaining before the break. It was the only score of the second quarter.
An additional second quarter highlight belonged to Temple CB Pete McBride, who intercepted a Marshall pass deep in Cherry & White territory and returned it 18 yards to the TU 23. In addition to the effort squelching a WVU scoring drive, it also marked McBride's fourth consecutive game with an aerial theft.
Unfortunately, the winds of change began to blow back in Temple's face. After Bryan Wright returned the second half kickoff 33 yards, minus a 10-yard penalty, Marshall led WVU on a 10-play, 57-yard scoring drive. Colson capped the effort with his second two-yard scoring run of the day to run the score to 28-7.
Facing its second 21-point hole of the afternoon, the Owls refused to give up. Temple drove 60-yards on 10 plays in five minutes and eight seconds to get the deficit to within two scores. Washington bulled-in, carrying WVU defenders with him, on an eight yard rush to cap the drive and register a 28-14 score with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter.
West Virginia responded by extending its lead to three touchdowns once again. Marshall drove the Mountaineers 67 yards in eight plays, capped by a Chris Henry 42-yard touchdown reception and the WVU headed to the final quarter with a 35-14 lead.
Washington began the fourth quarter by showing the Thanksgiving weekend crowd that he still had a taste for the end zone. He hit pay dirt from one yard-out with 13:38 remaining to reduce the deficit to 14 points (35-21) before scoring his final rushing TD of the afternoon from three yards-out with 2:48 on the clock.
West Virginia's fourth quarter points consisted of a 31-yard Brad Cooper field goal and a Kay Jay Harris 46-yard run with 2:38 remaining to conclude the scoring.
Temple's 28-point effort was its highest scoring output against the Mountaineers since the Owls suffered a 41-28 defeat to West Virginia in 1980.
