Temple University Athletics
FOOTBALL: OWLS TRAVEL INDOORS FOR BIG EAST BATTLE AGAINST SYRACUSE ON SATURDAY
11.3.03 | Football
Wallace and Pasqualoni are both on the verge of historic victories. Wallace is one win shy of 100 career head coaching victories. Pasqualoni is one win away from his 100th victory directing the Orangemen.
Temple and Syracuse are meeting for the 35th time in a series that dates back to 1944 with Syracuse holding a 24-9-1 advantage. Temple defeated the Orangemen 17-16 at Veterans Stadium last season to snap a 16-game losing streak to SU that dated back to 1983. Then sophomore QB Mike McGann had a career day, completing 30 of 38 passes for 340 yards, including 65 and 53-yard scoring aerials to earn Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors. The Owls' last trip to the Carrier Dome resulted in a 45-3 SU win in 2001, as the Orangemen took the field dressed in all orange for the first time since 1958.
Temple leads the Big East with 19 quarterback sacks. Individually, sophomore LB Rian Wallace is listed among the nation's best, ranking fourth among all Div. I-A players in both total tackles (12.88) and solo tackles (8.75). On offense, senior WR Zamir Cobb is tied for 12th nationally in receptions per game (6.75) and 33rd in receiving yards (83.50). On special teams, Cobb is 16th in the nation in punt returns (13.36), while junior RB Jamil Porter is 18th in kickoff returns (26.40).
Temple is coming off a 30-14 loss to Rutgers at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 25, snapping a four game win streak against the Scarlet Knights. Cobb made a career-high 10 receptions (91 yards) and a TD while Wallace had a career-best 18 total tackles. Sophomore QB Walter Washington completed 15 of 28 passes for 189 yards and a TD, while rushing for another, in relief of starter Mike McGann, who exited the game in the second quarter with an elbow injury. Temple held Rutgers to 44 rushing yards.
Cobb has 54 catches, nine shy of the single-season mark (63) set by Clint Graves in 1972.
Syracuse suffered a 34-14 defeat at Pittsburgh on Oct. 25, as the Panthers held the Orangemen to 195 total net yards. QB R.J. Anderson threw two INTs, snapping a streak of 178 attempts without a pick.
Syracuse has allowed a Big East-low six sacks. Individually, junior RB Walter Reyes leads the league and ranks sixth nationally in rushing, averaging 124.71 yards on the ground per game. Senior WR Johnnie Morant has caught a pass in 24 straight games and ranks ninth among I-A players in kickoff returns with a 27.45 average.
