Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE FOOTBALL SUFFERS 41-17 DEFEAT AT SYRACUSE
11.8.03 | Football
Starting quarterback Mike McGann watched the game from the sideline with an injured right elbow, as Walter Washington made his second career start under center. Washington finished with 60 yards on 14 carries to lead the Owls in rushing for the second-straight game. The sophomore also completed 19-of-34 passes for 183 yards.
The ball did not bounce the Owls' way early. After Temple extinguished the game's opening drive, the Cherry & White took possession deep in its own territory. TU moved the ball to the 26 yard-line after 12 and eight-yard rushes. Washington's first pass, however, deflected off senior wide receiver Zamir Cobb and was intercepted by SU linebacker Kellen Pruitt for a 10-yard return to the Temple 30.
Two plays later, it appeared as if the Owls would return the favor, but a pass that free safety Yazid Jackson looked to have intercepted off his foot was ruled to have hit the ground. The Orangemen's drive continued and resulted in an eight-yard R.J. Anderson scoring run with 6:22 remaining on the first quarter clock. It was the only score of the opening stanza as SU dominated the time of possession by nearly nine minutes.
Temple's offense was unable to generate significant yardage its first two possessions, gaining two first downs on Washington carries, and was victimized by dropped passes.
Syracuse didn't waste any time posting points in the second stanza. Collin Barber nailed a 26-yard field goal to cap an 11-play, 44-yard drive with 14:08 remaining in the half to give the hosts a 10-0 advantage. After a Temple three-and-out, the Orangemen found their way to pay dirt once again. Walter Reyes plowed in a three-yard run at 7:44 to conclude an 11-play, 99-yard effort that featured a 43-yard pass from Anderson to sophomore Rashard Williams.
The Orangemen ran their lead to 24-0 on an Anderson 33-yard aerial to tight end Joe Kowalewski against a tired Temple defense that spent the better part of the first half on the field.
Temple's struggling offense, however, woke up prior to intermission. Senior Makonnen Fenton was on the receiving end of a Washington scoring toss to cap an eight-play, 70-yard drive with 0:51 on the clock. During the drive, the former Junior College All-American completed six passes to five different receivers.
Syracuse out-gained the Owls, 278 total net yards to 114, in the first half and owned 20:29-9:31 advantage in time of possession.
Temple's initial drive of the second half was stymied when an illegal block in the back penalty negated a Washington first-down run to the Syracuse 22 yard-line. The Owls turned the ball over at the SU 34 after failing to convert on fourth down.
After a TU defensive stand, another Owl drive ended prematurely as Diamond Ferri stepped in front of Jamel Harris for an interception and returned it to the Temple 33 yard-line. Reyes capped the eight-play drive by punching in his second touchdown of the afternoon to push the Orange's lead to 31-7 with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter. The junior, who entered the game with the nation's sixth-best rushing average, accumulated 93 yards on 25 carries.
The Owls staged a last-ditch effort in the final period with an 18-play, 70-yard drive to open the quarter. On fourth-and-three from SU's 35, Washington hit Cobb for a five-yard completion to keep the series alive. He then connected with Phil Goodman and Bill Monan as the Owls moved the ball to the three yard-line before Jared Davis kicked a field goal from 28 yards out.
Washington led the Owls to their final score of the game on a 10-play, 51-yard drive that resulted in a Jamil Porter one-yard run with 3:25 showing on the clock. Syracuse answered with a six-play, 47-yard drive highlighted by a Tim Washington touchdown scamper to close out the scoring, 41-17.
The Owls fell to 1-12 all-time against Paul Pasqualoni-led teams, with the lone win coming in a 17-16 Homecoming victory last season.
Temple hosts No. 5-ranked Virginia Tech at Lincoln Financial Field in a 1:00 p.m. kickoff next Saturday, November 15. The game marks the homecoming of Hokies' Heisman Trophy candidate Kevin Jones, a Chester, Pa. native and Cardinal O'Hara High School graduate.
