Temple University Athletics
PENN STATE TOPS TEMPLE IN FOOTBALL OPENER, 23-10
8.30.03 | Football
"We found out a lot about our team today," stated Temple coach Bobby Wallace. "I like the way they fought. I like the way they hit on defense."
"I was pleasantly surprised we were able to run the football so well, especially in the first half. We had 97 yards in the first half. With a young offensive line I was very pleased with that."
Penn State, unable to break away from the Cherry & White for over three quarters finally found some breathing room midway through the final quarter. The Nittany Lions used a seven-play, 77-yard drive capped by a Sean McHugh 4-yard touchdown run to take a commanding 20-3 lead with 7:45 to play. The big play of the drive came when sophomore quarterback Michael Robinson broke a 53-yard run to give PSU a first down on the Temple 19-yard line.
The Owls came right back, however, mounting its biggest drive of the game, 11-plays covering 82 yards. Temple kept its drive alive on fake punt that saw tight end Collin Hannigan hit Zamir Cobb on a 27-yard pass play. Senior running back Makonnen Fenton, who ran for a career-high 118 yards, finished the drive with a three-yard TD run. One of the nation's top return men the past two seasons, Fenton was making his first start in the Owl backfield.
Cobb also had a career day for the Owls. The senior wide receiver caught six balls for a career-high 105 yards. Three of his catches came in the fourth quarter as Temple went to the air to try and rally from the 17-point deficit.
Junior quarterback Mike McGann completed 16-of-33 passes for 168 yards. He also had a key 14-yard run in the Owls touchdown drive. Sophomore Walter Washington, one of 11 junior college transfers to see action for the Owls, came in at times for McGann, and carried the ball nine times for 33 yards.
Temple did have its chances, but failed to convert twice when inside the red zone. Fifth-year senior Jared Davis, who last attempted a field goal against Navy exactly two years ago (8/30/01), missed two of his three field goal attempts, the second coming with 9:15 remaining in the third quarter and Temple trailing by only four points, 7-3.
Penn State then tacked on two Robbie Gould field goals, the second a 32-yarder following a running into the kicker penalty after Gould had missed from 37 yards, to make it 13-3.
The game started off sluggishly for both teams as can be expected in a season opener.
After a scoreless first quarter in which both teams missed field goal attempts, Penn State opened the scoring with 13:18 to go in the half on its longest pass play in two years. Junior quarterback Zach Mills (6-17, 79 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT) launched a 56-yard touchdown pass to Tony Johnson to put the Nittany Lions up 7-0. The 56-yard play was more than double Penn State's entire first quarter offensive output as the Owls' "Cherry Smash" defense allowed just 24 total yards in the period.
The defense also came up big after Penn State blocked Garvin Ringwleski's second punt attempt of the game. PSU got the ball on the Temple 32-yard line, but the Owls pushed them back to the 34 with Robbie Gould missing a 51-yard field goal attempt to end the threat.
The biggest defensive standout came from an unexpected source, junior defensive back Lawrence Wade. A running back/return specialist since his arrival on the North Broad campus in 2000, Wade had the Owls lone interception, returning Mills' pass 29 yards, and also recorded the team's lone sack, that coming on the first play following the blocked punt.
One of eight teams ranked in Top 20 in total defense the past two seasons, the Owls held the Nittany Lions to just 70 passing yards in the contest, and no yards through the air after intermission. Penn State did gain 186 yards in the second half on the ground with Robinson (9 carries, 89 yards) and freshman Austin Scott (12-70) doing the most damage.
Temple had nine players make their first collegiate start in the contest, and 17 Owls played in their first Division I-A game.
The Cherry & White return to the gridiron on Saturday, September 6 (4:00 p.m.) when they host Villanova in their first game in their new home, Lincoln Financial Field. For tickets contact Ticketmaster at 215-336-200 or www.ticketmaster.com.
