Temple University Athletics
OWLS HOST PANTHERS IN ANNUAL HOMECOMING CONTEST
10.4.04 | Football
PHILADELPHIA-Temple (1-4, 0-0), under the direction of seventh-year head coach Bobby Wallace, and Pittsburgh (2-2, 0-1), under the leadership of eighth-year head coach Walt Harris, meet Saturday at 12 noon within the confines of Lincoln Financial Field in the Owls' annual homecoming game. During halftime of the contest, which is the Cherry & White's first conference game of the season, Temple will induct six former student-athletes into its Athletics Hall of Fame, including offensive lineman Tre Johnson, who was a three-time All-Big East selection from 1991-93 before playing nine seasons in the NFL. Saturday's game is being produced by ESPN Regional Television as the conference's Game of the Week and will be televised in the Delaware Valley on WB-17 with Dave Sims calling the action and John Congemi providing the color commentary.
The cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are separated by a 304-mile, five-hour and 38-minute drive. Temple utilizes a spread offense and a 4-2-5 defense. The Panthers operate a pro offense and a multiple eight-man front defense.
The Owls are coming off a 70-16 home loss to Bowling Green State last Saturday. Senior QB Mike McGann saw his first action since Oct. 25, 2003 (Rutgers) and completed his first five passes for 106 yards, including a 63-yard completion to junior WR Brian Allbrooks that is the Owls' longest pass of the season. McGann entered the game for Temple's third offensive series of the first quarter and led the team 81 yards on four plays to the BGSU five yard-line before Walter Washington spotted McGann in the red zone. McGann totaled 163 yards (165 passing, -2 rushing) to surpass former QB Brian Broomell (1976-79; 4,559 total yards) for fourth place on the Temple career total offense chart with 4,639 yards. Allbrooks made a career-high six receptions for a career-best 94 yards. True freshman WR Travis Shelton made a 56-yard TD reception from McGann in the fourth quarter for his first career catch and score. Defensively senior OS Sadeke Konte made 10 tackles (four solo) for his second straight game with double-digit stops.
Pittsburgh suffered a 29-17 loss at UConn on Sept. 30 in its last outing. QB Tyler Palko had a 77-yard TD pass and rushed for another score en route to 316 total yards (267 passing, 49 rushing). His one-yard TD run gave the Panthers a 17-16 lead with 5:44 to go in the third quarter. Palko threw one INT, which was returned nine yards for a TD to give UConn a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
