Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE PROVIDES WALLACE WITH WIN #100, CRUISING TO 38-7 VICTORY OVER FLORIDA A&M
9.18.04 | Football
PHILADELPHIA -- Junior quarterback Walter Washington compiled 341 yards of total offense and three touchdowns while Umar Ferguson rushed for a career-high 118 and two touchdowns to lead the Temple Owls to a 38-7 win over visiting Florida A&M on a rainy Saturday afternoon. It marked the 100th coaching victory for head coach Bobby Wallace and the first win for the Cherry and White at Lincoln Financial Field.
"I thought that our team put forth a great effort today," said Wallace. "We started the season by playing two very fine football programs and we didn't play as well as we needed to in those first two games. I stressed all week long to our team that we needed to come out and play hard and set the tone early."
Washington, who had struggled in the first half of Temple's losses to nationally-ranked Virginia and Maryland, was on the mark from the start against the Rattlers. He directed the Owls on a six-play, 66-yard drive on the team's opening drive with Umar Ferguson rushing for a three-yard touchdown to make it 7-0. Washington, who racked up his third 100-yard rushing game (119 yards), had a 36-yard carry in the drive to set up Ferguson's scoring run.
Ferguson, who also had a career-high 25 carries, started in place of Tim Brown. Brown was a game-day scratch due to a foot injury.
The game had the makings of a shootout as Florida A&M came right back, marching 70 yards on nine plays to tie the score on a Rashard Pompey five-yard touchdown run with 10:11 remaining in the first quarter. The Owls came right back, as Washington capped a 10-play, 61-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run. That put Temple ahead 14-7 with a little over nine minutes elapsed in the contest.
After Lawrence Wade blocked a FAMU punt at midfield, Washington hit Ikey Chuku for a 31-yard pickup to the Rattler 19-yard line. The drive stalled there with Ryan Lux connecting on a 35-yard field goal, his first as an Owl, to make it 17-7 with 1:49 remaining in the quarter.
Temple's defense, led by Wade and Rian "Goo" Wallace (10 tackles each), started to clamp down on the FAMU offense. The Owls forced punts on the next two Rattler possessions. FAMU punter Damon Miller landed his third punt of the day at the Temple two to pin the Owls back deep in their own territory.
The play of the day for Temple came when Bobby Wallace decided to go for a fourth-and-one on his own 11-yard line. Washington picked up two yards on a quarterback sneak to keep the drive alive. He would then complete the 98-yard, 18-play drive with a five yard touchdown run to make it 24-7 with 4:59 remaining in the half. It was his sixth touchdown run of the season and 12th of his career.
FAMU quarterback Ben Dougherty, who completed 22-of-43 passes for 181 yards on the day, single-handily led the Rattlers down the field, passing for 40 yards and rushing for 22. The drive stalled on the Temple 21, however, as Dougherty's fourth down pass to Craig Swan fell incomplete.
The Owls scored on their first possession of the third quarter to effectively put the game away. Washington capped a seven-play, 67-yard drive with a 17-yard pass to Chuku with 8:46 left in the third quarter. It was one of five catches on the day for the senior wideout who accumulated a career-high 115 yards.
Temple's final score came on its first possession of the fourth quarter. Washington again directed the Owl offense for a scoring drive over 90 yards. This time the junior signal caller marched the team down for a 15-play, 94 yard drive, taking 8:25 off the clock. He handed off to Ferguson for a one-yard TD to make it 38-7.
The margin of victory was the largest for Temple since a 49-point win over Connecticut, 56-7, on November 24, 2001.
With Washington and Ferguson both rushing for over 100 yards, it marked the first time the Owls have had two 100-yard rushers since Stacey Mack (164) and Elmarko Jackson (101) accomplished the feat against Rutgers at Veterans Stadium in 1997.
Temple's defense was strengthened by the return of starting cornerback Ray Lamb. It was his first action since suffering a knee injury in the team's spring game, April 24, 2004.
Florida A&M's famed "Marching 100" band, consisting of 400 members, performed at halftime for the crowd following a strong performance by the Temple band.
Wallace's postgame media conference was started with legendary statistician Harvey Pollack presenting him with the number 100 written on a sheet of paper. Pollack wrote a similar sheet of paper after Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a basketball game while with Philadelphia. Pollack was part of the Temple stat crew for the FAMU game.
The Owls (1-2) travel to Toledo for a 7:00 p.m. showdown with the Rockets next Saturday. FAMU falls to 0-3.
TEMPLE GAME AT A GLANCE
* Today's win provided head coach Bobby Wallace his 100th career head coaching victory.
* Today's victory is Temple's first at Lincoln Financial Field.
* QB Walter Washington rushed for two TDs and passed for another. The junior has rushed for six TDs in three games this season and 10 scores in his last four games overall (4 at WVU in 2003 season finale). Overall, Washington has accounted for 18 TDs (12 rushing, 6 passing) in his last eight games dating back to last season. Washington entered today's game ranked seventh in Div I-A in scoring with a 13.0 points-per-game average.
* Washington carried 21 times for 119 yards to register his third career 100-yard rushing game. He is the only QB in Temple history to reach the rushing century mark.in a game.
* Washington totaled 341 yards of total offense (119 rushing, 222 passing) for his fourth career game with over 300 yards of total offense.
* RB Umar Ferguson rushed 25 times for 118 yards to earn his first career 100-yard rushing game.
* Today's game marked the first time since 1997 that Temple had two players (Washington/Ferguson) rush for over 100 yards. Stacey Mack (164) and Elmarko Jackson (101) combined for the feat versus Rutgers at Veterans Stadium.
* Temple's 38 points were the most since scoring 44 in last season's 44-36 victory at Middle Tennessee State.
* Temple's 31-point margin of victory was its most since 49-point margin of victory in the Owls' 56-7 victory over Connecticut on November 24, 2001.
* Temple's 24 first half points were its most since posting 24 in last season's 44-36 victory at Middle Tennessee State.
* Senior WR Ikey Chuku's 115 receiving yards (One TD) were a career high.
* Junior CB Ray Lamb (#20) was in the starting lineup. Today's game marked his return to the gridiron after suffering a knee injury in the Cherry & White Spring Game on April 24, 2004. Lamb started the final six games of the 2003 season.
* Junior PK Ryan Lux connected on a 35-yard FG with 1:39 remaining in the first quarter to give the Owls a 17-7 lead. It was his first career FG.
* Junior WR Brian Allbrooks (#21) made his first career start.
"I thought that our team put forth a great effort today," said Wallace. "We started the season by playing two very fine football programs and we didn't play as well as we needed to in those first two games. I stressed all week long to our team that we needed to come out and play hard and set the tone early."
Washington, who had struggled in the first half of Temple's losses to nationally-ranked Virginia and Maryland, was on the mark from the start against the Rattlers. He directed the Owls on a six-play, 66-yard drive on the team's opening drive with Umar Ferguson rushing for a three-yard touchdown to make it 7-0. Washington, who racked up his third 100-yard rushing game (119 yards), had a 36-yard carry in the drive to set up Ferguson's scoring run.
Ferguson, who also had a career-high 25 carries, started in place of Tim Brown. Brown was a game-day scratch due to a foot injury.
The game had the makings of a shootout as Florida A&M came right back, marching 70 yards on nine plays to tie the score on a Rashard Pompey five-yard touchdown run with 10:11 remaining in the first quarter. The Owls came right back, as Washington capped a 10-play, 61-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run. That put Temple ahead 14-7 with a little over nine minutes elapsed in the contest.
After Lawrence Wade blocked a FAMU punt at midfield, Washington hit Ikey Chuku for a 31-yard pickup to the Rattler 19-yard line. The drive stalled there with Ryan Lux connecting on a 35-yard field goal, his first as an Owl, to make it 17-7 with 1:49 remaining in the quarter.
Temple's defense, led by Wade and Rian "Goo" Wallace (10 tackles each), started to clamp down on the FAMU offense. The Owls forced punts on the next two Rattler possessions. FAMU punter Damon Miller landed his third punt of the day at the Temple two to pin the Owls back deep in their own territory.
The play of the day for Temple came when Bobby Wallace decided to go for a fourth-and-one on his own 11-yard line. Washington picked up two yards on a quarterback sneak to keep the drive alive. He would then complete the 98-yard, 18-play drive with a five yard touchdown run to make it 24-7 with 4:59 remaining in the half. It was his sixth touchdown run of the season and 12th of his career.
FAMU quarterback Ben Dougherty, who completed 22-of-43 passes for 181 yards on the day, single-handily led the Rattlers down the field, passing for 40 yards and rushing for 22. The drive stalled on the Temple 21, however, as Dougherty's fourth down pass to Craig Swan fell incomplete.
The Owls scored on their first possession of the third quarter to effectively put the game away. Washington capped a seven-play, 67-yard drive with a 17-yard pass to Chuku with 8:46 left in the third quarter. It was one of five catches on the day for the senior wideout who accumulated a career-high 115 yards.
Temple's final score came on its first possession of the fourth quarter. Washington again directed the Owl offense for a scoring drive over 90 yards. This time the junior signal caller marched the team down for a 15-play, 94 yard drive, taking 8:25 off the clock. He handed off to Ferguson for a one-yard TD to make it 38-7.
The margin of victory was the largest for Temple since a 49-point win over Connecticut, 56-7, on November 24, 2001.
With Washington and Ferguson both rushing for over 100 yards, it marked the first time the Owls have had two 100-yard rushers since Stacey Mack (164) and Elmarko Jackson (101) accomplished the feat against Rutgers at Veterans Stadium in 1997.
Temple's defense was strengthened by the return of starting cornerback Ray Lamb. It was his first action since suffering a knee injury in the team's spring game, April 24, 2004.
Florida A&M's famed "Marching 100" band, consisting of 400 members, performed at halftime for the crowd following a strong performance by the Temple band.
Wallace's postgame media conference was started with legendary statistician Harvey Pollack presenting him with the number 100 written on a sheet of paper. Pollack wrote a similar sheet of paper after Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a basketball game while with Philadelphia. Pollack was part of the Temple stat crew for the FAMU game.
The Owls (1-2) travel to Toledo for a 7:00 p.m. showdown with the Rockets next Saturday. FAMU falls to 0-3.
TEMPLE GAME AT A GLANCE
* Today's win provided head coach Bobby Wallace his 100th career head coaching victory.
* Today's victory is Temple's first at Lincoln Financial Field.
* QB Walter Washington rushed for two TDs and passed for another. The junior has rushed for six TDs in three games this season and 10 scores in his last four games overall (4 at WVU in 2003 season finale). Overall, Washington has accounted for 18 TDs (12 rushing, 6 passing) in his last eight games dating back to last season. Washington entered today's game ranked seventh in Div I-A in scoring with a 13.0 points-per-game average.
* Washington carried 21 times for 119 yards to register his third career 100-yard rushing game. He is the only QB in Temple history to reach the rushing century mark.in a game.
* Washington totaled 341 yards of total offense (119 rushing, 222 passing) for his fourth career game with over 300 yards of total offense.
* RB Umar Ferguson rushed 25 times for 118 yards to earn his first career 100-yard rushing game.
* Today's game marked the first time since 1997 that Temple had two players (Washington/Ferguson) rush for over 100 yards. Stacey Mack (164) and Elmarko Jackson (101) combined for the feat versus Rutgers at Veterans Stadium.
* Temple's 38 points were the most since scoring 44 in last season's 44-36 victory at Middle Tennessee State.
* Temple's 31-point margin of victory was its most since 49-point margin of victory in the Owls' 56-7 victory over Connecticut on November 24, 2001.
* Temple's 24 first half points were its most since posting 24 in last season's 44-36 victory at Middle Tennessee State.
* Senior WR Ikey Chuku's 115 receiving yards (One TD) were a career high.
* Junior CB Ray Lamb (#20) was in the starting lineup. Today's game marked his return to the gridiron after suffering a knee injury in the Cherry & White Spring Game on April 24, 2004. Lamb started the final six games of the 2003 season.
* Junior PK Ryan Lux connected on a 35-yard FG with 1:39 remaining in the first quarter to give the Owls a 17-7 lead. It was his first career FG.
* Junior WR Brian Allbrooks (#21) made his first career start.
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