Temple University Athletics
FOOTBALL FALLS AT CLEMSON, 37-7
10.22.05 | Football
CLEMSON, SC -- Senior quarterback Charlie Whitehurst threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Clemson Tigers to a 37-7 win over the Temple Owls in front of 75,000 fans at Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Owls fall to 0-8 on the campaign while the Tigers improve to 4-3.
Playing in front of a hostile crowd at a stadium aptly referred to as
McGann's primary target was junior wide receiver Bruce Gordon. The Purdue transfer hauled in eight receptions for a career high 120 yards. It was his second 100-yard receiving day of the season.
It was not enough, however, to overcome the Tigers' offensive prowess.
Whitehurst, a preseason All-America Candidate, directed the Tiger offense to 471 yards of total offense before leaving midway through the fourth quarter. In the process, the Clemson signal caller became the school's all-time leader in total offense.
Red-shirt freshman WR Aaron Kelly was Whitehurt's primary target, pulling in seven catches for 155 yards and one TD. RB Reggie Merriweather provided the Tigers with balance, rushing 17 times for 108 yards and a score.
Clemson opened the scoring on their first series by marching 70 yards on just five plays with senior QB Charlie Whitehurst connecting with Kyle Browning for a 41-yard touchdown pass. Whitehurst completed all three of his pass attempts on the drive for 67 yards.
The Tigers advanced the ball to the Owl 25 on their next possession before LB Ryan Gore pressured Whitehurt into making an errant pass. SS Bobby Fulmore was there to make his first career interception.
Browning picked up 24 total yards of offense before the Tiger drive stalled at the Owls' five-yard line. Jad Dean kicked a 21-yard field goal to push the score, 10-0, with 1:33 remaining in the opening quarter.
After another quick
McGann entered the game for the Owls on the next possession, replacing freshman Joe DeSanzo, who made his first collegiate start. DeSanzo left the game with sore ribs. The senior from
Clemson scored 10 points within a minute to put the game away early in the third quarter. Whitehurst first directed the Tigers on a scoring drive from their own 10 yard-line with the big play being a 41-yard pass play to Kelly, giving Clemson a first down on the Owl 14. The drive stalled there with Dean connecting on a 27-yard field goal to make it 20-0 with 9:56 to play in the quarter.
On
Whitehurst made the Owls pay, hitting Kelly on a 34-yard TD strike on the next play to make it 27-0 with 9:11 on the clock.
Dean converted his third field goal of the day, a 39-yarder on Clemson's first possession of the fourth quarter to make it, 30-0. Then McGann led the Owls on a 15-play, 80-yard drive culminating in a four-yard TD pass to junior DoMerio Hamilton, the first of his career. Lux converted the extra point, making it 30-7. The big play on this drive was the first play, a 31-yard pass play from McGann to
Reserve QB Will Proctor relieved Whitehurst and hit La'Donte Harris for a 16-yard TD pass to complete the scoring with 4:31 to play.
Junior Garrett Schultz led the Owl defense with 10 tackles, including nine solo stops. Senior Mike Mendenhall added four solo tackles, two sacks for a loss of 14 yards and one QB hurry.
