WISCONSIN DOWNS TEMPLE IN LOPSIDED CONTEST, 65-0

MADISON, WI -- Temple football was dominated from the opening kick-off until the final gun in falling to Wisconsin, 65-0, in front of 81,806 fans at Camp Randall Stadium Saturday afternoon.  The loss was the worst in the Bobby Wallace era and the second largest margin of defeat in the Owls' Division I-A history.

"We just didn't show up to play," said Wallace. "Wisconsin did a super job and Barry Alvarez showed a lot of class playing all his guys in the 3rd and 4th quarters. They did a great job of executing and we did a horrible job."

Senior wide receiver Brandon Williams started things off on a positive note for the Badgers, returning the opening kick-off 38 yards to the 50-yard line. After a 24-yard pass to Williams produced a first and 10 at the 26, the Temple (0-2) defense held strong.  Senior DT Antwon Burton broke-up a third down pass and the Badgers were forced to settle for a 39-yard Taylor Medhoff field goal.

That would be the last time the Owls defense would hold the Badgers out of the end zone until midway through the third quarter.  Wisconsin (2-0) scored touchdowns on its next eight offensive possessions before the Cherry and White defense finally forced a punt with just under nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. 

It would be the Badgers lone punt of the contest as the home squad scored another touchdown on its next possession.   Their final two possessions were a fumble, recovered by senior Christian Dunbar, making his first start at safety, and a turnover on downs.

Quarterback John Stocco threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game in the second quarter in favor of back-up Tyler Donovan.  Wide receiver Owen Daniels was the recipient of Stocco's accuracy, grabbing six passes for 88 yards and three TDs.

RB Brian Calhoun, who ran for 258 yards and five TDs last week against Bowling Green, carried just 11 times for 44 yards and a score.  In all, nine Badgers carried the ball for 263 yards and four TDs.

Williams also gave UW great field position all day.  The dangerous return man racked up 105 yards on four punts returns including a 66-yarder for a TD with 12:08 remaining in the second quarter to make the score 30-0.  He also caught two passes for 41 yards, giving him 184 total yards.

Temple looked to have avoided its first shutout since the 2001 campaign when; facing a third and 13 from his 36, Stocco was sacked by Dunbar and fumbled. Senior DE Mike Mendenhall scooped-up the miscue and raced 29 yards into the end zone to put the Owls on the scoreboard. Temple's good fortune was quickly erased, however, as an offsides penalty negated the play. The Badger responded by driving the length of the field to take a 37-0 lead when Stocco connected with Daniels for his third aerial score of the day, this time from 15 yards out.

The Badgers scored twice in the first half's final two minutes. A Dwyon Rowan two-yard run and a 29-yard toss from Donovan to Marcus Randle El sent Temple to the locker room at the midpoint facing a 51-0 deficit. The Badgers 51 points marked the most ever scored against the Owls in a half, surpassing the 45 posted by California and Boston College prior to intermission in 1993.

The stats were mind-numbing to Owl fans.  Wisconsin accumulated 492 yards of total offense while Temple was held to a program-low 45 yards, including a dismal -11 yards on the ground.  The Badgers made 26 first downs while the Owls tied their program-low with five.

Senior QB Mike McGann had his worst statistical game in an Owl uniform, completing four-of-20 passes for just 38 yards.  He was sacked four times.  Freshman Shane Kelly, a product of The Hill School in nearby Pottstown, PA, saw his first action, and completed two of his six passes for 18 yards.

Senior running back Umar Ferguson was the Owls' leading rusher, gaining 32 yards on 12 carries. 

Senior Manuel Tapia led the defense with seven solo tackles and five assists.  Senior CB Ray Lamb added two solo tackles, two assists and two pass break-ups.

Temple hosts Toledo in its home opener at Lincoln Financial next Saturday. Kick-off is 1:00 p.m.. The Owls and Rockets have met seven times on the gridiron, with UT holding a 5-2 advantage. The game will be televised live on CN8.

Temple University Athletics

WISCONSIN DOWNS TEMPLE IN LOPSIDED CONTEST, 65-0

Related News

Related Videos