Temple University Athletics
ARIZONA STATE DOWNS TEMPLE, 63-16, IN SEASON OPENER
9.2.05 | Football
TEMPE, AZ -- Nationally-ranked Arizona State (#18/20) used a balanced offensive attack in defeating visiting Temple, 63-16, in front of 50,049 fans at Sun Devil Stadium Thursday night in the season opener for both teams. The Sun Devils amassed 559 yards in total offense (300 rushing/259 passing) while holding the Owls to 266 offensive yards.
"This is a tough game because of the score," said Temple head coach Bobby Wallace. "But at the same time, I am encouraged about some things that we did well against a good football team. We have a lot to work on though. We had no penalties, which was good, but I can't say we were a well-coached team tonight."
Senior quarterback Sam Keller completed 14-of-24 passes for 208 yards and four touchdowns. Throwing to the nation's fifth-best receiving corps according to Lindy's magazine, Keller connected with 10 different targets with preseason All-America wide receiver Derek Hagan making three catches for 53 yard and two touchdowns. Sophomore tight end Zach Miller also had a big game, pulling in one TD among his three receptions (26 yards).
Freshman running back Keegan Herring led the ASU ground game, rushing for 134, a school record for the first game of a career, and one touchdown on 12 carries. Sophomore Rudy Burgess also had a solid game, compiling 60 yards and one TD on 10 carries as did Preston Jones (10-70, 1 TD).
Arizona
After the Owls opening drive of the second quarter stalled at midfield, Jake Hendy punted the ball 43 yards to the ASU nine yard-line. A Sun Devil penalty put the ball at the eight yard-line, and on the first play, senior DT Antwon Burton swatted the ball out of Keller's hand in the end zone to force a safety, making the score 14-2 with 10:11 remaining in the half.
Sophomore safety Willie Hardemon intercepted a Keller pass at the goal line to end ASU's next drive, but the Sun Devils would tack one more score on before intermission. Following a 45-yard punt return by Terry Richardson that gave ASU the ball at the Temple 18 with 15 seconds remaining in the half, Keller found Hagan in the corner of the end zone to give ASU a 28-2 lead.
The Sun Devils would increase their lead to 42-2 with two TDs in the third quarter, a four-yard Herring run and a 31-yard TD reception by Hagan before sophomore fullback Josh Bundy plunged in from one-yard out for his first collegiate touchdown. That made the score 42-9 at the end of the third quarter.
New ASU quarterback Rudy Carpenter picked up where Keller left off, connecting with freshman WR Nate Kimbrough on a 17-yard TD on the Sun Devils first possession of the final quarter, making it 49-9. A two-yard TD run by Antone Saulsberry pushed the margin to 56-9.
McGann, who completed 18-of-37 passes for 203 yards, his 11th career 200-yard passing game, connected with Umar Ferguson on an 11-yard TD pass to make it 56-16. ASU scored on its final drive, a Preston Jones four-yard run to account for the final score.
Junior wide receiver Bruce Gordon had a solid game in his first I-A contest, catching a game-high six passes for 98 yards, including a key 55-yard reception on the Owls' final scoring drive. Senior Brian Allbrooks caught four passes for 13 yards while junior Jamel Harris had three receptions for 34 yards. The Owls struggled on the ground, rushing for just 63 yards.
For the second straight season, the Owls opened the season without committing a single penalty. On the flip side, ASU was penalized 11 times for 101 yards
Playing in his first Division I-A game, junior Chris Page led all
In total, 18 Temple players saw their first I-A football action, including four true freshmen. Keith Holt started at owl safety to become the first Temple player to start a season opener as a true freshman since OT Dave Yovanovits in 1999.
"They are a good football team, but we have lost a lot of key players," said Wallace. "We have to improve at wide receiver and in our offensive line. We have to improve on the run block."
The Owls next play at
