Temple University Athletics
Owls To Take Flight Once Again For Meeting With 12th-Ranked Clemson In Charlotte
10.9.06 | Football
Oct. 9, 2006
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PHILADELPHIA - Temple, under the direction of first-year head coach Al Golden, hosts No. 12-ranked Clemson, under the leadership of eighth-year coach Tommy Bowden, in a neutral site game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Thursday evening at 7:30. Temple employs a multiple offense and a 3-4 defense. ACC-member Clemson utilizes both a multiple offense and defense. The game is the Owls' fifth road contest, and fourth with an evening kick-off, of the season thus far. It will also mark the fourth of five contests against BCS-conference member schools for the Owls this season. The last time the Cherry and White played a neutral site contest was in September 1996, when it hosted Penn State at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Current Temple assistant coaches Jeff Nixon and Matt Rhule were members of that Nittany Lions squad that defeated the Owls 41-0.
The game will be televised live on ESPNU with Mike Gleason calling the action and Jim Donnan providing the commentary. ESPNU is available on DIRECTV Channel 609. The radio broadcast will air on WPHT 1210 AM, with Harry Donahue handling the play-by-play and Steve Joachim serving as the analyst. Live radio audio, via Yahoo Sports, and live Gametracker stats are available on the Temple Athletics web site, www.owlsports.com.
Temple has now played 20 true freshmen thus far this season, the most in Div. I-A, after DE Brian Sanford saw his first action against Kent State. Thirty-six Owls have seen their first collegiate action this season, including five redshirt freshmen. In total, 66 different players have competed. Of those 66, 44 have two or more additional seasons of eligibility remaining after the 2006 campaign.
Temple (0-6) is coming off a hard-fought 28-17 loss at home to Kent State (4-2, 4-0). The Owls jumped-out to a 7-0 lead courtesy of a 31-yard Tim Brown TD scamper on their opening drive. Brown, who rushed five times for 60 yards in the first quarter, was sidelined in the second stanza but returned after the half to total 76 yards on 12 attempts. The Owls scored on two of their first three possessions as QB Adam DiMichele completed 14 of 26 passes overall for 144 yards, including a 33-yard, fourth quarter scoring aerial to Bruce Francis. Defensively, Temple earned four sacks as DB Dominique Harris came off the bench to make a game-high 11 tackles (seven solo), as well as a PBU and his second INT of the season. Unfortunately, the Owls were hampered by penalties, committing a season-high 10 infractions for 64 yards.
Clemson (5-1, 3-1) overcame a 14-point, fourth quarter deficit to earn its fourth straight win and defeat previously undefeated Wake Forest (5-1, 1-1) 27-17 in Winston-Salem last Saturday. C.J. Spiller ran 72 yards for the go-ahead TD and DE Gaines Adams returned a fumble 66 yards for a score on the first play of the fourth quarter to spark the victory. Spiller finished with 104 yards as the Tigers denied the Demon Deacons their first 6-0 start since 1944. Will Proctor was 20-of-30 passing for 214 yards and a TD, and Clemson overcame his fumble and three INTs by scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers, whose lone defeat was a 34-33 double overtime loss at Boston College, are among the nation's best in multiple categories. Clemson ranks third in scoring offense (40.67), fourth in pass efficiency defense (95.52), fifth in total defense (236.17), sixth in sacks allowed (0.67), sixth in rushing offense (236.17), seventh in rushing defense (62.83), ninth in kickoff returns (26.50) and 10th in total offense (442.33).
