Temple University Athletics
BUFFALO EDGES TEMPLE IN OVERTIME, 9-3
8.31.06 | Football
BUFFALO,
Defense ruled the night for both teams as the game was scoreless until Buffalo PK Taylor Packwood converted a 27-yard field goal with 7:38 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Bulls a 3-0 lead. Packwood had missed two field goals inside 30 yards earlier in the contest.
The Owls answered right back as redshirt sophomore QB Adam DiMichele, playing in his first collegiate game, led Temple down the field on its most impressive drive (75 yards on 12 plays). DiMichelle, who was 19-of-24 passing for 103 yards, completed all four of his passes in the drive for 29 yards, the biggest coming on a 10-yarder to senior RB Tim Brown on a third-and-nine play at the Temple 23.
Brown rushed for 31 of his game-high 81 yards on the drive, broke a 17-yard run to the UB 27. A personal foul penalty on the play moved the ball to the Buffalo 17. Brown, who led all TU receivers with six catches (23 yards), followed that with a 12-yard run for a first and goal at the UB 2 yard-line.
It looked at that point that the Owls were going to walk away winners, but the Buffalo defense held tight. Brown was stopped for a one-yard loss on first down, but then picked up two yards to reach the Buffalo one. Buffalo stopped him for a two-yard loss on third down, setting up a 20-yard field goal attempt by junior Danny Murphy. Murphy drilled it through the uprights with 1:44 to play to tie the game.
The Bulls won the coin toss at the end of regulation and elected to defend first. The Bulls defense backed the Owls' offense up, forcing a third-and-16 play. DiMichele was intercepted by Jesse Imes, the only turnover of the game for the Owls, to end the drive.
Sophomore QB Drew Willy, who completed 13 of 24 passes for 188 yards, found Ike Nduka for a 13 yard reception to give Buffalo a first down on the 13. After an offside penalty pushed the ball back to the 18, Starks rushed the ball down the right sideline for the game-winning score.
Defensively, freshman LB Junior Galette, one of two true freshmen (TE Marcus Brown) in the starting lineup, led the Temple defense. Galette tied senior LB Ryan Gore for team honors with nine tackles while recording 2.5 tackles for loss. Senior LB Walter Mebane had six tackles, two for a loss, and forced a critical first half fumble that was recovered by sophomore OLB Leyon Azubuike on the Temple 18. Sophomore Philip Simpson added five tackles, including 1,5 tackles for loss.
Simpson was one of four Owls credited with a sack. Senior DE Doug Morris, who had four tackles (two for loss), joined Simpson in the sack attack as did sophomore NT Terrance Knighton (3 tackles, 1 for loss) and true freshman LB John Haley (2 tackles, 1 for loss).
Eleven true freshmen played for the youngest Temple team in the program's history with 20 players competing in their first Division 1-A game. Redshirt f
The overtime defeat dropped the Owls' all-time record in extra-time contests to 0-4, with the prior three lossess all coming during the 2003 campaign. Temple (0-1) hosts #13 Louisville on Saturday, September 9 in its home opener at Lincoln Financial Field. Kick-off is scheduled for noon.
