Temple University Athletics
DiMichele and Francis Lead Recording-Setting Day as Owls Outlast Eastern Michigan 55-52
11.22.08 | Football
Nov. 22, 2008
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PHILADELPHIA - In Temple football's biggest offensive explosion in nearly a decade, senior QB Adam DiMichele threw for a school record six touchdowns and passed for a career-high 370 yards, while senior Bruce Francis caught a Division I-A school-record four touchdown passes as the Owls hung on for a wild 55-52 victory over Eastern Michigan at Lincoln Financial Field.
Seemingly every major Temple offensive single game record fell in a game that saw the two MAC teams combine for 854 yards and 107 points. DiMichele broke school records for passing touchdowns in a game (six) and set a career-high for passing yards in game (370). His 370 yards marked his 10th 200-plus passing yardage games, which rank him third on the Temple's career list for 200-yard passers. It also marked DiMichele's fourth 300-plus passing game, which ties the school record with Henry Burris.
Francis broke the Division I-A school record and set a career-high with four touchdown catches in one game. He also set a career-high with nine receptions in a game, extending his personal streak of 37 consecutive games with a catch and extending his Division I-A school record to 23 receiving TDs in a career. His four touchdowns on the day gave him 13 for the season, which also ties the Temple's Division I-A school record.
The Owls' 55 points were the most since defeating Connecticut, 56-7, at Franklin Field on Nov. 24, 2001. The 107 combined points were the most in TU's Division I-A history and most since 110 points in an 82-28 win over Bucknell on Oct. 8, 1966.
Eastern Michigan QB Andy Schmitt re-wrote Temple's opponent records for passing attempts in a game, (76 = just seven shy of the NCAA record) and completions in a game (50). Both were new EMU single game records as well as his 484 yards passing.
In a wild game that saw offensive records fall on seemingly every other possession, the Owls finally appeared to put the game away on DiMichele's record-setting sixth touchdown pass to WR Jason Harper from 45 yards out to give the Owls a 55-45 lead with 2:46 remaining in the fourth quarter.
But just as they had all afternoon, the Eagles had an answer. Schmitt scored his second rushing touchdown and fifth overall for the game to cut the lead to 55-52 with just :37 seconds remaining.
On the ensuing Eastern Michigan onside kick, sophomore Marquise Liverpool recovered the ball mid-air with :34 seconds remaining to seal the wild victory for the Cherry and White.
With the victory, the Owls matched last season's win total of four games and have won at least four games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1985.
The offensive assault between Eastern Michigan and Temple began almost as soon as the ball left the tee on the opening kickoff.
Schmitt got off to a blistering start for the visiting Eagles. Schmitt went 6-for-6 on the game's opening drive, capping it off with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Jones to give the Eagles to early 7-0 with 13:11 remaining in the first quarter.
The Owls got on the scoreboard later in the first when junior Jake Brownell connected on a 34-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3 with 4:55 left in the first. The score was set up by a 33-yard screen pass to freshman RB Joe Jones. The reception was the longest of Jones' career.
Schmitt's attack continued into the second quarter, as he hooked up with Jacory Stone for an 8-yard touchdown to extend the Eagle lead to 14-3 with 12:49 left to play in the half.
Trailing by 11, DiMichele finally had his fun through the air. He marched the Cherry and White down the field 70 yards, eventually connecting with Francis for the first of four TDs on the day from three yards out to cut the lead to 14-10 with 9:16 left in the second quarter.
Just three minutes later, DiMichele found Francis again, this time for a 31-yard touchdown to give their Owls their first lead of the game at 17-14.
Not be outdone, Schmitt responded to DiMichele's touchdown drive with his third passing touchdown of the first half. He hooked up with Tyler Jones for the second time in the game on a critical 4th-and-1 pass to the end zone, as the Eagles regained the lead 21-17.
And in a fitting conclusion to a wild first half, DiMichele found Jones wide open to his left for an eightyard touchdown to give the Owls a 24-21 lead at halftime.
In all, DiMichele finished the half 13-of-23 for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Schmitt finished completing 27 passes on a staggering 41 attempts for 252 yard and three touchdowns. DiMichele's three touchdown passes were his most in a half since throwing three touchdowns in the second half against Akron on October 13, 2007.
The Owls carried the offensive momentum into the start of the second half as DiMichele passed for 34 yards on the Owls' opening drive to set up a 35-yard field goal from Brownell, extending the Cherry and White lead to 27-21.
Following a 25-yard EMU field goal on the ensuring possession to cut the lead to 27-24, DiMichele found a wide-open Jason Harper for a 36-yard pass to the seven yard-line. Then on 4th-and- 4, DiMichele found Francis for the third time to push the Cherry and White lead to 34-24 with 4:34 left in the third quarter.
Just when it appeared the Owls had taken command of the game, a costly turnover brought the Eagles right back into the game. Jones muffed a punt that was recovered by Eastern Michigan at the 11 yard-line. Four plays later, the Eagles capitalized when Schmitt scored on a 1-yard rush to cut the lead to 34-31 with 14:57 left to play.
On the ensuing kickoff, senior Travis Shelton, Temple's all-time leading leader, finally had an opporutnity to return a kick for the first time all game. He returned the ball 61 yards to the 20 yard-line. That set up DiMichele's record-setting fourth touchdown pass to Francis from 10 yards out, giving the Owls a 41-31 lead with 12:39 left in the game.
Continuing the see-saw affair, Eastern Michigan answered right back to Temple's fourth quarter score, as Schmitt's 45-yard pass to Marvon Sanders set up a two-yard touchdown run by Dwayne Priest, narrowing the gap to 41-38.
But there was simply no stopping the Owl offense on this day. After a poor Eastern Michigan's kick put the ball on the 50-yard-line, DiMichele capped of a six-play drive with a three-yard touchdown run of his own to give the Owls a 48-38 lead with 6:53.
On EMU's next possession, Priest added his second touchdown of the game on a two-yard run to cut the lead to 48-45 with 3:45 remaining in the fourth.
For the Owls on defense, juniors Alex Joseph and John Haley led the way with eight tackles apiece. Brownell added two field goals and was a perfect 7-for-7 on extra points.
The Owls will look to close out the 2008 season with their most wins since 1990 as they host Akron on Friday, November 28 at 1:00 p.m.
