Temple University Athletics
Football Falls At Buffalo On Hail Mary Reception, 30-28
9.13.08 | Football
Sept. 13, 2008
BUFFALO, NY - Senior quarterback Drew Willy connected on a 35-yard touchdown pass to Naaman Roosevelt as time expired to lead Buffalo to a 30-28 win over Temple at UB Stadium Saturday afternoon in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams. Buffalo improves to 2-1, 1-0 while Temple falls to 1-2, 0-1.
Willy, who completed 29-of-42 passes for a career-high 348 yards and three touchdowns, engineered the improbable comeback by marching the Bulls down the field on a five-play, 60-yard drive in just 38 seconds following a Temple touchdown.
"We didn't do our job," Temple head coach Al Golden said. "They finished the game, and we didn't."
It appeared that the Owls had won the contest when their senior quarterback, Adam DiMichele, had led his team on a nine-play 74-yard scoring drive. DiMichele, who completed 24-of-33 passes for a season-high 285 yards and three scores, found Bruce Francis on a crossing pattern at the five yard-line and senior wideout took it in for his second touchdown of the game, an 11-yarder, to make it 28-24, with 38 seconds remaining.
Willy then quickly moved the Bulls' downfield. Buffalo started at its 40 and following a 10-yard defensive holding call, Willy found Roosevelt (8 catches, 138 yards) for a 20-yard reception to the Owl 30. Buffalo was called on an illegal motion which set up the final play.
With five seconds remaining, Willy dropped back and launched his pass. Roosevelt, surrounded by Temple defenders, went up for the ball and came down with the game-winner.
"There's no way to describe it, and there's no way to rationalize it," Golden said. "Two weeks in a row we're losing like this."
Buffalo controlled the second half, offensively, accumulating 285 total yards to Temple's 118. The Owls defense had held the Bulls to just 10 second half points prior to the final drive, with Jamal Schulters coming up with a touchdown saving interception on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Bulls, which tied the game at 21 on a six-yard TD reception by Bruce Hamlin on their first drive of the third quarter, took the lead on a A.J. Principle 25-yard field goal with 2:27 remaining in the game.
DiMichele, who accounted for a career-high 341 total yards, started the Owls' final drive with a 30-yard completion to Marquise Liverpool to the Buffalo 44. He then hit Joe Jones for a nine-yard completion before rushing for 12-yards to the UB 24 on a fourth-and-two to keep the drive alive.
The Owl quarterback hit Dy'Onne Crudup for an eight-yard reception for a first down at the 14. Two plays later he found Francis to give the Owls the lead, 28-24, with 38 seconds remaining.
Unlike the final 30 minutes, the first half was an offensive one, as the teams combined for 435 total yards and 35 points.
Temple started its opening drive at its own 48 following a 15-yard penalty on Buffalo for interfering with Delano Green's attempt to field the Bulls' punt. The Owls then methodically marched the ball down the field, with DiMichele connecting with his favorite target, Francis on two long passes, the second a 30-yarder to the UB 12.
DiMichele, who rushed for 51 yards, took the ball down to the one-yard line on an 11-yard draw. The Bulls' however, stood strong, stopping four consecutive Cherry and White runs, the last by Jones, to halt the drive.
Temple's defense kept Buffalo pinned down, giving up just two yards before forcing a Peter Fardon punt to the Temple 49.
DiMichele again engineered a strong drive, this time mainly on the ground. The Owl signal-caller rushed for 16 yards and Jones added a career-best 19-yarder. DiMichele hit tight end Steve Maneri for an 11-yard first down pass to the 10 yard-line and then rushed 10 yards to again place the ball at the one for a first and goal.
This time, offensive coordinator Matt Rhule went to the air, as DiMichele found Crudup for a one-yard touchdown. That capped a eight-play, 51-yard drive and gave Temple a 7-0 lead just before the end of the first quarter.
Buffalo answered with a long drive of its own, a 13-play, 78-yarder to tie the score. Brian Thermilus, who rushed for 38 yards in the drive, capped it with a three-yard rush to paydirt.
DiMichele and the Owls came right back. The Owl quarterback completed four passes for 51 yards, including a 20-yarder to Green. Following a completion to Jones that put the ball at the Buffalo 15, he rushed 12 yards to the Bulls' three. Two plays later Jones ran it in off right tackle for his first collegiate score, making it 14-7.
Willy brought the Bulls' right back, crafting a six-play, 69-yard drive to tie the game with 51 seconds remaining in the half. The Bulls quarterback completed five-of-six passes on the drive, the last a nine-yard touchdown to Ernest Jackson.
Shelton fumbled the ensuing kickoff return, giving the Bulls the ball at the Temple 38. The Owls defense came up big on the next play as Andre Neblett sacked Willy and Terrance Knighton recovered the ball at the Owls' 41.
The Cherry and White quickly made the hosts pay as DiMichele completed three straight passes, the last to Francis for a 23-yard TD with 26 seconds to play in the half. That gave Temple a 21-14 lead at intermission.
Defensively, Jamal Schulters led Temple with nine tackles, followed by John Haley and Omar McDonnaugh-Hales with eight tackles each.
"We're banged up," Golden said of his defensive line. "(Junior) Galette didn't make the trip. (Leyon) Azubuike's still out. (Elijah) Joseph didn't make the trip. (Evan) Cooper made the trip, but didn't play. Alex Joseph didn't practice all week and played sparingly. Those are five starters, five really good starters, that aren't playing for us right now. And (Morris) Blueford; that's six guys."
Temple travels to Penn State next Saturday for a Noon kickoff with the nationally ranked Nittany Lions. The game will be televised on The Big Ten Network and can be heard on The Big Talker, 1210 AM WPHT.
