Temple University Athletics
UConn Storms Past Temple In Overtime, 12-9
9.6.08 | Football
Sept. 6, 2008
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
PHILADELPHIA - There was no controversial ending to this year's Temple-Connecticut matchup on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field. But for the Owl fans that endured over three hours of rain and wind as the remnants of Hurricane Hanna pelted Philadelphia, the result was the same--a disappointing and frustrating defeat. UConn's Donald Brown, who rushed for a career-high 214 yards, found the end zone from seven yards out in overtime to lead the Huskies to a 12-9 victory over the Cherry and White.
Phrases like "justice" and "revenge" dominated the game's promotion after the controversial finish to last season's game in Hartford, when it was ruled that TU's Bruce Francis' would-be game-winning touchdown was ruled out of the end zone. On this day, it was Hanna that clearly stole the show. Precipitation began minutes before kickoff and did not subside, except for a brief respite late in the fourth quarter.
The weather made the passing game an adventure, as exhibited by the subpar completion percentages by the two quarterbacks. Redshirt senior Adam DiMichele, who led Temple (1-1) with 60 yards on the ground, connected on just 11-for-28 passes for 170 yards with two interceptions, while UConn's Tyler Lorenzen was 10-for-22 for 86 yards and one pick.
While the Cherry and White utilized its two-headed ground attack of redshirt freshman Joe Jones (13 carries, 46 yards) and sophomore Marquise Liverpool (nine rushes, 24 yards), Connecticut (2-0) went to Brown early and often. The redshirt junior, who shares the same high school alma mater (Red Bank Catholic) as Temple head coach Al Golden, had 36 carries, including 17 of the team's 34 offensive plays in the second half and overtime.
"You have to give them credit," Golden said. "Their game-plan was to run the ball and they did. They are a tough, hard-nosed team and that's the way they conduct the game right now."
Brown was the only Huskie to touch the ball in overtime, rushing for 10, eight, and seven yards to deflate the Lincoln Financial Field crowd. Just minutes prior, redshirt junior Jake Brownell had connected on a 21-yard field goal to give TU a short-lived 9-6 lead in overtime. The Owls remained winless all-time in extra periods (0-5), while Connecticut improved to 3-1 since moving to the Bowl Championship Series division (I-A) in 2002.
Temple, which was looking for its first 2-0 start since 1981, held a 6-0 lead until 13:18 in the fourth quarter when UConn's Tony Ciaravino connected on his first field goal of the game from 36 yards out. The Huskie placekicker had missed his first two attempts up to that point.
The Owl faithful had an anxious moment with 6:26 in fourth quarter with the score tied at 6-6. Golden decided to go for it on fourth down from his own 34 yard line, but junior fullback Lamar McPherson was stuffed short on a run by inches. The play was reviewed to determine the spot, invoking unpleasant memories from a year before for TU fans, but the ruling on the field stood.
"Anybody can punt the ball there," Golden said. "We are trying to change 30 years of this and I want to show them that we are going to go for it and make it right here. There is going to be a day that we are going to make that yard."
The visitors were unable to convert, as the Temple defense shut Connecticut down on three plays to set up Ciaravino for a 47-yard field goal with 2:33 to play. The kick was wide left and the score remained knotted at 6-6.
Brownell's three field goals were the only points put on the board by Temple, who scored 35 points last week at Army. The offense had several chances for big plays, however, but several dropped passes and crucial penalties helped keep the hosts out of the end zone.
One of those penalties occurred in overtime. Redshirt senior Travis Shelton, who led the Owls with four catches and 42 yards, took a DiMichele pass all the way down to the UConn six on the first play of the extra stanza. But a holding call on Dy'Onne Crudup brought the play back 10 yards and Temple would get no closer to the endzone.
The contest was one of several almost upsets by Mid-American Conference schools over BCS-conference teams on Saturday. Ohio was leading Ohio State in the third quarter before falling 26-14 in Columbus, OH and Miami (OH) fell at Michigan, 16-6.
Defensively, John Haley led all players with a career-high 15 tackles and also added a first-half interception. Stamford, CT native Alex Joseph and Jaiquan Jarrett each added 12 for the Owls.
"I give a lot of credit to Al Golden and his team," UConn head coach Randy Edsall said. "They are a much improved team from a year ago and it is a team that is going to contend, in my opinion, for the East Division championship in the MAC."
Temple visits Buffalo on Saturday for its MAC opener. Kickoff is set for noon and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Regional and locally on myPHL17.
