Temple University Athletics
Saturday, October 3
Ypsilanti, Mich.
1:00 PM
Temple University
24
at
12
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Bernard Pierce
Temple Improves To 2-0 In MAC Play With 24-12 Win At Eastern Michigan
10.3.09 | Football
Bernard Pierce rushes for 180 yards to lead Owls
Boxscore in PDF
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Freshman RB Bernard Pierce carried 20 times for 180 yards and two touchdowns to lead the visiting Temple Owls to a 24-12 win over Eastern Michigan Saturday to spoil the Eagles' Homecoming festivities in front of 3,364 fans at Rynearson Stadium. In posting the 400th win in its history, Temple evened its record at 2-2, and marked the first time an Owl team opened a season by winning its first two conference games in 42 years. Eastern Michigan is now 0-4, 0-1 in Mid-American Conference play.
The last time a Temple football team won its first two conference games came during the 1967 season when that Owl team, under the direction of head coach George Makris, went 7-2 and a perfect 4-0 in the old MAC, the Middle Atlantic Conference. It also marked the first time an Owl team opened at 2-2 since 2000.
Pierce, coming off a 116-yard rushing game in the Buffalo win, propelled the Owls out of the gate. The rookie running back scored Temple's first two touchdowns, the first on a 16-yard run where he made a nice cut back into the right side of the end zone. He set that score up with an incredible 30-yard burst up the middle where he hurdled one EMU defender. His second score was a three-yard run on the Owls' next possession.
The freshman from Concordville, Pa. (Glen Mills), became the first Temple back since Tim Brown (2006) to rush for 100 yards in consecutive games and his 180 rushing yards is the most since Walter Washington ran for 185 against Syracuse on November 13, 2004.
After the defense shutdown the Eagles on their opening drive, junior Delano Green dove to catch the punt, and fumbled at the Temple 45. Sophomore DT Muhammad Wilkerson (6 tackles) shut down the EMU rushing game, making two straight tackles in the backfield, the second aided by junior LB Elijah “Peanut” Joseph. Sophomore CB Kevin Kroboth (7 tackles) made a solid tackle on a short pass, forcing an EMU punt.
Starting at his own 5, junior QB Vaughn Charlton (9-18-0, 1 TD, 123 yds) hit sophomore wide receiver Michael Campbell on an 11-yard pass for a first down. On the next play, Charlton went long for Jason Harper (3 catches, 83 yds) with the senior slot receiver making a nice diving catch for a 55-yard gain. Pierce went off the left side, cutting back for a 25-yard gain to the Eagle 3 on the next play. He then went up the middle on the next play for a three-yard touchdown, making it 14-0 with 5:07 remaining in the first quarter.
On Temple's next possession, Charlton led the Owls on another long drive. The junior signal-caller handed off to Harper for a 24-yard gain on a reverse and then connected with him on a 25-yard pass-play to open the second quarter. The next play Charlton found sophomore TE Evan Rodriguez open on the left side for a 14-yard touchdown.
Down 21-0, Eastern Michigan started to open up its offense. Junior QB Kyle McMahon (25-36-1, 230 yds), making his first start of the season in place of Andy Schmitt who suffered a season-ending injury at Michigan in the team's last game on Sept. 19, completed four of six passes for 43 yards. The drive stalled at the Temple 21 with Joe Carithers converting a 38-yard field goal to make it 21-3.
After the teams traded punts, EMU received a big break when Owls' punter Jeff Wathne, in the back of his end zone, fielded a low snap and barely got his punt off, with the ball making it to just the Temple 7.
The Owls defense came up big as Wilkerson stripped RB Dominique Sherrer on the first play and recovered the fumble.
Sophomore RB Kee-ayre Griffin (8 carries, 50 yds) broke free on a 35-yard run, his longest of the season, to give the Owls field position, but the drive stalled at midfield. McMahon then led EMU into field goal range with two long passes, a 19-yarder to Ben Thayer and a 21-yarder to Marvon Sanders. That set up a 43-yard Carithers field goal as time expired to make it 21-6.
Neither offense could get on track in the second half with Temple's only scoring coming on a Brandon McManus 40-yard field goal with 5:50 remaining to play. That was setup by an interception at midfield by senior OLB John Haley (8 tackles), his first of the season and third of his career.
Pierce then broke off a 32-yard run to the EMU three-yard line, but an intentional grounding call on Charlton pushed the Owls back, setting up the McManus field goal.
The Eagles finally found the end zone when Terrence Blevins capped an 11-play, 49-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge to make it 24-12. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
The Owls return home next Saturday (Oct. 10) for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff against Ball State. It is the annual Pink Out game for “Breast Cancer Awareness”. The first 5,000 fans will receive pink pom-poms, sponsored by TD Bank and City View Pizza. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Temple Cancer Center. The game will be broadcast on 1340 AM WHAT and can be viewed on a videostream on OwlAccess.
Temple Postgame Notes
Oct. 3, 2009
at Eastern Michigan
* Temple Team Captains: #12 Vaughn Charlton (offense), #6 Dominique Harris (defense), and 86 TE Steve Maneri (offense).
* Carrying flags for Temple today were #26 RB Joe Jones, #9 DB Anthony Ferla, and #76 OL Steve Caputo.
* With the win, Temple captured its 400th win in school history. During their 111th season of varsity football, the Owls now stand 400-541-52 overall.
* Temple opened play in the MAC at 2-0 for the first time ever and opened conference play with two wins for the first time since 1967. That season the Owls went a perfect 4-0 in league play en route to the Middle Atlantic Conference championship.
* Temple improved to a perfect 5-0 in series action against Eastern Michigan.
* Freshman RB Bernard Pierce rushed for more than 100 yards for the second consecutive game. It marked the first time a Temple player rushed for 100 yards in consecutive games since Tim Brown accomplished the feat in 2006. He finished with 180 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. His rushing yardage is the most since Walter Washington rushed for 185 yards against Syracuse on Nov. 13, 2004.
* Senior DB Dominique Harris and sophomore DE Adrian Robinson each had a sack-- their second this season and the second of their respective careers.
* Sophomore DT Muhammad Wilkerson's forced fumble was the first of his career.
* Senior OLB John Haley made his first interception of the season and third of his career.
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Freshman RB Bernard Pierce carried 20 times for 180 yards and two touchdowns to lead the visiting Temple Owls to a 24-12 win over Eastern Michigan Saturday to spoil the Eagles' Homecoming festivities in front of 3,364 fans at Rynearson Stadium. In posting the 400th win in its history, Temple evened its record at 2-2, and marked the first time an Owl team opened a season by winning its first two conference games in 42 years. Eastern Michigan is now 0-4, 0-1 in Mid-American Conference play.
The last time a Temple football team won its first two conference games came during the 1967 season when that Owl team, under the direction of head coach George Makris, went 7-2 and a perfect 4-0 in the old MAC, the Middle Atlantic Conference. It also marked the first time an Owl team opened at 2-2 since 2000.
Pierce, coming off a 116-yard rushing game in the Buffalo win, propelled the Owls out of the gate. The rookie running back scored Temple's first two touchdowns, the first on a 16-yard run where he made a nice cut back into the right side of the end zone. He set that score up with an incredible 30-yard burst up the middle where he hurdled one EMU defender. His second score was a three-yard run on the Owls' next possession.
The freshman from Concordville, Pa. (Glen Mills), became the first Temple back since Tim Brown (2006) to rush for 100 yards in consecutive games and his 180 rushing yards is the most since Walter Washington ran for 185 against Syracuse on November 13, 2004.
After the defense shutdown the Eagles on their opening drive, junior Delano Green dove to catch the punt, and fumbled at the Temple 45. Sophomore DT Muhammad Wilkerson (6 tackles) shut down the EMU rushing game, making two straight tackles in the backfield, the second aided by junior LB Elijah “Peanut” Joseph. Sophomore CB Kevin Kroboth (7 tackles) made a solid tackle on a short pass, forcing an EMU punt.
Starting at his own 5, junior QB Vaughn Charlton (9-18-0, 1 TD, 123 yds) hit sophomore wide receiver Michael Campbell on an 11-yard pass for a first down. On the next play, Charlton went long for Jason Harper (3 catches, 83 yds) with the senior slot receiver making a nice diving catch for a 55-yard gain. Pierce went off the left side, cutting back for a 25-yard gain to the Eagle 3 on the next play. He then went up the middle on the next play for a three-yard touchdown, making it 14-0 with 5:07 remaining in the first quarter.
On Temple's next possession, Charlton led the Owls on another long drive. The junior signal-caller handed off to Harper for a 24-yard gain on a reverse and then connected with him on a 25-yard pass-play to open the second quarter. The next play Charlton found sophomore TE Evan Rodriguez open on the left side for a 14-yard touchdown.
Down 21-0, Eastern Michigan started to open up its offense. Junior QB Kyle McMahon (25-36-1, 230 yds), making his first start of the season in place of Andy Schmitt who suffered a season-ending injury at Michigan in the team's last game on Sept. 19, completed four of six passes for 43 yards. The drive stalled at the Temple 21 with Joe Carithers converting a 38-yard field goal to make it 21-3.
After the teams traded punts, EMU received a big break when Owls' punter Jeff Wathne, in the back of his end zone, fielded a low snap and barely got his punt off, with the ball making it to just the Temple 7.
The Owls defense came up big as Wilkerson stripped RB Dominique Sherrer on the first play and recovered the fumble.
Sophomore RB Kee-ayre Griffin (8 carries, 50 yds) broke free on a 35-yard run, his longest of the season, to give the Owls field position, but the drive stalled at midfield. McMahon then led EMU into field goal range with two long passes, a 19-yarder to Ben Thayer and a 21-yarder to Marvon Sanders. That set up a 43-yard Carithers field goal as time expired to make it 21-6.
Neither offense could get on track in the second half with Temple's only scoring coming on a Brandon McManus 40-yard field goal with 5:50 remaining to play. That was setup by an interception at midfield by senior OLB John Haley (8 tackles), his first of the season and third of his career.
Pierce then broke off a 32-yard run to the EMU three-yard line, but an intentional grounding call on Charlton pushed the Owls back, setting up the McManus field goal.
The Eagles finally found the end zone when Terrence Blevins capped an 11-play, 49-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge to make it 24-12. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
The Owls return home next Saturday (Oct. 10) for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff against Ball State. It is the annual Pink Out game for “Breast Cancer Awareness”. The first 5,000 fans will receive pink pom-poms, sponsored by TD Bank and City View Pizza. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Temple Cancer Center. The game will be broadcast on 1340 AM WHAT and can be viewed on a videostream on OwlAccess.
Temple Postgame Notes
Oct. 3, 2009
at Eastern Michigan
* Temple Team Captains: #12 Vaughn Charlton (offense), #6 Dominique Harris (defense), and 86 TE Steve Maneri (offense).
* Carrying flags for Temple today were #26 RB Joe Jones, #9 DB Anthony Ferla, and #76 OL Steve Caputo.
* With the win, Temple captured its 400th win in school history. During their 111th season of varsity football, the Owls now stand 400-541-52 overall.
* Temple opened play in the MAC at 2-0 for the first time ever and opened conference play with two wins for the first time since 1967. That season the Owls went a perfect 4-0 in league play en route to the Middle Atlantic Conference championship.
* Temple improved to a perfect 5-0 in series action against Eastern Michigan.
* Freshman RB Bernard Pierce rushed for more than 100 yards for the second consecutive game. It marked the first time a Temple player rushed for 100 yards in consecutive games since Tim Brown accomplished the feat in 2006. He finished with 180 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. His rushing yardage is the most since Walter Washington rushed for 185 yards against Syracuse on Nov. 13, 2004.
* Senior DB Dominique Harris and sophomore DE Adrian Robinson each had a sack-- their second this season and the second of their respective careers.
* Sophomore DT Muhammad Wilkerson's forced fumble was the first of his career.
* Senior OLB John Haley made his first interception of the season and third of his career.
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Ep. 2: Temple Football Alum Tyler Matakevich || Gymnastics Junior Amelia Budd
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