Temple University Athletics
Temple University
OHIO
Ohio Ends Temple's Nine-Game Win Streak With 35-17 Win
11.27.09 | Football, Owl Bowl
Owls will now await Bowl bid to be announced December 6
ATHENS, OHIO – Redshirt senior QB Theo Scott had a career day Saturday to put an end to Temple's nine-game win streak and quest for a Mid-American Conference championship, leading the Ohio Bobcats to a 35-17 win Friday afternoon at Peden Stadium. The win gives Ohio (9-3, 7-1) a share of the East Division title with Temple (9-3, 7-1), and puts the Bobcats into the championship game against Central Michigan by virtue of the head-to-head tie breaker.
Scott, who tied the Ohio single-season record for touchdown passes in the game (19), was nearly flawless, completing 17 of 21 passes for a career-high 324 yards and three touchdowns. He was as deadly on the ground, rushing six times for 69 yards and two scores.
Ohio, under Scott's direction, amassed 494 total yards of offense, the most by a Temple opponent this season. It helped counter the Owls' attack, which compiled 378 yards of offense, spearheaded by freshman Matt Brown's season-high 172 yards on 25 carries.
Brown, filling in for the second straight week for the injured Bernard Pierce, had another strong game. Coming off a 156-yard performance in the Owls' win over Kent State last week, the “Bug” along with sophomore RB/DB Kee-ayre Griffin, combined to help Temple gain 255 yards on the ground.
Ohio got on the scoreboard first with Scott finding a wide open Steven Goulet in the end zone off play action for a nine-yard score. Scott spearheaded the drive with a 32-yd pass to Goulet and then a keeper for 12 yards.
Temple, which moved the ball effectively on its first drive before stalling at the OU 40, again picked up two first downs on its next drive, but sophomore QB Chester Stewart (7-22-1, 92 yds) was sacked and then tossed an incomplete pass on a scramble forcing a Jeff Wathne punt.
The Owls defense held the Bobcats on a three-and-out, which gave the Cherry and White the ball on the TU 27.
Temple then marched down the field on a 10-play, 66-yard drive that extended into the second quarter before freshman Brandon McManus connected on a 24-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7-3.
The big play of the drive came from Griffin, who played both ways in the contest. Griffin made his first rush since the Army game (Oct. 17) count, plowing upfield for 29 yards on a second-and-15 play to give the Owls the ball at the OU 34. Stewart found redshirt sophomore TE Evan Rodriguez over the middle for a 23-yard gain on the next play. The drive stalled at the eight-yard line setting up McManus for his 17th field goal of the season, ranking third on the Owls' single season list.
Ohio quickly answered as Scott hit a streaking junior WR LaVon Brazill in stride for a 65-yard touchdown on the third play of its next possession. PK Matt Weller missed the point after attempt, making the score 13-3.
The Owls mounted a 12-play, 74-yard drive two possessions later with Brown doing the work early, carrying five times for 26 yards, and Griffin making the final two rushes, the last a 17-yarder to paydirt. Griffin's TD run was straight up the middle, with the two-way player, making a nifty cut at the 10 to elude a Bobcat defender.
With the score 13-10, Scott went to work quickly in the second half. On the second play of the third quarter he connected with Terrence McCrae for a 32-yard pass play. Following a 15-yard completion to Goulet, he scampered into the end zone from 17 yards out on a draw to make it 20-10.
After the Bobcat defense held the Owls on the ensuing possession, Scott made two big pass plays, the first to Chris Garrett for 22 yards and the second for 50 yards to Taylor Price, bringing the ball to the Temple 4. Scott then hit McCrea in the back of the end zone to make it 26-10. Marquise Liverpool blocked the point after attempt for the Owls.
The Owls literally ran the ball the length of the field to cut the deficit to 26-17. Temple used nine straight rushes, seven coming from Brown (58 yds), with the “Bug” scoring from nine-yards out with just over three minutes to play in the quarter.
Ohio sealed the win with Scott faking a hand off up the middle then keeping the ball and turning the right corner to score from 43 yards out to make it 32-17 with just under 10 minutes remaining. Liverpool again blocked the extra point.
Ohio's Ernie Hodge deflected a Stewart pass to Conor Reilly at the TU 13 on the very next play. The Owls defense held the Bobcats to a 38-yard field goal, making it 35-17.
Temple, however, was unable to get its passing game going over the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter. Stewart was just one-of –five on Temple's next possession with junior Vaughn Charlton being intercepted to end TU's final two possessions.
