Temple University Athletics

Saturday, October 22
Bowling Green, Ohio
3:30 p.m.

Temple University

at

*at Bowling Green

Football
Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Temple Football Begins Two-Game Road Trip at Bowling Green

10.17.11 | Football

Kickoff Set for 3:30 p.m.

Gamenotes in PDF

Press conference video:
Addazio, part I
part II
Jones

THIS WEEK

Temple begins a two-game road trip with the first stop at Bowling Green on Oct. 22.  Kickoff at Doyt Perry Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m.  The Buckeye Cable Sports Network will televise the game throughout Ohio.  ESPN3.com will carry the game online.

Calling the television action are Greg Franke (play-by-play) and Tom Cole (analyst).

The Owls' radio broadcast will air on WPHT 1210 AM with Harry Donahue calling the play-by-play and Steve Joachim providing color analysis.

Under the direction of first-year head coach Steve Addazio, Temple stands 5-2 overall and 3-1 in MAC?play after a 34-0 shutout of Buffalo. The 2011 Temple squad returns 46 lettermen, including 13 starters.  The Owls utilize a multiple offense and a 4-3 defense.

Junior RB Bernard Pierce (Ardmore, Pa.), this week's MAC Offensive Player of the Week, leads all rushers with 844 yards and a single-season record and national-best 17 touchdowns on 164 carries. Senior TE Evan Rodriguez (North Bergen, N.J.) is the top receiver with 281 yards and a touchdown on 19 receptions.  Senior QB Chester Stewart (Hanover, Md.) is 40-of-61 for 577 yards and two touchdowns, while junior QB Mike Gerardi (Parsippany, N.J.) is 30-of-59 for 423 yards and three touchdowns. Senior LB Stephen Johnson (Norristown, Pa.) leads the defense with 58 tackles, including a team-best 38 solos, three TFL, two break-ups, a sack, and a forced fumble.

In the national rankings, Temple ranks among the nation's Top 10 in seven categories, including No. 1 in kickoff returns (29.60), No. 2 in scoring defense (9.57), No. 5 in total defense (255.43), No. 7 in pass efficiency defense (97.07), No. 8 in rushing offense (257.00), No. 9 in pass defense (168.29), and No. 10 in rushing defense (87.14).   Individually, junior RB?Bernard Pierce is No. 1 in the nation in rushing touchdowns (17), No. 2 in scoring (14.57 ppg), and No. 8 in rushing (120.57).  Senior LB Tahir Whitehead (Newark, N.J.) is No. 20 in tackles for loss (1.43), while junior DB Justin Gildea (Hollidaysburg,?Pa.) is No. 31 in interceptions (0.43). Junior RB Matt Brown (Baltimore, Md.) is No. 15 in kickoff returns (28.08) and No. 21 in punt returns (10.60).   Over the last three seasons, Temple is 17-1 when Pierce carries the ball at least 18 times per game.

Bowling Green, under the guidance of third-year head coach Dave Clawson, is 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the MAC following a 28-21 loss to Toledo. The Falcons return 12 starters to their multiple offense and 4-2-5 defense.

Freshman RB Anthon Samuel is the Falcons' top rusher with 592 yards and four touchdowns on 100 carries.  Senior WR Kamar Jorden has 42 receptions for 521 yards and six touchdowns. Sophomore QB?Matt Schilz is 137-of-226 for 1,697 yards and 17 touchdowns.  Junior LB Dwayne Woods leads all defenders with 58 tackles, including a team-best 35 solo stops.

Bowling Green ranks No. 3 in net punting (42.81), No. 34 in pass efficiency defense (117.46), and No. 35 in passing offense (258.86). Sophomore P Brian Schmiedebusch is No. 6 in punting (46.34), while sophomore DB Jerry Booboo Gates, this week's MAC Specialist of the Week, is No. 8 in kickoff returns (29.83). Freshman RB Anthon Samuel is No. 30  in rushing (98.67).

TEMPLE-BOWLING GREEN CONNECTIONS
Temple has no players on its roster from the state of Ohio.

Bowling Green has eight players from Pennsylvania, including two players from the Philadelphia metropolitan area— senior WR Kamar Jorden (Darby, Pa./Penn Wood HS) and freshman QB Malik Stokes (Philadelphia, Pa./Northeast HS). Sophomore TE Tyler Beck (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson HS) is from Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Temple Director of Operations Ed Foley served as the offensive coordinator under head coach Dave Clawson at Fordham from 1999 to 2003. Foley was promoted to head coach in 2004 after Clawson left to take the head job at Richmond. Also on the Fordham staff were current BGSU assistants Mark Carney and Mark Elko. Clawson also served as the offensive coordinator at Villanova from 1996-98 under Andy Talley.

TEMPLE-BOWLING GREEN: THE SERIES
Saturday's game will mark the 12th meeting between the Owls and the Falcons and third in MAC play. BGSU holds a 7-4 edge.

Last fall at Lincoln Financial Field, senior CB Marquise Liverpool broke up a two-point conversion attempt in the end zone with no time on the clock to preserve a 28-27 Temple win over visiting Bowling Green in front of a Homecoming crowd of 23,045 fans at Lincoln Financial Field.   The dramatic ending was set up when junior WR Kamer Jorden hauled in a hail-mary pass from r-freshman QB Matt Schliz at the four yard-line on a fourth-and-16 play from the Temple 33 with 11 seconds remaining. Two plays later Schliz found Calvin Wiley in the back of the end zone for the touchdown that brought the Falcons to within one as time expired.

RB Bernard Pierce led the Owls with 106 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while QB?Mike Gerardi was 9-of-15 for 163 yards and two touchdowns. CB Kee-ayre Griffin had a career-high 12 tackles, including a career-high 10 solo stops.

During the teams' meeting in 2007, Bowling Green claimed a 48-35 win in a battle of the quarterbacks.  Temple's Adam DiMichele went 27-of-41 for 299 yards and four touchdowns, while BGSU's Tyler Sheehan threw 30-of-47 for 351 yards and four TDs.

In 2006, under first-year head coach Al Golden, the Owls captured their only win of the season with a 28-14 win over Bowling Green at Lincoln Financial Field.  TB Travis Shelton caught a 43-yard scoring pass to put the Owls on the scoreboard in the opening quarter before returning a kickoff 96 yards to close out the scoring in the final stanza.

SERIES INFORMATION
Temple all-time vs. Bowling Green:  4-7
Temple in games at Temple:   4-3
Temple in games at Bowling Green:  0-4
First meeting in series:   1953 at Temple Stadium; W, 27-0
Last meeting in series:   2010 at Lincoln Financial Field, W, 28-27

SERIES HIGHS
Temple Owls
 
Rushing:  Umar Ferguson, 28-132, 1 TD?(2005)
Passing:  Adam DiMichele, 27-41-299, 4 TDs (2007)
Receiving:  Troy Kersey, 3-120 (1995)

Bowling Green
Rushing:  Chris Bullock, 29-182, 2 TDs (2006)
Passing:   Omar Jacobs, 21-26-367, 4 TDs (2004)
  Tyler Sheehan, 30-47-351, 4 TDs (2007)
Receiving: Kamar Jorden, 12-143  (2010)

Year Site Results TU?Coach BGSU?Coach
1953 Temple Stadium W, 27-0 Albert P. Kawal Robert H. Whittaker
1966 Temple Stadium L, 20-62 George Makris Bob Gibson
1995 Veterans Stadium L, 31-37 Ron?Dickerson Gary Blackney
1996 Doyt Perry Stadium L, 16-20 Ron?Dickerson Gary Blackney
2000 Franklin Field W, 31-14 Bobby Wallace Gary Blackney
2001 Doyt Perry Stadium L, 23-42 Bobby Wallace Urban Meyer
2004 Lincoln Financial Field L, 16-70 Bobby Wallace Gregg Brandon
2005 Doyt Perry Stadium L, 7-70 Bobby Wallace Gregg?Brandon
2006 Lincoln Financial Field W, 28-14 Al Golden Gregg Brandon
2007 Doyt Perry Stadium L, 35-48 Al Golden Gregg Brandon
2010 Lincoln Financial Field W, 28-27 Al Golden Dave Clawson


HOOT TOOTS ... OWL NOTES & QUOTES
•  Seven of Temple's 2011 opponents— Villanova (FCS semifinal), Penn State (Outback Bowl), Maryland (Military Bowl), Toledo (Little Caesar's Bowl), Ohio (R+L Carriers Bowl), Miami (GoDaddy.com Bowl), and Army (Armed Forces Bowl)— participated in postseason play.

•  Since joining the MAC?in 2007, the Owls own the league's best home record for MAC games at 14-4.

•  Temple's 38-7 win at Maryland was the first win in school history over an ACC team.

•  “I thought our kids came out with an attitude and a demeanor. They played really, really physical, really hard, and it was real important to them, they had a lot of pride in coming back home and playing in the Linc— playing in front of the student section at Temple, because the students at Temple have just been fantastic.”
— Steve Addazio following the win over Buffalo


UP NEXT
Temple continues its two-game road trip with the final stop at Ohio on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. at Peden Stadium.  The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Ep. 2: Temple Football Alum Tyler Matakevich || Gymnastics Junior Amelia Budd
Friday, September 05
Elevate the Owls: Temple Athletics' Competitive Excellence Fund
Tuesday, September 02
Ep. 1: Head Football Coach K.C. Keeler || XC's David Litvin & WLAX's Amelia Wright
Friday, August 29
Introducing The Owl Pod: The Official Podcast of Temple Athletics!
Friday, August 22