Temple University Athletics
Temple University
*at Ohio
Ohio Tops Temple, 35-31, in Key MAC Showdown
11.2.11 | Football
Chris Coyer rushes for 184 yards to lead the Owls
Postgame Notes
Postgame Quotes
Press Conference video:
Addazio
McManus
Coyer
ATHENS, OHIO - Redshirt sophomore QB Tyler Tettleton connected with Donte Foster for a five-yard touchdown with 1:41 remaining to lift Ohio to a 35-31 win over visiting Temple in a key Mid-American Conference East Division showdown Wednesday night at Peden Stadium. The Bobcats improve to 6-3, 3-2 in the MAC while the Owls fall to 5-4, 3-3.
“It's hard to digest it all right now," said Temple head coach Steve Addazio. "It's a tough loss, but our kids played really hard. I'm proud of the way they battled. You get on the road in a big game like this, but I thought we handled it all pretty well."
It was a battle throughout with the lead changing hands four times in the second half and neither team holding more than a seven-point advantage during the contest.
The game also saw the emergence of sophomore QB Chris Coyer, who took over for starter Chester Stewart midway through the first quarter. All the southpaw signal caller would do is rush for 184 yards, one shy of Walter Washington's Temple record for rushing yards by a quarterback, on 17 carries, while completing eight-of-14 passes for 123 yards and three TDS. It marked the first time since the season-opening win over Villanova that Temple had passed for two or more TDs in a game.
"Chris Coyer came in and played really well and our team just kept fighting and clawing," Addazio said. "There was never any sign that our guys were doing anything but trying to win that football game.”
Ohio countered that with its own 184-yard rusher in Donte Harden. A career-high for him on the ground, Harden also caught two passes for 75 yards and added three returns for 63 yards to set a new school all-purpose mark with 322 yards. He also had one rushing TD, an 81-yarder that gave the Bobcats a 21-14 third-quarter lead, and a 25-yard TD reception to open the contest.
Temple, which entered play ranked second nationally in scoring defense (10.0 ppg.) and fifth in total defense (263.25 ypg.), was unable to stop the Ohio attack. The Bobcats ran up a 521 total yards, including 281 in the air, both highs by an Owl opponent.
The game started off with Ohio taking the opening kickoff and quickly marching down field to take a 7-0 lead. The Bobcats needed only five plays and just over two minutes to score on Temple's defense. Tettleton (15-24, 258 yds, 3 TDs) completed all three of his passes, the last to Harden for a 25-yard touchdown. Harden also broke a 33-yard run to set up the score.
Temple struggled to mount any offense on its first two possessions, amassing just 17 yards, before Coyer was inserted. Coyer then became the Owls' offense. On his second drive he took advantage of an Ohio fumble, which was recovered by junior DE John Youboty at the Ohio 30, and drove the Owls to a tying score. Coyer connected with senior TE Evan Rodriquez on a five-yard TD reception to complete the seven-play drive.
Ohio quickly retook the lead as Tettleton engineered a 10-play, 78-yard drive, ending with his own five-yard TD run. Tettleton also caught a 23-yard pass on a double-reverse gadget play with WR Phil Bates throwing the pass. Tetteton completed two first down passes to his favorite target, LaVon Brazill, who had 165 yards on seven catches, on the drive.
The Owls would tie the score at 14 on their final drive of the half. Following a Matt Weller missed field goal from 48 yards, Coyer used his legs - a 35 yard rush - and arm, a 34-yard TD to senior Rod Streater, for a quick three-play scoring drive. The two plays were the "explosives" that head coach Steve Addazio said were missing from the team's loss at Bowling Green.
On TU's second drive of the third quarter, Coyer would burst out for two more 30-plus runs to bring the Owls to the Ohio 24. He then proved to be human, fumbling at the end of a six-yard run which was recovered by Alphonso Lewis.
It was Temple's first turnover in a month, and it would prove costly. Not only did the Owls fail to score, but Harden broke free on his 81-yard TD run on the Bobcats second play of the ensuing drive to retake the lead, 21-14.
Coyer and the Owls answered right back. The young QB led Temple on an eight-play, 68-yard drive with old reliable Bernard Pierce going wide left for a 20-yard TD run. It extended the junior running back's school record for rushing touchdowns to 19 on the season.
After Temple's defense held Ohio without a first down for just the second time in the game, Coyer methodically drove the Cherry and White down the field. Junior Brandon McManus helped keep the drive alive with a 23-yard scamper for a first down on a fake punt. He then completed it with a 27-yard field goal to give Temple its first lead, 24-21, with 10:57 remaining.
Two big pass plays from Tettleton to Brazill that totalled 58 yards and three Harden rushes put the Bobcats at the Owls' two. Tettleton then found TE Jordan Thompson in end zone to make it 28-24.
Again Coyer was up to the challenge. The Oak Hill, Va. native had his fourth 30-plus yard rush of the day, this one on the first play of the drive for 31 yards to the Ohio 36. On a third-and-11, he connected with Streater (3 catches, 82 yds) on a 27-yard pass play to the Ohio 10. Two plays later he hit Deon Miller for a nine-yard TD to regain the lead, 31-28, with 4:46 to play.
Harden, who played big all game, set up the final score of the contest with a 50-yard run to put the Bobcats at the Owls 23. Beau Blankenship then carried twice for 15 yards to the Temple 8, and two plays later Tettleton connected with Foster for the game-winner.
Coyer was unable to muster up one more drive, as his fourth-down pass to Joe Jones was off the mark to end the Owls' final drive.
Temple returns home to Lincoln Financial Field for a Wednesday night game against Miami of Ohio. The game, which kicks off at 8:00 p.m., will be televised nationally by ESPN.
