Temple University Athletics
Temple University
at Maryland
Temple Pummels Maryland, 38-7, behind Bernard Pierce Record 5 TDs
9.24.11 | Football, Pierce4Heisman
Game Stats
Postgame Quotes
Postgame Notes
Photo Gallery
Video Highlights
Press Conference video:
Addazio, part I
part II
Heater
Stewart
Rodriguez
Pierce
COLLEGE PARK, MD - In its most impressive win since the memorable 28-24 upset at #14 Virginia Tech in 1998, Temple stunned Maryland, 38-7, Saturday afternoon at Capital One Field. Junior RB Bernard Pierce rushed for a Mid-American Conference and TU school record five touchdowns while redshirt senior QB Chester Stewart, making his first start of the season, was a perfect 9-9 for 140 yards. It marks the first BCS road win for the Owls (3-1) since 2002 and first-ever win over an ACC opponent.
One week after a heart-breaking loss to Penn State where Temple did not trail until the final 2:42 on the clock, the Owls manhandled a Maryland team, playing near flawless football.
"I am awfully proud of our program today," Temple head coach Steve Addazio said. "We were in a very tough game last week and played a very talented and strong Maryland team...I am very proud of these young men today. We responded well and had a great work ethic this week in practice."
The Owls, who struggled to move the ball the final 30 minutes against Penn State, had no trouble against Maryland, scoring on its first three possessions to take a 21-0 lead with 4:38 left in the first quarter. At the same time, the Cherry and White defense was shutting down the high-powered Maryland offense, not allowing the Terps a first down until their fourth possession.
Pierce, who leads the nation with 12 rushing TDs in four games, ran 32 times for 149 yards, including 108 in the decisive first half. His three first quarter TD runs were rushes from inside the 10-yard line, with the first two set up by Stewart to senior TE Evan Rodriguez big pass plays. Rodriguez, who had a career high 96 receiving yards on five catches, jump-started the Owls' attack with a 54-yard reception on TU's first play from scrimmage.
The Owls' third score was aided by a Rod Streater blocked punt, the first against Maryland in 139 games, to give Temple a first down at the Maryland 7. Pierce carried it to paydirt three plays later.
Pierce made it 28-0 on the first drive of the second quarter, when on a third-and-one from the Maryland 44, he burst through the line of scrimmage and was off to the races. The 44-yard TD was his longest run from scrimmage of the season.
Maryland's best drive of the half came to a halt at the Temple 9, as the Owls stuffed D.J. Adams for a one-yard loss on a 4th and two play.
Temple then drove the ball 66 yards to put an exclamation point on the opening 30 minutes with Brandon McManus converting a 41-yard field goal as time expired to make it 31-0 at the half.
The Owls held possession for nearly 19 minutes of the first half, and over 41 minutes for the game. The team's running game, a point of emphasis by Addazio during the week, was the main reason, as TU had 285 rushing yards to Maryland's 45.
While Stewart was having his career day, highly-touted Danny O'Brien was struggling for the Terps. The Maryland QB completed just 17-of-33 passes for 153 yards with one interception. He was sacked three times, and was hurried quite often by an attacking Temple defense.
After a scoreless third quarter, junior DB Justin Gildea picked off an O'Brien pass to give the Owls the ball at the Maryland 43. Junior RB Matt Brown, a Baltimore native, made four consecutive rushes for 30 yards before Pierce would break the school mark with a 13-yard run to make it 38-0.
Brown, who had 75 yards on 12 carries, had a huge game in his home state. Besides his rushing yards, he had two kickoff returns for 100 yards, and returned three punts for 19 yards.
The Terrapins broke the shutout with their only score, a touchdown pass by backup quarterback C.J. Brown to Devonte Campbell with 4:31 remaining as both teams had put in their second units.
Temple's defense was led by senior LB Stephen Johnson, who had a career-high 11 tackles to go along with a career-best two pass breakups. Adrian Robinson, Tahir Whitehead and Ahkeem Smith each recorded a sack in the game.
"I thought our defense played great today," Addazio said. "We knew we had to keep our defense off the field and keep them fresh. It was a team win today, both on our offense and defense played really well. Both sides of the ball executed what they needed to, and we ran the tempo of the game."
The Owls return home on October 1 to take on Toledo, who suffered a narrow 33-30 OT loss at Syracuse today. Kickoff is set for noon with the game being televised locally on 6ABC (ESPN Plus). Radio will either be 610 AM WIP or 1210 AM WPHT (depending on Phillies playof schedule).
