Temple University Athletics
Temple University
0-3
FORDHAM
3-0
Late Touchdown Lifts Fordham to 30-29 Upset Win Over Temple
9.14.13 | Football
PHILADELPHIA -- Junior QB Connor Reilly came off the bench to lead Temple to three second half touchdowns, but the Owls comeback effort was thwarted by a Mike Nebrich to Sam Ajala 29-yard touchdown pass with four second remaining that lifted Fordham to a dramatic 30-29 win Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Nebrich, who transferred to Fordham from UConn following the 2011 season, was impressive all day, completing 23 of 36 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns. It was his legs, however, on the decisive drive that proved to be the difference.
The Fordham signal-caller twice rushed for first downs on fourth down on the Rams final drive. The first for two yards at midfield with the second for six yards to the Temple 37. Both runs made the first down marker by inches.
Two plays after his fourth-and-six run, Nebrich, with the clock winding down, rolled right and hit Ajala in the end zone for the touchdown to give Fordham the victory.
Reilly, who did not start the game due to a right knee injury suffered in the fourth quarter against Houston, entered the contest with 6:14 remaining in the third quarter following a Fordham touchdown that made the score 20-7 in the Rams favor.
The junior from Fairfax, Va. jump-started an offense that led the Owls to touchdowns on all three of his drives. With Reilly (7-of-8, 69 yds, 1 TD) at the helm, the Owls generated 202 yards of total offense in 21:14 minutes as opposed to 183 yards over 39:46 minutes with senior Clinton "Juice" Granger and freshman P.J. Walker behind center.
On Reilly's first scoring drive, he led the Owls on a 10 play, 88-yard drive with Kenny Harper capping it with a four-yard TD run. Harper, who rushed for a career-high 105 yards on 16 carries, now has scored a touchdown in each of the Owls games this season.
After the Temple defense forced a punt on the ensuing possession, Zaire Williams (14 carries, 82 yards) led the Owls down field with two big first down rushes, the second for 22 yards to the Fordham 41. Reilly then hit John Christopher on a 16-yard play to the Fordham 25.
Three plays later, Reilly, not looking hobbled in the least, faked a hand-off and rushed up the middle 15 yards to pay-dirt. That made the score 21-20 in Temple's favor.
The Rams answered on their next drive with Nebrich directing the offense on a nine-play, 70-yard drive. The Owls defense came up big following a 52-yard Ajala catch that gave the Rams the ball at the Temple 11. After a pass interference put the ball on the Temple 2, the Owls stopped on five straight plays inside the 10.
Sean Daniels made two huge stops and Tyler Matakevich made one to help hold the Rams to a Michael Marando 24-yard field goal to make it 23-21 Fordham with 6:54 remaining. It marked the eighth straight time the Owls did not allow a touchdown when facing a first and goal inside the 10.
Freshman Jahad Thomas broke off a 43-yard kickoff return to give the Owls a first down at midfield to start the next drive.
This time Reilly used his arm to lead Temple into the end zone. First he hit Williams on a 12-yard pass play to the Fordham 34. After a short pass play to Christopher (9 yds), Harper broke off an 18-yard run to the 7-yard line. Reilly then connected with his roommate, Chris Coyer, for a seven-yard touchdown. Granger rushed the ball in for a two-point conversion to make it 29-23.
That set the stage for Nebrich's final drive, a 13-play, 71-yard march that ate all but three seconds of the remaining 4:29 on the clock.
Reilly was sacked on the last play of the game from his own 25 to end the contest.
Carlton Koonce, Fordham's All-America candidate, rushed 27 times for 168 yards and a 16-yard TD that gave the Rams a 10-7 lead. Ajala (7 catches, 134 yds) and Tebucky Jones (7 catches, 109 yards) provided great targets for Nebrich all day,
Granger, who made his first start of the season, rushed nine times for 37 yards, including the Owls first score from one-yard out. He completed six of 15 passes for 58 yards with one interception. He also was sacked once, which resulted in a fumble recovered by Fordham at their own 33.
Matakevich, who made tackled Koonce for a three-yard loss on fourth and goal from the one on the Rams first possession, led all players with 14 tackles (11 solo). Daniels and Kamal Johnson each recorded a sack in the game with Johnson also making two tackles for loss.
The Owls, who enjoy a bye week before travelling to Idaho on Sept. 28, fall to 0-3 on the season while Fordham improves to 3-0.
Team Stats
FORDHAM 3, TEMPLE 0
FORDHAM - Marando, Michae 44 yd field goal 4 plays, -2 yards, TOP 1:23
FORDHAM 3, TEMPLE 7
TEMPLE - GRANGER, C. 1 yd run (COOPER, Jim kick), 8 plays, 41 yards, TOP 2:39
FORDHAM 10, TEMPLE 7
FORDHAM - Koonce, Carlton 16 yd run (Marando, Michae kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:16
FORDHAM 13, TEMPLE 7
FORDHAM - Marando, Michae 47 yd field goal 14 plays, 50 yards, TOP 5:08
FORDHAM 20, TEMPLE 7
FORDHAM - Wetzel, Brian 18 yd pass from Nebrich, Michae (Marando, Michae kick) 6 plays, 66 yards, TOP 2:09
FORDHAM 20, TEMPLE 14
TEMPLE - HARPER, Kenneth 4 yd run (VISCO, Nick kick), 10 plays, 88 yards, TOP 3:04
FORDHAM 20, TEMPLE 21
TEMPLE - REILLY, Connor 15 yd run (VISCO, Nick kick), 8 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:05
FORDHAM 23, TEMPLE 21
FORDHAM - Marando, Michae 24 yd field goal 9 plays, 70 yards, TOP 5:33
FORDHAM 23, TEMPLE 29
TEMPLE - COYER, Chris 7 yd pass from REILLY, Connor (GRANGER, C. rush) 6 plays, 50 yards, TOP 2:20
FORDHAM 30, TEMPLE 29
FORDHAM - Ajala, Sam 29 yd pass from Nebrich, Michae (Marando, Michae kick) 13 plays, 71 yards, TOP 4:25
