Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Football Falls to Houston, 22-13, in American Athletic Conference Opener
9.7.13 | Football
Boxscore| Gallery | Matt Rhule Postgame |
PHILADELPHIA – It was not the opener Temple was hoping for to its new Era of its football program.
Costly turnovers and kicking problems proved too much to overcome as the Owls dropped a 22-13 decision to visiting Houston in the first-ever American Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon in front of 27,328 fans at Lincoln Financial Field.
"This team will be back," said Temple coach Matt Rhule. "We're just going to keep getting better and better. I think everyone will see a team that wins a lot of games. There are just some things we have to correct: we have to correct the kicking situation, we can't have turnovers, and there were a couple penalties that hurt us. We had chance to win against a very good Houston offense. There are obviously some things we need to get better at and we will. I know that our players want to win and will find ways to continue to get better as the year goes on. "
The Temple defense highlighted the day, limiting the Cougar offense, which put 62 points on the board in its opener last week, to just five field goals and a late touchdown. The Owls allowed 524 yards of total offense over an incredible 96 plays from scrimmage by the Cougar offense. Eighteen of those plays came from inside 10 yard line with Houston only gaining 26 yards against the Owls goal-line defense.
On six different series Houston had first and goal, and each time the Owls held the Cougars out of the end zone. Four of those series resulted in a Richie Leone field goal from 25 yards or less. The Cougars turned the ball over on downs once with Abdul Smith and Tyler Matakevich (11 tackles, 9 solo), combining on a stop at the one yard-line.
On the final defensive stop, Smith, who led Temple with a career-high 12 tackles (9 solo), forced a fumble by Cougar QB John O'Korn (23-31, 233 yds) that was recovered by Anthony Robey at the two yard-line.
The only time Houston found the end zone was on a late touchdown, setup by a Connor Reilly interception, which sealed the win for the visitors.
Reilly, who played brilliantly in the opener at Notre Dame, was picked off on his first pass of the game as well as the fourth quarter pick. He also was fumbled while being sacked on deep in Temple territory on the first possession of the third quarter. That turnover led to one of the Cougars five field goals.
On a positive note, Reilly completed 20 of 38 passes for 200 yards. He had to leave the game following a hit he took on a rush midway through the fourth quarter. Clinton Granger came in to finish that series, but Reilly was able to recover and come back out for the Owls final two possessions.
Leone put the Cougars on the board first, connecting on his only long field goal of the day, a 40-yarder to make it 3-0 midway through the opening quarter.
Kenny Harper (14 carries, 51 yds; 5 catches 44 yds) who scored the Owls lone touchdown last week, rushed up the middle for a one-yard TD to cap a 15-play, 91-yard Owl drive.
Freshman PK Jim Cooper, who struggled last week, missed the extra point to keep the score 6-3.
Leone tied it on a 19-yard field goal on Houston's first possession of the second half.
It was the Owls' first goal-line stand of the afternoon and Blaze Caponegro (7 tackles) came up with the big hit, tackling O'Korn for a one-yard loss on a third and goal from the one.
Houston retook the lead on its following possession, 9-6, as Leone again chipped one through the uprights from 19 yards out. The drive-stopping tackle on this series came by Tavon Young, who also recorded a career-high in tackles (9).
The Owls bounced back with another solid drive to end the half. Freshman RB Zaire Williams, who led the Owls with 57 yards on 11 carries, rushed for 28 yards to help set up Harper's second score of the day, this one coming from three-yards out. Senior Paul Layton, who transferred from Albany in the offseason, converted the extra point to make it 13-9.
Houston drove the length of the field to open the second half, before the Owls defense stood strong inside the 10. Leone was good from 24 yards out to cut the Temple lead to 13-12.
Reilly was then sacked and fumbled on the Owls first offensive play of the quarter with Trevon Stewart recovering for Houston at the Temple 8. Four straight rushes ensued but the Owls defense did not break, forcing the turnover on downs following the combined tackle by Smith and Matakevich.
Pinned inside its one yard-line, Temple was unable to mount any offense, and gave Houston the ball back at the Temple 36 following a Layton punt.
The Cougars drove back inside the 10, but a Levi Brown hit on Ryan Jackson on a third and goal at the two, stopped the drive. Leone, however, converted his fifth field goal to make it 15-12.
Temple then went on a 12-play drive on its final possession of the third quarter, but its kicking game continued to cause them problems. This time Layton, attempting his first field goal as an Owl, missed wide left from 25 yards out.
The Owls defense then caused its first turnover of the season. Young forced a fumble with a solid hit on Cougar receiver Xavier Marshall while Stephaun Marshall recovered for TU at the Houston 35. The Owls were unable to capitalize as the drive ended following another Reilly sack and fumble. This time the Temple QB recovered, but it amounted to a 20 yard loss.
Houston then ran off a 16-play drive, against the Owls' "bend, but not break, defense" only to stall inside the Owls 10. This time it was Abdul Smith's crushing hit on O'Korn at the Temple 3 that forced a fumble which Robey recovered.
Reilly drove the Owls to midfield, but on a two-yard rush he was hit hard and had to come off the field. Granger replaced him, but his third-and-eight pass fell incomplete to end the drive.
The Owls forced a Cougar punt, just the second of the day, and Reilly was able to return with 2:30 remaining and the Owls on their own 18. Two plays after taking a hit while sliding on a run that drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Reilly tossed his second interception of the game, which Adrian McDonald returned 40 yards to the Temple 12.
Ryan Jackson (22 rushes, 109 yds) rushed it in two plays later from 10 yards out to give the Cougars an insurmountable 22-13 lead with 1:02 remaining.
Next up for Temple is a home date with Fordham next Saturday, September 14, at 1:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast by ESPN3 and can be heard on 1210 AM WPHT.
PHILADELPHIA – It was not the opener Temple was hoping for to its new Era of its football program.
Costly turnovers and kicking problems proved too much to overcome as the Owls dropped a 22-13 decision to visiting Houston in the first-ever American Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon in front of 27,328 fans at Lincoln Financial Field.
"This team will be back," said Temple coach Matt Rhule. "We're just going to keep getting better and better. I think everyone will see a team that wins a lot of games. There are just some things we have to correct: we have to correct the kicking situation, we can't have turnovers, and there were a couple penalties that hurt us. We had chance to win against a very good Houston offense. There are obviously some things we need to get better at and we will. I know that our players want to win and will find ways to continue to get better as the year goes on. "
The Temple defense highlighted the day, limiting the Cougar offense, which put 62 points on the board in its opener last week, to just five field goals and a late touchdown. The Owls allowed 524 yards of total offense over an incredible 96 plays from scrimmage by the Cougar offense. Eighteen of those plays came from inside 10 yard line with Houston only gaining 26 yards against the Owls goal-line defense.
On six different series Houston had first and goal, and each time the Owls held the Cougars out of the end zone. Four of those series resulted in a Richie Leone field goal from 25 yards or less. The Cougars turned the ball over on downs once with Abdul Smith and Tyler Matakevich (11 tackles, 9 solo), combining on a stop at the one yard-line.
On the final defensive stop, Smith, who led Temple with a career-high 12 tackles (9 solo), forced a fumble by Cougar QB John O'Korn (23-31, 233 yds) that was recovered by Anthony Robey at the two yard-line.
The only time Houston found the end zone was on a late touchdown, setup by a Connor Reilly interception, which sealed the win for the visitors.
Reilly, who played brilliantly in the opener at Notre Dame, was picked off on his first pass of the game as well as the fourth quarter pick. He also was fumbled while being sacked on deep in Temple territory on the first possession of the third quarter. That turnover led to one of the Cougars five field goals.
On a positive note, Reilly completed 20 of 38 passes for 200 yards. He had to leave the game following a hit he took on a rush midway through the fourth quarter. Clinton Granger came in to finish that series, but Reilly was able to recover and come back out for the Owls final two possessions.
Leone put the Cougars on the board first, connecting on his only long field goal of the day, a 40-yarder to make it 3-0 midway through the opening quarter.
Kenny Harper (14 carries, 51 yds; 5 catches 44 yds) who scored the Owls lone touchdown last week, rushed up the middle for a one-yard TD to cap a 15-play, 91-yard Owl drive.
Freshman PK Jim Cooper, who struggled last week, missed the extra point to keep the score 6-3.
Leone tied it on a 19-yard field goal on Houston's first possession of the second half.
It was the Owls' first goal-line stand of the afternoon and Blaze Caponegro (7 tackles) came up with the big hit, tackling O'Korn for a one-yard loss on a third and goal from the one.
Houston retook the lead on its following possession, 9-6, as Leone again chipped one through the uprights from 19 yards out. The drive-stopping tackle on this series came by Tavon Young, who also recorded a career-high in tackles (9).
The Owls bounced back with another solid drive to end the half. Freshman RB Zaire Williams, who led the Owls with 57 yards on 11 carries, rushed for 28 yards to help set up Harper's second score of the day, this one coming from three-yards out. Senior Paul Layton, who transferred from Albany in the offseason, converted the extra point to make it 13-9.
Houston drove the length of the field to open the second half, before the Owls defense stood strong inside the 10. Leone was good from 24 yards out to cut the Temple lead to 13-12.
Reilly was then sacked and fumbled on the Owls first offensive play of the quarter with Trevon Stewart recovering for Houston at the Temple 8. Four straight rushes ensued but the Owls defense did not break, forcing the turnover on downs following the combined tackle by Smith and Matakevich.
Pinned inside its one yard-line, Temple was unable to mount any offense, and gave Houston the ball back at the Temple 36 following a Layton punt.
The Cougars drove back inside the 10, but a Levi Brown hit on Ryan Jackson on a third and goal at the two, stopped the drive. Leone, however, converted his fifth field goal to make it 15-12.
Temple then went on a 12-play drive on its final possession of the third quarter, but its kicking game continued to cause them problems. This time Layton, attempting his first field goal as an Owl, missed wide left from 25 yards out.
The Owls defense then caused its first turnover of the season. Young forced a fumble with a solid hit on Cougar receiver Xavier Marshall while Stephaun Marshall recovered for TU at the Houston 35. The Owls were unable to capitalize as the drive ended following another Reilly sack and fumble. This time the Temple QB recovered, but it amounted to a 20 yard loss.
Houston then ran off a 16-play drive, against the Owls' "bend, but not break, defense" only to stall inside the Owls 10. This time it was Abdul Smith's crushing hit on O'Korn at the Temple 3 that forced a fumble which Robey recovered.
Reilly drove the Owls to midfield, but on a two-yard rush he was hit hard and had to come off the field. Granger replaced him, but his third-and-eight pass fell incomplete to end the drive.
The Owls forced a Cougar punt, just the second of the day, and Reilly was able to return with 2:30 remaining and the Owls on their own 18. Two plays after taking a hit while sliding on a run that drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Reilly tossed his second interception of the game, which Adrian McDonald returned 40 yards to the Temple 12.
Ryan Jackson (22 rushes, 109 yds) rushed it in two plays later from 10 yards out to give the Cougars an insurmountable 22-13 lead with 1:02 remaining.
Next up for Temple is a home date with Fordham next Saturday, September 14, at 1:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast by ESPN3 and can be heard on 1210 AM WPHT.
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