Temple University Athletics
Saturday, December 6
New Orleans, LA
7:30 p.m.
Temple University
6-6 , 4-4
10
at
3
Tulane
3-9 , 2-6
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Temple
0
3
0
7
10
Tulane Green Wave
3
0
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0
3
Football Topples Tulane, 10-3, in Regular Season Finale
12.6.14 | Football
NEW ORLEANS - For the fourth time in the last six seasons the Temple Football team is bowl eligible as the Owls snapped a three-game losing streak with a gutsy 10-3 win at Tulane Saturday night in front of a national television audience (ESPN2).
The Cherry and White finish the regular season at 6-6, 4-4 in the American Athletic Conference. The Owls now must wait to see if they will receive a bowl bid when they are announced Sunday.
In a game where neither offense was able to get on track, the Owls finally found the end zone midway through the fourth quarter when sophomore QB P.J. Walker hit redshirt sophomore WR Romond Deloatch on an 8-yard fade pattern in the left corner of the end zone for the lone and decisive touchdown.
Walker, who completed 20 of 38 passes for 255 yards, laid the ball over Deloatch's left shoulder where the TU receiver made an athletic play to pull it in for the
score. Walker was equally effective with his legs, rushing for a game-high 76 yards on 16 carries. One of those rushes preceded the touchdown, a 12-yard draw that moved the ball to the eight.
Temple's defense was again the story as the Owls held the Green Wave to just 266 yards and 14 first downs. The defense helped set up Temple's touchdown as it pinned Tulane inside its five-yard line, almost recording a safety on consecutive plays.
Redshirt junior WR John Christopher returned the Tulane punt, which was launched from deep in its own end zone, 14 yards to the Green Wave 25. From there it took Walker and the Owls four plays to find paydirt.
Tulane, which had five straight three-and-out drives against the Owls defense, finally moved the ball on its last possession. The Green Wave marched 69 yards on 13 plays, but the Cherry and White stood tall in the red zone. With a first and goal at the nine, redshirt junior DL Praise Martin-Oguike sacked QB Tanner Lee for a seven-yard loss. Lee then missed on consecutive passes before redshirt sophomore LB Avery Williams put an exclamation point on the victory with another sack.
Junior LB Tyler Matakevich led all defenders with 16 tackles (3 for loss) to finish the season with a team-high 117 tackles, his third straight season over 100 stops. Williams had seven tackles while redshirt sophomore LB Stephaun Marshall had a sack to join Martin-Oguike and Williams in that category. Freshman DB Sean Chandler also made an interception, the lone Owl takeaway of the contest.
Temple looked like it was about to get into the end zone in the third quarter. Walker moved the ball 58 yards on a solid drive, making two nifty runs to start the possession and then breaking off a 25-yarder to the Tulane 22. After making another seven-yard rush on the next play, he was intercepted in the end zone on a great play by cornerback Lorenzo Doss.
In the first half Tulane was able to pick up first downs on just two of its seven drives. The Green Wave moved the ball 50 yards on eight plays on its first possession before turning the ball over on downs at the Temple 25 when Lee was inches short when he slid on his 4th and eight rush.
With senior QB Nick Montana lining up behind center on what appeared to be a planned one possession for the son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana, the Green Wave ran off a 14-play 57-yard drive to the Owl 10. There the hosts had to settle on an Andrew DiRocco 28-yard field goal that made it 3-0 just before the end of the first quarter.
Temple was a little better than Tulane in terms of moving the ball, with the Owls most effective play the screen pass to Jahad Thomas. Walker hit his sophomore running back for a 75-yard pass play at the start of the second quarter. That gave TU the ball at the Tulane 5. The Green Wave defense, however, tackled Walker for a loss of 10 yards which forced a 35-yard field goal attempt by Austin Jones. The freshman kicker failed to tie the game, hitting the right upright.
Two possessions later Temple again moved the ball with Walker hitting Thomas on another screen pass, this one for 19 yards. He followed that with first down passes to senior RB Kenneth Harper (12 yds) and Christopher (13 yds) to the Tulane 23.
A pass interference call on senior WR Jalen Fitzpatrick pushed the ball back to the Tulane 37, but Walker followed that with a dump off to junior RB Jamie Gilmore coming out of the backfield for a 19-yard pickup to the Tulane 18. That setup a Jones 37-yard field goal that tied the game.
After another three-and -out by Tulane, the Owls took over at the 50 and Walker again moved the ball down the field. The sophomore signal caller picked up 12 yards on a QB draw before hitting Fitzpatrick for a 16-yard gain to the Tulane 22. The drive stalled there and Jones was unable to connect on a 39-yard field goal attempt just before halftime.
Press Conference | Photo Gallery
The Cherry and White finish the regular season at 6-6, 4-4 in the American Athletic Conference. The Owls now must wait to see if they will receive a bowl bid when they are announced Sunday.
In a game where neither offense was able to get on track, the Owls finally found the end zone midway through the fourth quarter when sophomore QB P.J. Walker hit redshirt sophomore WR Romond Deloatch on an 8-yard fade pattern in the left corner of the end zone for the lone and decisive touchdown.
Walker, who completed 20 of 38 passes for 255 yards, laid the ball over Deloatch's left shoulder where the TU receiver made an athletic play to pull it in for the
score. Walker was equally effective with his legs, rushing for a game-high 76 yards on 16 carries. One of those rushes preceded the touchdown, a 12-yard draw that moved the ball to the eight.
Temple's defense was again the story as the Owls held the Green Wave to just 266 yards and 14 first downs. The defense helped set up Temple's touchdown as it pinned Tulane inside its five-yard line, almost recording a safety on consecutive plays.
Redshirt junior WR John Christopher returned the Tulane punt, which was launched from deep in its own end zone, 14 yards to the Green Wave 25. From there it took Walker and the Owls four plays to find paydirt.
Tulane, which had five straight three-and-out drives against the Owls defense, finally moved the ball on its last possession. The Green Wave marched 69 yards on 13 plays, but the Cherry and White stood tall in the red zone. With a first and goal at the nine, redshirt junior DL Praise Martin-Oguike sacked QB Tanner Lee for a seven-yard loss. Lee then missed on consecutive passes before redshirt sophomore LB Avery Williams put an exclamation point on the victory with another sack.
Junior LB Tyler Matakevich led all defenders with 16 tackles (3 for loss) to finish the season with a team-high 117 tackles, his third straight season over 100 stops. Williams had seven tackles while redshirt sophomore LB Stephaun Marshall had a sack to join Martin-Oguike and Williams in that category. Freshman DB Sean Chandler also made an interception, the lone Owl takeaway of the contest.
Temple looked like it was about to get into the end zone in the third quarter. Walker moved the ball 58 yards on a solid drive, making two nifty runs to start the possession and then breaking off a 25-yarder to the Tulane 22. After making another seven-yard rush on the next play, he was intercepted in the end zone on a great play by cornerback Lorenzo Doss.
In the first half Tulane was able to pick up first downs on just two of its seven drives. The Green Wave moved the ball 50 yards on eight plays on its first possession before turning the ball over on downs at the Temple 25 when Lee was inches short when he slid on his 4th and eight rush.
With senior QB Nick Montana lining up behind center on what appeared to be a planned one possession for the son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana, the Green Wave ran off a 14-play 57-yard drive to the Owl 10. There the hosts had to settle on an Andrew DiRocco 28-yard field goal that made it 3-0 just before the end of the first quarter.
Temple was a little better than Tulane in terms of moving the ball, with the Owls most effective play the screen pass to Jahad Thomas. Walker hit his sophomore running back for a 75-yard pass play at the start of the second quarter. That gave TU the ball at the Tulane 5. The Green Wave defense, however, tackled Walker for a loss of 10 yards which forced a 35-yard field goal attempt by Austin Jones. The freshman kicker failed to tie the game, hitting the right upright.
Two possessions later Temple again moved the ball with Walker hitting Thomas on another screen pass, this one for 19 yards. He followed that with first down passes to senior RB Kenneth Harper (12 yds) and Christopher (13 yds) to the Tulane 23.
A pass interference call on senior WR Jalen Fitzpatrick pushed the ball back to the Tulane 37, but Walker followed that with a dump off to junior RB Jamie Gilmore coming out of the backfield for a 19-yard pickup to the Tulane 18. That setup a Jones 37-yard field goal that tied the game.
After another three-and -out by Tulane, the Owls took over at the 50 and Walker again moved the ball down the field. The sophomore signal caller picked up 12 yards on a QB draw before hitting Fitzpatrick for a 16-yard gain to the Tulane 22. The drive stalled there and Jones was unable to connect on a 39-yard field goal attempt just before halftime.
Press Conference | Photo Gallery
Team Stats
TEMPLE
TLN
Total Yards
347
266
Pass Yards
255
151
Rushing Yards
92
115
Penalty Yards
67
35
1st Downs
16
14
3rd Downs
1
2
4th Downs
1
2
TOP
32:15
27:45
1st Quarter
TEMPLE 0, TLN 3
TLN - DiROCCO, Andrew 28 yd field goal 14 plays, 57 yards, TOP 5:56
2nd Quarter
TEMPLE 3, TLN 3
TEMPLE - JONES,Austin 37 yd field goal 8 plays, 48 yards, TOP 4:00
4th Quarter
TEMPLE 10, TLN 3
TEMPLE - DELOATCH,Romond 8 yd pass from WALKER,P.J. (MAYES,Tyler kick) 4 plays, 25 yards, TOP 1:49
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
K
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballEp. 4: Temple Athletics Weekly Recap; Men's Soccer Captain Lukas Egarter
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JoJo Bermudez, 9/15/25
Monday, September 15
K.C. Keeler, 9/15/25
Monday, September 15
