Temple University Athletics
Saturday, October 20
Philadelphia, Pa.
12:00 PM
Temple University
5-3 , 4-0
24
vs
17
#20 Cincinnati
6-1 , 2-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
OT
F
Cincinnati
7
3
7
0
0
17
Temple
10
0
0
7
7
24
Photo by: Zamani Feelings
Football Pounces on Late Game Opportunity, Knocks Off #20 Cincinnati
10.20.18 | Football
Box ScoreFull ScheduleBuy TicketsGame Book 10/20Geoff Collins Post-Game Press ConferenceGeoff Collins Press Conference VideoRock Ya-Sin Post-Game Press ConferenceMichael Dogbe Post-Game Press ConferenceIsaiah Wright Post-Game Press ConferenceAnthony Russo Post-Game Press Conference VideoAnthony Russo Post-Game Press ConferenceMatt Hennessy Post-Game Press ConferenceBranden Mack Post-Game Press Conference
PHILADELPHIA- The Temple Owls came back in the final minute of play to force overtime and take down #20 Cincinnati, 24-17, in front of a Homecoming crowd of 33,026 fans at Lincoln Financial Field. This was Temple's first win against an AP Top 25 team since defeating #19 Navy in the 2016 Conference championship game. The Owls are now 5-3 overall and remain perfect in American Athletic Conference competition at 4-0. The Owls have won four straight against the Bearcats. It was the first time Temple has won in overtime since October 12, 2013.
The contest was a defensive battle throughout and featured six turnovers, three interceptions forced by Temple and two fumbles and one interception forced by Cincinnati. The Owls had great field position to start the game and capitalized early to get out to a 10-0 lead, but up until the final quarter the offense was nowhere to be found. Late game heroics from QB Anthony Russo and the offense led to a seven-play, 75-yard drive in just 1:48 to tie the game at 17-17. After marching down the field as the clock ticked toward 0:00, Russo hit WR Branden Mack for a wide open 20-yard touchdown to force overtime.
Cincinnati won the toss in overtime and elected to play defense first. The Owls made them pay, scoring on just the third play, a 25-yard throw from Russo to WR Isaiah Wright to make it 24-17 Temple. Russo threw for 237 total yards, 172 of which came in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Owl defense held strong and a botched snap on second down forced Cincinnati to air it out on third-and-36, resulting in a game-sealing interception by LB Shaun Bradley.
All afternoon the Owl defense applied pressure up the middle to deny runs inside the tackles and get to the quarterback. The stingy Owl defense only allowed 111 yards passing and sacked the quarterback four times. It became a battle of flipped fields as both teams forced one another to punt eight times. Both defenses came into the bout highly praised for their defensive fortitude and proved why drive-after-drive.
How it Happened
>The Owls forced a turnover on their first defensive series. DT Michael Dogbe burst through the middle of the line and chased down the Bearcats' QB and forced a strip sack deep in Cincinnati territory. The ball was recovered by DE Jimmy Hogan at the Cincinnati 11-yard line. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave Temple the ball on the four yard-line. The Bearcats would hold the Owls to a field goal and Temple would take a 3-0 lead with 10:27 to play in the first quarter.
>On the following play, FB Rob Ritrovato forced a fumble on the kick return that was recovered by NKL Sam Franklin on the Cincinnati 16 yard-line. The Owls set themselves up with prime field position because of their ability to take the ball away from Cincinnati. The Owls capitalized on the prime field position this time by getting into the endzone on a 16-yard pass from QB Anthony Russo to WR Randle Jones. Jones was able to corral the ball while making a diving play and tapping his right toe in bounds of the score. Temple took a 10-0 early lead with nine minutes left to play in the first quarter.
>Cincinnati then capitalized on a Russo interception and started with the ball inside the Temple 40 yard-line with 6:17 left to play in the first quarter. The Bearcats' RB Michael Warren rushed the ball three times, the third being a 24-yard run for a touchdown to bring the game to 10-7 Temple with 4:52 left to play in the first.
>The Bearcats scored again after forcing the Owls to punt and starting on the Temple 44 yard-line, Cincinnati kicker, Cole Smith, hit a 44-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10 with 9:31 left to play in the half.
>Cincinnati was able to drive down the field on its next offensive series and set up for another field goal. This time, Smith missed a 37-yard kick and the game remained tied. The Bearcats would get the ball back with 49 seconds left in the first half and were eventually able to set up for another field goal try. Smith would miss a 49-yarder wide left as time expired in the first half.
>The Bearcats would open up the second half by driving down to the Temple 22 yard-line and missing a third field goal from 39 yards out. Cincinnati had left a potential nine points off the scoreboard, proving to be detrimental late in the game.
>The Owls had a tough time moving the ball and were forced to go three-and-out again in their first series of the third quarter. Cincinnati would drive 75 yards on nine plays, capped off by a 42-yard run to make the score 17-10 Cincinnati with 6:09 left to play in the third quarter. Both teams continued to trade punts for the remainder of the quarter.
>Russo and the offense put together multiple drives in the fourth quarter but two in a row ended in interceptions. The Owls' defense would hold strong in the fourth giving the offense one more chance with 2:37 left in the game and 75 yards to go for a game-tying score. Russo hit Jones for29 yards, WR Ventell Bryant for nine yards, and then ran nine yards to get the ball all the way down to the Bearcat 20 yard-line. After looking for Bryant the next two plays, Russo found Mack on a delayed route up the right sideline for the game-tying score. The momentum stayed with the Owls heading into overtime. On the third play of overtime, Russo connected with Wright for what would be the game winning score in overtime.
>After Cincinnati botched a snap on second down, the Bearcats were staring at a third-and-36 with game on the line. Forced to throw it long, LB Shaun Bradley was able to intercept the lofty pass and solidify the victory for Temple.
Notes
>Temple won a game against a ranked team for just the sixth time in school history. However, four of those wins have come in the last five seasons.
>Temple is now 3-7 in overtime and this was the first time Temple has won an overtime game on a touchdown.
>The Owls have held teams to under 20 points in six of eight games this season.
>Punter Connor Bowler had eight punts for 367 yards, three 50+ yards, and two inside the 20 yard-line.
The contest was a defensive battle throughout and featured six turnovers, three interceptions forced by Temple and two fumbles and one interception forced by Cincinnati. The Owls had great field position to start the game and capitalized early to get out to a 10-0 lead, but up until the final quarter the offense was nowhere to be found. Late game heroics from QB Anthony Russo and the offense led to a seven-play, 75-yard drive in just 1:48 to tie the game at 17-17. After marching down the field as the clock ticked toward 0:00, Russo hit WR Branden Mack for a wide open 20-yard touchdown to force overtime.
Cincinnati won the toss in overtime and elected to play defense first. The Owls made them pay, scoring on just the third play, a 25-yard throw from Russo to WR Isaiah Wright to make it 24-17 Temple. Russo threw for 237 total yards, 172 of which came in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Owl defense held strong and a botched snap on second down forced Cincinnati to air it out on third-and-36, resulting in a game-sealing interception by LB Shaun Bradley.
All afternoon the Owl defense applied pressure up the middle to deny runs inside the tackles and get to the quarterback. The stingy Owl defense only allowed 111 yards passing and sacked the quarterback four times. It became a battle of flipped fields as both teams forced one another to punt eight times. Both defenses came into the bout highly praised for their defensive fortitude and proved why drive-after-drive.
How it Happened
>The Owls forced a turnover on their first defensive series. DT Michael Dogbe burst through the middle of the line and chased down the Bearcats' QB and forced a strip sack deep in Cincinnati territory. The ball was recovered by DE Jimmy Hogan at the Cincinnati 11-yard line. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave Temple the ball on the four yard-line. The Bearcats would hold the Owls to a field goal and Temple would take a 3-0 lead with 10:27 to play in the first quarter.
>On the following play, FB Rob Ritrovato forced a fumble on the kick return that was recovered by NKL Sam Franklin on the Cincinnati 16 yard-line. The Owls set themselves up with prime field position because of their ability to take the ball away from Cincinnati. The Owls capitalized on the prime field position this time by getting into the endzone on a 16-yard pass from QB Anthony Russo to WR Randle Jones. Jones was able to corral the ball while making a diving play and tapping his right toe in bounds of the score. Temple took a 10-0 early lead with nine minutes left to play in the first quarter.
>Cincinnati then capitalized on a Russo interception and started with the ball inside the Temple 40 yard-line with 6:17 left to play in the first quarter. The Bearcats' RB Michael Warren rushed the ball three times, the third being a 24-yard run for a touchdown to bring the game to 10-7 Temple with 4:52 left to play in the first.
>The Bearcats scored again after forcing the Owls to punt and starting on the Temple 44 yard-line, Cincinnati kicker, Cole Smith, hit a 44-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10 with 9:31 left to play in the half.
>Cincinnati was able to drive down the field on its next offensive series and set up for another field goal. This time, Smith missed a 37-yard kick and the game remained tied. The Bearcats would get the ball back with 49 seconds left in the first half and were eventually able to set up for another field goal try. Smith would miss a 49-yarder wide left as time expired in the first half.
>The Bearcats would open up the second half by driving down to the Temple 22 yard-line and missing a third field goal from 39 yards out. Cincinnati had left a potential nine points off the scoreboard, proving to be detrimental late in the game.
>The Owls had a tough time moving the ball and were forced to go three-and-out again in their first series of the third quarter. Cincinnati would drive 75 yards on nine plays, capped off by a 42-yard run to make the score 17-10 Cincinnati with 6:09 left to play in the third quarter. Both teams continued to trade punts for the remainder of the quarter.
>Russo and the offense put together multiple drives in the fourth quarter but two in a row ended in interceptions. The Owls' defense would hold strong in the fourth giving the offense one more chance with 2:37 left in the game and 75 yards to go for a game-tying score. Russo hit Jones for29 yards, WR Ventell Bryant for nine yards, and then ran nine yards to get the ball all the way down to the Bearcat 20 yard-line. After looking for Bryant the next two plays, Russo found Mack on a delayed route up the right sideline for the game-tying score. The momentum stayed with the Owls heading into overtime. On the third play of overtime, Russo connected with Wright for what would be the game winning score in overtime.
>After Cincinnati botched a snap on second down, the Bearcats were staring at a third-and-36 with game on the line. Forced to throw it long, LB Shaun Bradley was able to intercept the lofty pass and solidify the victory for Temple.
Notes
>Temple won a game against a ranked team for just the sixth time in school history. However, four of those wins have come in the last five seasons.
>Temple is now 3-7 in overtime and this was the first time Temple has won an overtime game on a touchdown.
>The Owls have held teams to under 20 points in six of eight games this season.
>Punter Connor Bowler had eight punts for 367 yards, three 50+ yards, and two inside the 20 yard-line.
Team Stats
CIN
TEM
Total Yards
311
317
Pass Yards
111
237
Rushing Yards
200
80
Penalty Yards
65
60
1st Downs
20
16
3rd Downs
7
4
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
31:19
28:41
1st Quarter
CIN 0, TEM 3
TEM - MOBLEY,Will 28 yd field goal 4 plays, -7 yards, TOP 1:15
CIN 0, TEM 10
TEM - JONES,Randle 16 yd pass from RUSSO,Anthony (MOBLEY,Will kick) 3 plays, 16 yards, TOP 1:17
CIN 7, TEM 10
CIN - WARREN, Michael 24 yd run (SMITH, Cole kick), 4 plays, 41 yards, TOP 1:25
2nd Quarter
CIN 10, TEM 10
CIN - SMITH, Cole 44 yd field goal 7 plays, 18 yards, TOP 3:34
3rd Quarter
CIN 17, TEM 10
CIN - MCCLELLAND, C. 42 yd run (SMITH, Cole kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:41
4th Quarter
CIN 17, TEM 17
TEM - MACK,Branden 20 yd pass from RUSSO,Anthony (MOBLEY,Will kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:48
OT Quarter
CIN 17, TEM 24
TEM - WRIGHT,Isaiah 25 yd pass from RUSSO,Anthony (MOBLEY,Will kick) 3 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
20
TD
3
YDS
237
INT
3
CMP
0
TD
0
YDS
0
INT
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DT
/ Football
NKL
/ Football
DE
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
FB
/ FootballQB
/ Football
WR
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