Defense Dominates in 17-7 Win at USF

Thursday, November 7

Tampa, FL

8:00pm

Temple University

6-3 , 3-2

USF

4-5 , 2-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Temple

USF

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Defense Dominates in 17-7 Win at USF

11.7.19 | Football

Box Score Game Book

TAMPA – Temple's defense looked well rested after a bye week in posting a dominating performance in a 17-7 win over USF Thursday night in an ESPN primetime matchup at Raymond James Stadium. The Owls defense recorded nine sacks in the contest and senior Sam Franklin returned a fumble 39 yards for a touchdown. Redshirt senior RB Jager Gardner reached a career-high with 133 yards rushing to lead the Cherry and White offense.

Temple (6-3, 3-2 in AAC) became Bowl eligible with the victory, marking the sixth straight season the program has accomplished the feat. USF falls to 4-5, 2-3.

Summary
>Besides Gardner, who also had a career-high with 25 carries, redshirt sophomore Jadan Blue set a new career high with 11 catches while amassing 121 yards.
> Redshirt junior QB Anthony Russo completed 15-of-20 passes for 164 yards in directing the Temple offense.
> Redshirt sophomore Will Mobley matched his career-long field goal with a 44-yarder.
>Defensively, redshirt junior DE Quincy Roche led the sack attack with a career-high 3.5 of the team's nine sacks. Four other Owls each added one with the Temple also being credited for a team sack. The last time Temple topped nine sacks was a 10-sack performance vs. Penn State in 2015.
>Redshirt sophomore LB Audley Isaacs tied Roche for the team lead in tackles with a career-high six tackles.
Recapping the Game

First Quarter
> After extending USF's initial drive with a roughing the kicker penalty, Temple graduate DE Deandre Kelly forced a fumble with senior LB Shaun Bradley recovering on the Owls 29.
> The Owls then drove 62 yards on 15 plays, eight coming on rushes by Gardner, before the Bulls held on a fourth-and-one on their own seven.
> USF again moved the ball into Temple territory before Roche sacked QB Jordan McCloud for a six-yard loss on a third and eight to force a punt.
> Following a TU three-and-out, the Bulls again drove into Owl territory before Temple held on a fourth-and-three from its own 35 to end a scoreless first quarter.

Second Quarter
>Both teams' defenses forced three-and-outs to start the second quarter.
>After a 21-yard pass play from Russo to redshirt junior WR Branden Mack, the Owls drive stalled at midfield. Redshirt junior Kenny Yeboah then made a big special teams play on sophomore Adam Barry's punt, keeping the ball from going into the end zone and pinning the Bulls at their own one.
> Senior LB Sam Franklin made a big hit to break-up a first down pass and ending the Bulls drive at the USF 42. The play was initially ruled targeting on the field, but overturned by review.
> With redshirt sophomore QB taking over for a series, the Owls drove 80 yards to break the scoreless tie. Gardner provided the big play, breaking one down the left sideline for 57 yards to the USF 2. Three plays later, Centeio used play action to find a wide open Yeboah in the end zone to make it 7-0.
> USF moved the ball to the Temple 43, but a Hail Mary pass went incomplete as the clock expired to end the half.

Third Quarter
>Temple marched down the field on its opening drive courtesy of three pass plays from Russo to Blue for 37 yards. Then it was USF's time to come up with a big defensive play when Bentlee Sanders picked off Russo at the Bulls 10.
>Redshirt sophomore Arnold Ebiketie sacked McCloud to force a three-and-out on the Bulls first possession of the half.
>Centeio took over for Temple's second series of the half, but there was no magic this time. The Owls went three-and-out following a USF sack.
>Redshirt sophomore Christian Braswell stripped USF receiver Terrence Horne with Franklin scooping up the fumble and returning it 39 yards for the touchdown to make it 14-0.
>USF quickly answered the Owls touchdown, marching 90 yards on seven plays with McCloud connecting with Bryce Miller on a 14-yard score to cut the Temple lead to 14-7 with just over a minute remaining in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter
>The Owls extended their lead in the first minute of the fourth quarter as Mobley matched his career-long field goal with a 44-yarder to put Temple ahead 17-7. The big play on the drive was a 36-yard reception by Blue which moved the ball to the Bulls 36.
>Temple's defense continued to dominate on USF's next possession, rattling off its seventh and eight sack of the contest to force a Bulls punt.
>The Owls offense then ran off seven minutes of game clock, marching 74 yard on 13 plays before turning the ball over on downs at the USF 9 with just 2:06 remaining.
>Roche then put the icing on his career day, combining with redshirt senior DE Dana Levine (1.5 sacks) for his final sack of the day. The Bulls then came up short on a 4^th and 14 to end the game.

Next Up
Temple hosts Tulane next Saturday, Nov. 16 at noon. The game will be televised by ESPNU and can be heard on 97.5 The Fanatic.