Temple Falls in AAC Road Opener to Tulsa

Thursday, September 28

Tulsa, OK

7:30 P.M.

Temple University

Tulsa

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Temple Falls in AAC Road Opener to Tulsa

9.28.23 | Football

Box Score Stan Drayton Press Conference Photo Gallery

TULSA, Okla. — Temple (2-3, 0-1) lost to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (3-2, 1-0), 48-26, on a Thursday night American Athletic Conference matchup. The story of the game was Tulsa's offense, which totaled 533 net yards from scrimmage. Linebacker Jacob Hollins impressed for Temple, setting a career-high with 15 tackles, the most by any Owl in a single game this season.

How It Happened

Temple's offense marched down the field on the opening drive of the game behind 52 passing yards by QB E.J. Warner. TE Jordan Smith recorded 41 receiving yards off four catches, two of which were on third-down conversions. The Owls finished the drive with a 36-yard field goal by K Camden Price to take a 3-0 lead with 11:02 remaining in the first quarter.
The Golden Hurricane answered on the ensuing drive, scoring on a 10-yard touchdown pass from QB Cardell Williams to WR Marquis Shoulders to give Tulsa a 7-3 lead with 6:15 remaining in the first quarter.
Tulsa extended its lead to 14-3 with 1:58 left in the first quarter, behind a 27-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Shoulders again.
With 7:28 remaining in the first half, Tulsa extended its lead to 21-3 with an eight-yard touchdown from Williams to WR Devan Williams.
The Owls were able to sustain a long drive following the Tulsa score, recording a 13-play 57-yard effort that was ultimately turned over on downs in the red zone late in the first half.
After the Golden Hurricane added a field goal with 8:21 remaining in the third quarter, SAF Sam Martin Jr. returned a kickoff 95 yards for a Temple touchdown. Warner connected with WR Dante Wright for the two-point conversion, cutting the deficit to 24-11 with 8:07 left in the third quarter.
After Tulsa extended its lead to 31-11, the Owls fought back behind a drive that started and ended with WR Amad Anderson Jr. The graduate student returned a punt 18 yards to the Temple 44-yard line and later caught a three-yard touchdown pass to cut Tulsa's lead to 31-18 with 1:05 remaining in the third quarter.
Tulsa added a field goal and two rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to extend the Golden Hurricane's lead to 48-18.
The Owls added a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, as Warner connected WR John Adams for a two-yard touchdown reception with 2:35 remaining in the game. RB Edward Saydee caught a successful two-point conversion, moving the scoreline to 48-26.

Notes

WR John Adams recorded his first career touchdown.
DL Joseph Appiah-Darkwa made his season debut and recorded his first career sack in the third quarter.
OL Jon Fagley recorded his first career start.
SAF Sam Martin Jr. recorded his first career kick return touchdown. This marked the first Temple kick return for a touchdown of the 2023 season and the first Owls kick return for a touchdown since Isaiah Wright did so against UConn in 2018.
WR D'Wan Mathis recorded his first reception of the season.

Statistically Speaking

Anderson Jr.'s touchdown in the third quarter marked his third career touchdown against Tulsa in his career.
LB Jacob Hollins (15) and CB Dominick Hill (6) each set new career-highs for total tackles in a game.

Up Next
The Owls return to Philadelphia to host UTSA on homecoming on Oct. 7. The game is set to air on ESPN+ and 97.5 The Fanatic at 2 p.m. Tickets for the game can be purchased at owlstix.com.