Owls Come Up Short in Heartbreaking Loss at UConn

Saturday, October 5

East Hartford, CT

3:30 PM

Temple University

1-5 , 0-2

UConn

4-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Temple

UConn

Owls Come Up Short in Heartbreaking Loss at UConn

10.5.24 | Football

Box Score Game Book Stan Drayton Press Conference Forrest Brock Press Conference Tyquan King Press Conference Photo Gallery

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Temple Owls (1-5, 0-2) fell to the UConn Huskies (4-2) on Saturday in heartbreaking fashion. With Temple down three, UConn's defense made stops on their own 1-yard line in the final two plays of the game, including a fumble return for a touchdown to give the Huskies the 29-20 win. WR TJ Sheffield led UConn with 141 receiving yards on nine catches.

For Temple, RB Terrez Worthy had his most impressive showing as an Owl. The junior carried the ball 12 times for 95 yards, including a 35-yard rush during the final drive of the game. Defensively, CB Jaylen Lewis and SAF Elijah Deravil both recorded interceptions, the first of their careers.

How it Happened

After a fumbled punt gave the ball to UConn in Temple territory, kicker Chris Freeman converted on a 43-yard field goal making the score 3-0 Huskies with 6:25 to play in the first quarter.
With UConn punting from their own 9-yard line, Temple LB Antwone Santiago slipped through the line and blocked the Huskies' punt. The ball went into the endzone and WR John Adams fell on top of the loose ball for an Owls' touchdown, giving Temple a 7-3 lead with 10:32 remaining in the second quarter.
In the closing moments of the first half, UConn drove to the Owls' six- and ten-yard lines on back-to-back drives. However, the Temple defense stood strong, forcing two Huskies field goals to give UConn a 9-7 advantage heading into the locker rooms.
Temple started with the ball to open the second half. Despite the drive stalling out, kicker Maddux Trujillo nailed a 60-yard field goal for his second 60+ yard field goal of the season. This gave Temple a 10-9 lead with 11:08 left in the third quarter.
On the next drive, a mishandled pass fell into the arms of Temple's Lewis for an interception. Despite the ensuing drive not ending in points, the Owls' defense forced a punt on the next UConn possession.
The Temple defense continued its impressive day, forcing a fumble on the keeper from UConn QB Joe Fagnano. The ball was forced out by LB Tyquan King and DE Tra Thomas was there on the recovery. Trujillo capitalized on the field position, extending the Owls' lead to 13-9. This happened in the form of a 42-yard field goal with 2:43 remaining in the third quarter.
UConn responded quickly, as a 58-yard catch-and-run touchdown Sheffield gave UConn a 16-13 advantage with 2:11 left in the third quarter.
Deravil recorded Temple's third takeaway of the day, jumping the route and hauling in an interception. On the next drive, Temple QB Forrest Brock kept the ball himself, running into the endzone for an 8-yard touchdown. This score gave the Owls a 20-16 lead with 9:52 remaining in the game.
UConn reclaimed the lead, 23-17, on a one-yard rushing touchdown from RB Durell Robinson with 3:46 left in the fourth quarter.
Temple marched down the field in an impressive drive, getting to the UConn 1-yard line. However, the Huskies defense made goal line stops on back-to-back plays, including a fumble recovered by DB Jordan Wright for a 99-yard touchdown on the final play of the game to give UConn a 29-20 win.

Statistically Speaking

Temple recorded three takeaways (two interceptions and a forced fumble), which tripled their season total entering the day.
LB Tyquan King led all players with 15 tackles.

Notes

Prior to Antwone Santiago's on Saturday, Temple last blocked a punt in 2022 vs. Lafayette. That day, WR De'Von Fox set the school record for most blocked punts in a game with three. The last Owls blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown was blocked by WR Branden Mack in 2018 vs. Buffalo.
Maddux Trujillo became the third kicker in NCAA history, and the first in 47 years, to have multiple successful FGs of 60+ yards in the same season. Tony Franklin, Texas A&M (64, 65) in 1976 and Russell Erxleben, Texas (64, 67) in 1977 are the others.
Elijah Deravil, Latrell Jean, D.J. Woodbury, and Dante Wright served as game captains.
QB Tyler Douglas made his collegiate debut.

Up Next
Temple will be on its first of two byes next week, with the Owls' next contest being against Tulsa in the annual homecoming game on October 19. The kickoff time and broadcaster are TBA.

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