Temple Secures First Win in the K.C. Keeler Era at Massachusetts

Saturday, August 30

Amherst, MA

3:30 p.m.

Temple University

1-0 , 0-0

UMass

0-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Temple

Massachusetts

Temple Secures First Win in the K.C. Keeler Era at Massachusetts

8.30.25 | Football

Box Score Game Book Photo Gallery

AMHERST, Mass. -- The Temple Owls (1-0, 0-0 American) defeated the UMass Minutemen (0-1, 0-0 MAC) 42-10 in front of 11,565 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in the season opener for both schools.

How It Happened

The 2025 season started on defense to ring in the K.C. Keeler era at Temple. The Minutemen found success out of the gate on the ground through running back Rocko Griffin. The redshirt junior running back ran for 38-yards on the opening drive and punched it in for UMass for the early score with 11:25 remaining in the first quarter.
The Temple offense responded right away. The 12-play 90-yard scoring drive was highlighted by strong running from running back Jay Ducker. Ducker ended the first drive with six carries for 35-yards, but the starting quarterback Evan Simon really showcased his arm for the score. Simon found tight end Peter Clarke on a seam route from 21-yards out to even the score with 5:02 remaining in the first. That catch marked the longest catch for Clarke in his career.
After a field goal made by the Minutemen toward the end of the first quarter, UMass held a 10-7 lead. UMass was driving near midfield before the first turnover of the game occurred. Katin Suprenant punched the ball out of Brandon Rose's hands for the fumble, and Avery Powell scooped it and returned it into UMass territory. Three plays later, the Temple offense struck. Simon threw his second touchdown pass of the half this time to wide receiver Kajiya Hollawayne. This 24-yard pass and catch marked Hollawayne's first touchdown in an Owls' uniform. Another big from Griffin had the Minutemen deep into the Temple redzone halfway through the second quarter. The Owls' defense, however, stood stout and forced a turnover on downs from its own three-yard line. The first play after the turnover on downs was a massive run by Ducker. The 55-yard gain down the right sideline got Temple into UMass territory immediately. The Simon-to-Clarke connection was up and running as the two went for their second score of the day, this time from 29-yards out. After a massive defensive stand with just under two minutes left in the half, the Owls' offense did not finish scoring. Simon connected with running back Terrez Worthy for yet another passing touchdown. This marked Simon's fourth of the game thus far.
Temple entered the third quarter with a 28-10 lead. On the Minutemen's first possession of the second half, they found a lot of momentum and drove down into the Temple red zone. With pressure forcing Rose up in the pocket, he made an ill-advised throw into the end zone that was intercepted by cornerback Ben Osueke. This marked the first career interception by the fifth-year senior. On the ensuing drive by the Temple offense, the ground and pass game continued to thrive. By the end, the fourth different Owl notched a touchdown. Tight end Ryder Kusch caught his first pass of his career and scored his first touchdown of his career. Three of the Owl's touchdowns to this point in the game were pulled in by tight ends.
The tight ends were not done for the day after that last score, and neither was Simon. An eight-play, 35-yard drive after a turnover on downs by UMass ended with the sixth touchdown pass of the day from Simon. This tied a Temple single-game record for passing touchdowns by a Temple quarterback. The quarterback found Kusch for his second score of the day.

Statistically Speaking

Quarterback Evan Simon set a career-high in passing touchdowns in one half today against UMass. He found the end zone through the air four times in the first half.
Simon would finish the game with six passing touchdowns, tying a program record for passing scores in a single game. Adam DiMichele did so back in 2008, as well as John Waller back in 1966.
Redshirt senior OLB Cam'Ron Stewart and senior DE Khalil Poteat recorded the first full sacks of their college careers.
Jay Ducker's 100-yard rushing game was the first by an Owl since QB Quincy Patterson at North Texas (113-yards, 10/14/23) and the first by a running back since Joquez Smith vs. Norfolk State (142-yards, 9/16/23). Ducker finished the day with 128 yards on the ground.
Four of the six touchdowns for Temple today were caught by tight ends. Peter Clarke and Ryder Kusch each had two receiving touchdowns.
The last time Temple secured a win on the road came back in 2021 when the Owls took on the Akron Zips.
The Cherry & White last won a season opener two years ago in the 2023 season, also against Akron.
The last time the Owls won a road opener was more than a decade ago. Temple traveled to Nashville, Tenn. To face Vanderbilt and came back to Philly with the victory.
First college game (3): Giakoby Hills, Ryder Kusch, Davray Venu,
First college start (2): Giakoby Hills, Ryder Kusch
First game with Temple (16): Aaron Beckwith, JoJo Bermudez, Jayvant Brown, Charles Calhoun, Jaylen Castleberry, Colin Chase, Ty Davis, Jay Ducker, Isaiah Hayse, Giakoby Hills, Ryder Kusch, Gevani McCoy, Curly Ordonez, Dontae Pollard, Avery Powell, Davray Venu,
First start with Temple (11): Aaron Beckwith, Charles Calhoun, Jaylen Castleberry, Colin Chase, Ty Davis, Jay Ducker, Giakoby Hills, Ryder Kusch, Curly Ordonez, Avery Powell, Katin Suprenant

Up Next

Temple will return home to Lincoln Financial Field for its home opener next Saturday, Sept. 6, against the Howard Bison. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+ and broadcast on owlsports.com/listen.