Temple Secures All-Around Win Over Howard in 2025 Home-Opener

Saturday, September 6

2:00 p.m.

Temple University

2-0 , 0-0

Howard

1-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Howard

Temple

Temple Secures All-Around Win Over Howard in 2025 Home-Opener

9.6.25 | Football

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PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple Owls (2-0, 0-0 American) defeated the Howard Bison (1-1, 0-0 MEAC) 55-7 in front of 15,655 at Lincoln Financial Field in the home opener for Temple.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The running game started strong for the Owls on the opening drive of the day. Temple marched down the field from the jump, utilizing the run game to get into the redzone. Running back Jay Ducker had four carries for 26 yards on the drive, but it was capped off by running back Terrez Worthy. From 13-yards out, Worthy took the hand off, broke a tackle, and burst into the end zone for the score. The nine-play drive featured the run-game on eight plays. After a strong stand by the defense, the offense went back to work with a more balanced approach on the second drive of the game. Quarterback Evan Simon threw the ball just twice on the drive but completed both passes for 47-yards total. Wide out JoJo Bermudez notched his first score as a Temple Owls from 27-yards out. Simon put the ball over two defenders and found Bermudez in the back of the end zone to give Temple a 14-0 lead with 4:40 remaining in the opening frame. The defense continued to roll for Temple on Howard's second offensive drive of the game. When the Owls got the ball back, they did not take their foot off the gas. Wide receiver Colin Chase pulled in his first score at Temple with just 36 seconds remaining in the first quarter. This was an eight-yard pass from Simon, his second passing touchdown of the afternoon to this point.
To start the second quarter, Howard's offense started to click. A 13-play drive that started towards the end of the first quarter resulted in a one-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tyriq Starks to tight end KD Mosley, making the score 21-7. A 10-play drive on the ensuing Temple possession resulted in three points. The 45-yard field goal marked Carl Hardin's first career field goal, which made the score 24-7. Temple's defense had the opportunity to pin its ears back and get to the Howard quarterback on the next drive. Defensive end Cam'Ron Stewart collected his second sack of the season to push the Bison back, later resulting in a punt. The Temple offense faced a third down and 11 on its next drive, but Xavier Irvin broke away for 46-yards for his first catch of the season. That screen pass set the Owls up at the Howard 10-yard line. Simon would then throw his third touchdown pass of the game, this time to wide-receiver Kajiya Hollawayne. This score put the Owls on top 31-7 at halftime.
The Bison started the second half with the ball and punted the ball after a holding penalty set Howard far behind the sticks. Temple's offense responded quickly with a two-play, 47-yard scoring drive highlighted solely by Ducker. The transfer broke off a 32-yard run to get to the Howard 15-yard line and followed that up with a 15-yard touchdown run, his first score as an Owl. A three-and-out for the Bison offense gave the ball back to Temple with quarterback Gevani McCoy now in the game. McCoy used both his legs and his arm to drive the offense down the field for a touchdown in 13 plays. The 78-yard drive was capped off by a 12-yard touchdown pass from McCoy to running back Joquez Smith. McCoy scored his first touchdown as an Owl with that pass; Smith scored his first touchdown of the 2025 season.
The first play of the final quarter was the first turnover of the day. Redshirt freshman cornerback Adrian Laing turned into a wide receiver on a throw up the sideline, turning around and stepping in front of the Bison wide receiver to pick the pass off. This was his first career interception. The interception by Laing turned into three points for the Owls off a 31-yard field goal by Hardin. Temple led 48-7 with 9:42 remaining in the game. The afternoon was capped off by another rushing touchdown by the Temple offense. Hunter Smith, seeing his first game action as an Owl, broke off a 65-yard touchdown run down the sideline to further extend the lead for Temple. This score put the Owls up to 55 points. Smith notched his first score as an Owl with this run.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

For the second consecutive game, Temple scored on its first drive and led at halftime. The Owls accomplished each of those only one time during the entire 2024 season.
The Owls improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2019.
Temple registered 30-plus points in the first half for the first time since Aug. 31, 2019, when Temple led 35-9 at halftime.
The 48-point win for Temple is the eighth time the Owls have defeated a team by that margin in program history. The most recent occurred happened in a 57-7 victory at UConn on Nov. 24, 2018.
Temple out-gained Howard by 439 yards (560-121), its highest total net yard margin since out-gaining Bucknell by 484 yards (695-211) on Aug. 31, 2019.
Temple's 329 rushing yards are its most since posting 534 yards on the ground against Army on Nov. 17, 2012. The Owls out-rushed the Bison by 247 yards (329-82) is its highest rushing-yard margin since out-rushing Buffalo by 329 yards (400-71) on Oct. 15, 2011.
Temple compiled 329 rushing yards without a 100-yard rusher. Temple previously rushed for over 300 yards without an 100-yard rusher against UConn (Nov. 24, 2018). Those are the only two contests since at least 1995 that Temple has registered 300-yard rushing without an 100-yard rusher (13 games).
Five Owls scored their first touchdown as a member of the team in today's game. Colin Chase and JoJo Bermudez each hauled in passes for their touchdowns. Jay Ducker and Hunter Smith rushed for their first scores as Owls, and Gevani McCoy threw for his first touchdown wearing the Cherry and White.

UP NEXT

Temple will remain home at Lincoln Financial Field and play host to the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN2 and broadcast on owlsports.com/listen.