Once again, it wasn’t a pretty game for Temple with nine penalties for 114 yards being called on the team and their defense not being able to get off the field on third down. Yet somehow, Temple still found a way to win and they snapped East Carolina’s streak of winning their last 26 games when leading at halftime. PJ Walker, who would complete 19 0f 35 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown, came up clutch leading the offense down the field for the go-ahead score; finding Robby Anderson for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Anderson had his best game of the year reeling in eight catches for 126 yards and the game-winning touchdown. However, it was the defense who put the nail in the coffin for East Carolina and kept the Owls in the game.
After a somewhat shaky first half for the Temple defense, the right adjustments were made at half and the unit pitched a shutout in the second half of the game. The defense was able to force two turnovers with Tyler Matakevich’s fourth interception of the year and a fumble recovery by Jacob Martin, but the odd thing is Temple’s offense was not able to capitalize on either of those. Thus Temple kept chipping away holding East Carolina to 168 yards in the second half, while the Owls offense gained 184 second half yards along with two touchdowns. The Temple special teams also contributed to the win with two blocked punts by Sharif Finch with the second one leading to Jahad Thomas’s second touchdown of the game and the dagger for East Carolina.
With the 24-14 come from behind win, Temple advances to 7-0 for the first time in program history and continues to be a thrill to watch this year. The #22 Owls with will be getting ready next week to host #11 Notre Dame for a Halloween night showdown in front of a sellout crowd at the Linc. I am told there is a very high chance College Gameday is coming to Philadelphia for the Temple-Notre Dame game and it would mark the first time in 13 years since it has been to the City of Brotherly Love. Notre Dame won the first ever meeting between the two schools 2013 in South Bend 28-6.
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