Temple overcame a sloppy start to cruise to a 49-10 homecoming win over Tulane on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Owls scored 42 straight points to reach 5-0 (2-0 American Athletic Conference) for the first time since 1974 with the victory.
Temple hadn’t played at the Linc since its historic 27-10 win over Penn State to open the season.
Tulane (2-3, 1-1 AAC) had its two-game winning streak snapped.
Turning point
Despite a rough start to the game, Temple held a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter.
That was before the Owls’ sloppy ball security crept up again when DB Artrel Foster had a punt bounce off his leg and recovered by the Green Wave at the Temple 26-yard line. Four plays later, Tulane QB Tanner Lee found wideout Teddy Veal on an out route for a TD and a 10-7 lead.
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After recovering its own fumble on the ensuing kickoff (it would be a theme for both teams), Temple opened the next drive at its 10-yard line. TU proceeded to go on a methodical drive that included a little bit of everything … including another fumble. The Owls recovered the ball yet again and composed themselves enough to have QB P.J. Walker hit tight end Kip Patton for a 43-yard catch and rumble into the red zone. Running back Jahad Thomas took over from there and punched it in from 10 yards out to regain the lead.
Temple forced a Tulane fourth down shortly into the next possession. The Green Wave then gave the Owls a gift when punter Zachary Block (you guessed it) fumbled and was crunched after recovering the ball at Tulane’s 12-yard line.
Thomas hauled in a screen pass from Walker two plays later and scampered into the end zone from 16 yards out to push the Owls’ lead to double digits.
The fight was over from that point, as the Owls piled on one touchdown after another en route to the easy win.
Big men on campus
Another day, another solid game for Thomas.
The Temple junior running back had 14 carries for 65 yards to go along with two catches for 24 yards and two total touchdowns before sitting out the entire fourth quarter. He came into Saturday leading the American Athletic Conference with an average of 208.5 all-purpose yards per game.
His former high school teammate Walker had himself a pretty nice day as well. The QB connected on 11 of 15 passes (73.3 percent) for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He finished the game with a 219.8 quarterback rating.
Tailback Ryquell Armstead disappeared for a while after putting the ball on the turf on the third play of the game. However, he finished the day strong with six carries for 34 yards and two trips into the end zone. Meanwhile, Robby Anderson led Temple’s receivers with four catches for 73 yards and one touchdown.
On the other side of the ball, NCAA tackles leader Tyler Matakevich continued to dominate for the Owls. The senior linebacker racked up seven tackles on Saturday to bring his career total to 399.
Defensive back Sean Chandler and linebacker Avery Williams both had interceptions during the second half, with Chandler taking his 22 yards for a score.
For Tulane, Lee was 16 of 29 through the air for 95 yards, one TD and those two interceptions. Veal hauled in six receptions for 43 and the Green Wave’s lone touchdown.
Inside the box score
• There were 11 combined fumbles in the game. Temple fumbled six times (two lost), while Tulane fumbled five times.
• Freshman QB Frank Nutile replaced Walker in the fourth quarter. He was 3 of 3 for 40 yards and a TD.
• The 49 points marked the most ever scored by Temple in a homecoming game.
• Temple won for the seventh consecutive time on homecoming.
History
Saturday marked just the third time Temple and Tulane have faced each other in football and the first in Philadelphia. The Owls now hold a 2-1 edge.
The previous meetings were a 10-3 Temple win last season and a 20-14 Tulane victory in the 1935 Sugar Bowl.
What’s next?
Temple returns to the Linc next Saturday for a matchup against Central Florida.
Tulane heads home for a Friday night tilt against Houston.