Temple University Athletics
Friday, November 13
Akron, Ohio
8:30 PM
Temple University
at
AKRON
NT Andre Neblett
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Temple Travels to Akron For Friday the 13th Game
11.9.09 | Football
Owls Are Riding a Seven-Game Winning Streak
Gamenotes in PDF
THIS WEEK
Temple travels to Akron on Friday, Nov. 13. ESPNU will televise the contest live at 8:30 p.m. from InfoCision Stadium. Justin Kutcher will provide play-by-play, and Tom Luginbill will handle color analysis.
The Owls' radio broadcast will air on WPHT 1210 AM with Harry Donahue calling the play-by-play and Steve Joachim providing color analysis.
The Friday night contest is Temple's third of four non-Saturday clashes this fall. The Owls, who have played two Thursday night games already, travel to Ohio (Nov. 27) for their last Friday game.
Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Al Golden, Temple stands 7-2 overall and a perfect 5-0 in MAC?play. Last week, the Owls won their seventh consecutive game with a dramatic 34-32 victory over Miami (Ohio). The last time Temple won six games in a row was 1973 under coach Wayne Hardin.
The seven wins are the most in a season since 1990 when the Owls finished 7-4. The seven wins guarantee Temple its first winning season since 1990.
Temple is also bowl eligible for the first time since 1990. Temple's last bowl appearance came in the 1979 Garden State Bowl where the Owls beat California, 28-17, at Giants Stadium.
The 2009 squad, featuring Golden's first recruiting class as seniors, returns 21 starters to 17 positions. The Owls utilize an East Coast offense and 4-3 defense.
On the ground, freshman RB?Bernard Pierce (Ardmore, Pa.) leads the Owls with a freshman record 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns on 204 carries. R-junior QB Vaughn Charlton (Landenberg, Pa.) has thrown 90-of-177 for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns. R-sophomore QB Chester Stewart, who started against Miami, is 7-of-16 for 153 yards. Junior Michael Campbell (Edison, N.J.) is the top receiver with 282 yards and two touchdowns on 20 catches.
Nationally Temple ranks No. 8 in kickoff returns (26.14), No. 16 in sacks (2.78), No. 23 in turnover margin (0.67), No. 24 in rushing defense (106.67), and No. 31 in total defense (329.67). Akron ranks No. 31 in pass defense (190.89).
Individually, freshman RB Bernard Pierce ranks No. 3 nationally in rushing (134.56), while sophomore DT Adrian Robinson is No. 8 in sacks (1.00).
Head coach J.D. Brookhart is in his sixth season at Akron. The Zips stand 2-7 on the season and 2-4 in MAC play after a 28-20 win over Kent State. Akron returns 15 starters to its spread/multiple offense and multiple 3-3 defense.
Senior RB Joe Tuzze is the Zips' leading rusher with 209 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries. Four different quarterbacks have received the starting nod this season. Freshman Patrick Nicely is 72-of-143 for 874 yards and three touchdowns. Junior WR?Jeremy LaFrance is the top receiver with 434 yards and two touchdowns on 35 catches. Senior WR Deryn Bowser follows with 307 yards and five touchdowns on 21 receptions.
TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA
Since 1928, Temple has played 21 contests on the 13th day of the month for a 12-8-1 record. However, the Owls have only played on Friday the 13th once before. Under head coach Glenn “Pop” Warner, the Owls claimed a 31-0 shutout of Haskell Institute on Oct. 13, 1933.
Temple and Akron met once before on the 13th. In 2007, the Owls rallied with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter for a 24-20 road win on Oct. 13.
FIRST SEASON IN NEW HOUSE
Akron is in the midst of its first season at its new home— InfoCision Stadium. The $61.6 million stadium has 30,000 seats, 17 suites, a state-of-the-art video board with scoreboard and sound system, and an endzone facility that houses the entire football program.
TEMPLE-AKRON CONNECTIONS
Temple has no players on its roster from the state of Ohio.
Akron has 17 players from Pennsylvania but none from Philadelphia. The only players from Southeastern Pennsylvania are junior OL Corey Woods (Reading, Pa. / Exeter Twp. HS) and r-junior DL?Antoine Jones (Thorndale, Pa. / Coatesville,?HS).
BROTHERLY LOVE
Temple freshman walk-on LB?Vince Tuzze (Mayfield, Pa.) may be looking forward to visiting Akron more than his teammates. His older brother Joe is the Zips' starting fullback.
TEMPLE-AKRON— THE SERIES
Tonight's game marks the 19th meeting between the Owls and the Zips since the squads' first meeting in 1967. In series action, Temple leads, 11-7.
Last fall during Senior Day at Lincoln Financial Field, seniors QB Adam DiMichele and FB Marcellous Grigsby scored two touchdowns apiece to lead Temple to a 27-6 win in the season finale. The victory gave the Owls five wins on the season (and four in MAC play).
During their first game as MAC opponents in 2007, QB Adam DiMichele threw for three fourth quarter touchdowns, the last a 19-yarder to WR Dy'Onne Crudup with 27 seconds to play, to lead Temple to a 24-20 come-from-behind win at the Rubber Bowl. It marked the first time the Owls posted consecutive wins since 2002 and the first consecutive victories in conference play in 40 years when the Cherry and White played in the old MAC (Middle Atlantic Conference). It was also the team's first road win since 2003, snapping a string of 24 straight road defeats.
In the teams' 1999 meeting, Akron scored 25 first-half points en route to a 25-15 win at the Rubber Bowl. ?Temple scored all 15 of its points in the fourth quarter. Marcus Godrey led the Owls on the ground with 16 carries for 67 yards. QB Mac Devito scored TU's first touchdown on a two-yard run. Devito closed out the stanza with a 43-yard toss to Sean Dillard for the second touchdown.
SERIES INFORMATION
Temple all-time vs. Akron: 11-7
Temple in games at Temple: 6-4
Temple in games at Akron: 5-3
First meeting in series: 1967 at Temple Stadium, W, 22-21
Last meeting in series: 2008 at Lincoln Financial Field, W 27-6
SERIES HIGHS
Temple Owls
Rushing: Todd McNair, 32-127, 2 TD (1987)
Passing: Adam DiMichele, 23-34-242, 3 TD (2007)
Receiving: Leslie Shepherd, 5-116, 0 TD?(1991)
Akron Zips
Rushing: Brandon Payne, 25-156, 2 TD?(1999)
Passing: Marcel Weems, 13-19-247, 0 TD (1993)
Receiving: Jeff Blakely, 3-133, 0 TD (1993)
Year Site Results TU Coach UA Coach
1967 Temple Stadium W, 22-21 George Makris Gordon Larson
1970 Temple Stadium L, 0-21 Wayne Hardin Gordon Larson
1973 Temple Stadium W, 47-33 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1975 Rubber Bowl L, 23-24 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1976 Rubber Bowl W, 23-13 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1978 Rubber Bowl W, 56-21 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1979 Veterans Stadium W, 42-6 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1980 Veterans Stadium W, 16-7 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1987 Veterans Stadium W, 23-3 Bryce Arians Gerry Faust
1988 Rubber Bowl W, 37-17 Bruce Arians Gerry Faust
1991 Veterans Stadium L, 32-37 Jerry Berndt Gerry Faust
1992 Rubber Bowl L, 15-29 Jerry Berndt Gerry Faust
1993 Veterans Stadium L, 7-31 Ron Dickerson Gerry Faust
1994 Rubber Bowl W, 32-7 Ron Dickerson Gerry Faust
1998 Franklin Field L, 28-35 Bobby Wallace Lee Owens
1999 Rubber Bowl L, 15-25 Bobby Wallace Lee Owens
2007 Rubber Bowl W, 24-20 Al Golden J.D. Brookhart
2008 Lincoln?Financial Field W, 27-6 Al Golden J.D. Brookhart
HOOT TOOTS ... OWL NOTES & QUOTES
• Temple is 5-0 in the MAC for the first time since joining the conference in 2007.
• Temple has faced five teams with new head coaches [Eastern Michigan, Ball State, Army, Toledo, and Miami (OH)].
• Temple has won six consecutive MAC games at home at Lincoln Financial Field.
• Since joining the MAC in 2007, the Owls own the league's best home record for MAC games at 9-2.
• Five of Temple's 2009 opponents went on to postseason play last fall— Ball State [MAC Championship game & GMAC Bowl], Buffalo [MAC Championship game &?International Bowl], Navy [EagleBank Bowl], Penn State [Rose Bowl], and Villanova [NCAA quarterfinals].
• “I don't think you can ever get bored as a coach watching somebody compete as hard as he does. He's a special guy, and they love blocking for him, and he's a great team player.” — Al Golden on Bernard Pierce
UP NEXT
Temple returns to Lincoln Financial Field for its final home game on Nov. 21 with Kent State at 1 p.m. The Senior Class will be honored in a pregame ceremony.
THIS WEEK
Temple travels to Akron on Friday, Nov. 13. ESPNU will televise the contest live at 8:30 p.m. from InfoCision Stadium. Justin Kutcher will provide play-by-play, and Tom Luginbill will handle color analysis.
The Owls' radio broadcast will air on WPHT 1210 AM with Harry Donahue calling the play-by-play and Steve Joachim providing color analysis.
The Friday night contest is Temple's third of four non-Saturday clashes this fall. The Owls, who have played two Thursday night games already, travel to Ohio (Nov. 27) for their last Friday game.
Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Al Golden, Temple stands 7-2 overall and a perfect 5-0 in MAC?play. Last week, the Owls won their seventh consecutive game with a dramatic 34-32 victory over Miami (Ohio). The last time Temple won six games in a row was 1973 under coach Wayne Hardin.
The seven wins are the most in a season since 1990 when the Owls finished 7-4. The seven wins guarantee Temple its first winning season since 1990.
Temple is also bowl eligible for the first time since 1990. Temple's last bowl appearance came in the 1979 Garden State Bowl where the Owls beat California, 28-17, at Giants Stadium.
The 2009 squad, featuring Golden's first recruiting class as seniors, returns 21 starters to 17 positions. The Owls utilize an East Coast offense and 4-3 defense.
On the ground, freshman RB?Bernard Pierce (Ardmore, Pa.) leads the Owls with a freshman record 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns on 204 carries. R-junior QB Vaughn Charlton (Landenberg, Pa.) has thrown 90-of-177 for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns. R-sophomore QB Chester Stewart, who started against Miami, is 7-of-16 for 153 yards. Junior Michael Campbell (Edison, N.J.) is the top receiver with 282 yards and two touchdowns on 20 catches.
Nationally Temple ranks No. 8 in kickoff returns (26.14), No. 16 in sacks (2.78), No. 23 in turnover margin (0.67), No. 24 in rushing defense (106.67), and No. 31 in total defense (329.67). Akron ranks No. 31 in pass defense (190.89).
Individually, freshman RB Bernard Pierce ranks No. 3 nationally in rushing (134.56), while sophomore DT Adrian Robinson is No. 8 in sacks (1.00).
Head coach J.D. Brookhart is in his sixth season at Akron. The Zips stand 2-7 on the season and 2-4 in MAC play after a 28-20 win over Kent State. Akron returns 15 starters to its spread/multiple offense and multiple 3-3 defense.
Senior RB Joe Tuzze is the Zips' leading rusher with 209 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries. Four different quarterbacks have received the starting nod this season. Freshman Patrick Nicely is 72-of-143 for 874 yards and three touchdowns. Junior WR?Jeremy LaFrance is the top receiver with 434 yards and two touchdowns on 35 catches. Senior WR Deryn Bowser follows with 307 yards and five touchdowns on 21 receptions.
TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA
Since 1928, Temple has played 21 contests on the 13th day of the month for a 12-8-1 record. However, the Owls have only played on Friday the 13th once before. Under head coach Glenn “Pop” Warner, the Owls claimed a 31-0 shutout of Haskell Institute on Oct. 13, 1933.
Temple and Akron met once before on the 13th. In 2007, the Owls rallied with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter for a 24-20 road win on Oct. 13.
FIRST SEASON IN NEW HOUSE
Akron is in the midst of its first season at its new home— InfoCision Stadium. The $61.6 million stadium has 30,000 seats, 17 suites, a state-of-the-art video board with scoreboard and sound system, and an endzone facility that houses the entire football program.
TEMPLE-AKRON CONNECTIONS
Temple has no players on its roster from the state of Ohio.
Akron has 17 players from Pennsylvania but none from Philadelphia. The only players from Southeastern Pennsylvania are junior OL Corey Woods (Reading, Pa. / Exeter Twp. HS) and r-junior DL?Antoine Jones (Thorndale, Pa. / Coatesville,?HS).
BROTHERLY LOVE
Temple freshman walk-on LB?Vince Tuzze (Mayfield, Pa.) may be looking forward to visiting Akron more than his teammates. His older brother Joe is the Zips' starting fullback.
TEMPLE-AKRON— THE SERIES
Tonight's game marks the 19th meeting between the Owls and the Zips since the squads' first meeting in 1967. In series action, Temple leads, 11-7.
Last fall during Senior Day at Lincoln Financial Field, seniors QB Adam DiMichele and FB Marcellous Grigsby scored two touchdowns apiece to lead Temple to a 27-6 win in the season finale. The victory gave the Owls five wins on the season (and four in MAC play).
During their first game as MAC opponents in 2007, QB Adam DiMichele threw for three fourth quarter touchdowns, the last a 19-yarder to WR Dy'Onne Crudup with 27 seconds to play, to lead Temple to a 24-20 come-from-behind win at the Rubber Bowl. It marked the first time the Owls posted consecutive wins since 2002 and the first consecutive victories in conference play in 40 years when the Cherry and White played in the old MAC (Middle Atlantic Conference). It was also the team's first road win since 2003, snapping a string of 24 straight road defeats.
In the teams' 1999 meeting, Akron scored 25 first-half points en route to a 25-15 win at the Rubber Bowl. ?Temple scored all 15 of its points in the fourth quarter. Marcus Godrey led the Owls on the ground with 16 carries for 67 yards. QB Mac Devito scored TU's first touchdown on a two-yard run. Devito closed out the stanza with a 43-yard toss to Sean Dillard for the second touchdown.
SERIES INFORMATION
Temple all-time vs. Akron: 11-7
Temple in games at Temple: 6-4
Temple in games at Akron: 5-3
First meeting in series: 1967 at Temple Stadium, W, 22-21
Last meeting in series: 2008 at Lincoln Financial Field, W 27-6
SERIES HIGHS
Temple Owls
Rushing: Todd McNair, 32-127, 2 TD (1987)
Passing: Adam DiMichele, 23-34-242, 3 TD (2007)
Receiving: Leslie Shepherd, 5-116, 0 TD?(1991)
Akron Zips
Rushing: Brandon Payne, 25-156, 2 TD?(1999)
Passing: Marcel Weems, 13-19-247, 0 TD (1993)
Receiving: Jeff Blakely, 3-133, 0 TD (1993)
Year Site Results TU Coach UA Coach
1967 Temple Stadium W, 22-21 George Makris Gordon Larson
1970 Temple Stadium L, 0-21 Wayne Hardin Gordon Larson
1973 Temple Stadium W, 47-33 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1975 Rubber Bowl L, 23-24 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1976 Rubber Bowl W, 23-13 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1978 Rubber Bowl W, 56-21 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1979 Veterans Stadium W, 42-6 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1980 Veterans Stadium W, 16-7 Wayne Hardin Jim Dennison
1987 Veterans Stadium W, 23-3 Bryce Arians Gerry Faust
1988 Rubber Bowl W, 37-17 Bruce Arians Gerry Faust
1991 Veterans Stadium L, 32-37 Jerry Berndt Gerry Faust
1992 Rubber Bowl L, 15-29 Jerry Berndt Gerry Faust
1993 Veterans Stadium L, 7-31 Ron Dickerson Gerry Faust
1994 Rubber Bowl W, 32-7 Ron Dickerson Gerry Faust
1998 Franklin Field L, 28-35 Bobby Wallace Lee Owens
1999 Rubber Bowl L, 15-25 Bobby Wallace Lee Owens
2007 Rubber Bowl W, 24-20 Al Golden J.D. Brookhart
2008 Lincoln?Financial Field W, 27-6 Al Golden J.D. Brookhart
HOOT TOOTS ... OWL NOTES & QUOTES
• Temple is 5-0 in the MAC for the first time since joining the conference in 2007.
• Temple has faced five teams with new head coaches [Eastern Michigan, Ball State, Army, Toledo, and Miami (OH)].
• Temple has won six consecutive MAC games at home at Lincoln Financial Field.
• Since joining the MAC in 2007, the Owls own the league's best home record for MAC games at 9-2.
• Five of Temple's 2009 opponents went on to postseason play last fall— Ball State [MAC Championship game & GMAC Bowl], Buffalo [MAC Championship game &?International Bowl], Navy [EagleBank Bowl], Penn State [Rose Bowl], and Villanova [NCAA quarterfinals].
• “I don't think you can ever get bored as a coach watching somebody compete as hard as he does. He's a special guy, and they love blocking for him, and he's a great team player.” — Al Golden on Bernard Pierce
UP NEXT
Temple returns to Lincoln Financial Field for its final home game on Nov. 21 with Kent State at 1 p.m. The Senior Class will be honored in a pregame ceremony.
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