Football Falls to Cincinnati, 14-6, Despite Impressive Defensive Effort

Saturday, November 29

Philadelphia, PA

12:00 p.m.

Temple University

Cincinnati

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Football Falls to Cincinnati, 14-6, Despite Impressive Defensive Effort

11.29.14 | Football

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Temple's defense held the American Athletic Conference's most potent offense to season lows for points and yards, but the Owls' offense could only muster two field goals in falling to Cincinnati, 14-6, Saturday in front of 21,255 fans at Lincoln Financial Field. The Bearcats (8-3, 5-1) posted their sixth straight win and fostered a three-way tie atop the conference standings. The Owls (5-6, 3-4) lost their third straight and will need to win at Tulane (Dec. 6) in their final regular season game to gain bowl eligibility.

The Owls defense held the Bearcats to 255, nearly 100 yards below their previous season low of 352 yards (in a 41-14 loss to Memphis) and over 200 yards below its season average of 473.8. Cincinnati also had a season low 14 first downs and tied a low with 14 points.

After neither team was able to mount much offense on their first two possessions, sophomore QB P.J. Walker connected with sophomore TE Colin Thompson for 39 yards down the left sideline to the Bearcat 11. The Owls had to settle for a 30-yard Austin Jones field goal when Walker's pass, slightly behind normally sure-handed senior WR Jalen Fitzpatrick could not be brought down on a third-and-11 play.

Temple's lead, however, would be brief. After the Owls' defense held Cincinnati to a three-and-out on its ensuing possession, Walker fumbled the ball while scrambling with junior CB Leviticus Payne recovering on the TU three yard-line. Junior WR Mekale McKay then hauled in a pass from sophomore QB Gunner Kiel in the end zone to give UC a 7-3 lead.

Walker, who completed 19 of 35 passes for 195 yards, quickly moved the ball into UC territory on the Owls next drive, hitting Fitzpatrick (16 yds), junior WR Brandon Shippen (17 yds) and redshirt sophomore WR Romond Deloatch (18 yds) on long first down plays. Senior LB Nick Temple (13 tackles) then sacked Walker twice over the next three plays, the last for a loss of 15 yards to force a punt.

Cincinnati showed a glimpse of its potent offense on its final drive of the half. Kiel, who entered play with 2,646 passing yards and a league-leading 27 touchdown passes, connected on five of six passes, the last for 20 yards to junior WR Shaq Washington to the Temple 20. Freshman RB Mike Boone then broke off a 14 yard run and followed that two plays later with a one-yard TD rush to make it 14-3.

Walker used his legs (12 rushes, 33 yds) to jumpstart the Owls' offense to start the second half. After the Temple defense forced a punt, Walker rushed for 26 yards on the first play to give the Owls a first down on the Temple 46. He followed that with a four-yard run on 4th-and-2 to keep the drive alive. Three plays later he picked up another first down on a seven yard rush, and then hit Jahad Thomas for an 11-yard first down on a screen play. But with the ball on the UC 17, the drive stalled and Temple had to settle for a 31-yard Jones field goal to cut the deficit to 14-6.

Forcing turnovers has been a specialty of this Temple team, and the Owls were able to do it again as redshirt junior DB Boye Aromire stripped the ball from junior WR Chris Moore on the kickoff and recovered the fumble at the Bearcat 18.

Again the Owls were unable to move the ball in the red zone. Senior RB Kenneth Harper (9 rushes, 40 yards) carried for three yards then Walker broke off a six-yard run before stumbling just short of a first down. He then overthrew Thompson in the end zone, bringing Jones out for another field goal attempt.

The freshman kicker missed wide right on the 27-yard attempt to keep it at 14-6.

Kiel connected with senior RB Rod Moore for a 31-yard pass play to the Temple 32 and the Bearcats, but Sharif Finch made the hit of the day to stop the drive. The sophomore defensive lineman sacked Kiel for a 17-yard loss to force a punt.

Harper, one of eight Temple seniors playing his final home game, broke a 22-yard run to the Owls 45 on the next possession, but that would prove to be the final first down for the Cherry and White.

Temple's defense came up big in the fourth quarter to keep the game within striking distance. Junior DL Matt Ioannidis stopped Washington for no gain on consecutive plays before Kiel's fourth-and-two pass fell incomplete.

On the Bearcats final possession junior DB Tavon Young was called for pass interference on a third-and-14 play, keeping the 11-play drive alive that ate up nearly seven minutes. When UC finally punted, the Owls had 14 seconds remaining and were unable to pull off a miracle play.

Freshman DB Sean Chandler and redshirt sophomore LB Avery Williams led the Temple defense with seven tackles each. Fitzpatrick had a game-high nine catches for 77 yards.

Kiel was held well below his normal numbers, completing just 19 of 31 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown.

Temple now travels to Tulane for a 7:30 p.m. game on ESPN2 (97.5 The Fanatic).

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