"Just the Facts" Machine

News & Notes Following Temple's 49-10 win vs. Tulane

Temple has now opened the season with a 5-0 record. That is the longest winning streak in the two-and-a-half seasons under head coach Matt Rhule and is the first 5-0 start since 1974 (41 years) when the Owls started 6-0 en route to a 8-2 record.

Temple has started the season with a 5-0 record for just the seventh time (1928, '35, '41, '45, '66, '74) … three times it was extended to 6-0 (1935, '45, and '74) … Temple has yet to start a season 7-0.

The 49 points and 39-point margin of victory were the best for a Temple homecoming game since that stat was kept (since 1989).
After three straight road games, Temple began a string of three of the next four games at Lincoln Financial Field. Interestingly, the Owls are in the middle of a 46 day stretch where they play five games, three at home, with just two road games – both in the state of North Carolina.

Since being held without points in the season's opening quarter vs. Penn State, Temple has scored points in each of the following 19 quarters this season. Its most productive quarter has been right after halftime with a 75-6 advantage in the third quarter.

Conversely, the Temple defense posted its third second half shutout of the season. Temple hasn't allowed a second half point in back-to-back game and none in either game at home.

The defense held Tulane to just 2 of 15 on third down. This season the Owls have held opponents to just 24.7 on 3^rd down conversions which leads the conference and ranks 6^th in the NCAA.

The defense also continues to rank among the best in interceptions. Overall Temple's nine INTs rank first in the conference and 12^th in the NCAA. Yesterday against Tulane they added two in the 3^rd quarter – sophomore DB Sean Chandler recorded his first career TD after returning an INT 22 yards for a score. It was his second career INT – both against Tulane. Redshirt-junior LB Avery Williams recorded his first career INT on the following series.

Senior linebacker Tyler Matkevich led the Owls in tackles (7) for the fifth game this season. He is the only FBS player to lead his team in every game this season. He now has 44 tackles this season and 399 in his career. He needs 30 more to tie Lance Johnstone (429) for second in the TU record books.

Temple added four sacks to its totals and now rank second in the conference and 10^th in the nation. DE Nate D. Smith and DT Matt Ioannidis collected 1.5 each and DE Praise Martin-Oguike added another.

The Owls are equally adept at stopping the run this season holding opponents to just 97.2 yards a game – 2^nd in the conference and 10^th in the nation. Yesterday they held the Green Wave to just eight rushing yards.

That stout defense has resulted in the Owls ranking 1st in the conference in scoring defense and 13^th in the nation with just 14.4 points per game. That's an improvement of over three points per game from a year ago when Temple was 4^th best in the NCAA after allowing 17.5 points per game.

Junior QB P.J. Walker was 11 of 15 for 183 yards and two TDs. He is now tied with Adam DiMichele for second on the Owls all-time list with 40 TD passes (9 behind all-time leader Henry Burris). He is also just 55 yards shy of tying Lee Saltz for third all-time with 5,371 passing yards.

True freshman RB Ryquell Armstead got his first career start and the first two scores of his career.

RB Jahad Thomas led the Owls with 54 rushing yards and scored one rushing TD and one receiving TD. As such, he was the first Owl to score at least one TD on the ground and through the air since Kenneth Harper did so vs. Delaware State on 9/20/14.

WR Robby Anderson was 4-73-1 TD receiving and is now 7-108-3TDs in the past two games.

Two redshirt freshmen seeing playing time in the lopsided game were able to tally career-firsts. QB Frank Nutile threw his first career TD pass to RB David Hood who gathered in his first career TD.

"Just the Facts" Machine

Players Mentioned

Robby Anderson

Ryquell Armstead

Sean Chandler

Kenneth Harper

David Hood

Matt Ioannidis

Praise Martin-Oguike

Frank Nutile

Nate D. Smith

Jahad Thomas

Phillip Walker

Avery Williams

Temple University Athletics