"Just the Facts" Machine

News & Notes Following Temple's 37-3 win at Charlotte

Temple has now opened the season with a 4-0 record. That is the longest winning streak in the two-and-a-half seasons under head coach Matt Rhule and is the first 4-0 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 4-0 record for just the twelfth time (1926, '28, '30, '32, '35, '36, '41, '45, '64, '66, '74 and 2015) … on six occasions they extended it to 5-0 (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.

Temple won back-to-back-to back road games for the first time in school history.

In those three road game, Temple trailed for a total of 6 minutes and 55 seconds and held a lead for 124:52 of a possible 180:00 minutes.

After three straight road games, Temple will host 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.

Temple entered the game with the unimpressive distinction of being last in the FBS with 31 offensive plays resulting in tackles for loss. Charlotte's defense was among the NCAA leaders in TFLs. The 49ers managed just three TFLs and no sacks. Part of the credit must go to senior center Kyle Friend who was tasked to go against NT Larry Ogunjobi. Ogunjobi entered the game with a team-leading 25 tackles including 7.5 TFLs. Friend held Ogunjobi in check limiting the outstanding defender to just one tackle before Temple's final TD drive in the 4^th quarter.

Junior QB P.J. Walker moved into fourth place on the Temple all-time passing yards list following his first completion of the night. He finished with 116 yards giving him 5,133 for his career. The moves him past Adam DiMichele (5,024) and leaves him just 238 from Lee Saltz (5,371) for third place in the TU record books. Walker added two touchdown passes giving him 38 for his career. He needs two more to tie DiMichele for second in the school record books.

Senior linebacker Tyler Matkevich led the Owls in tackles (8) for the fourth game this season. He now has 37 for the season and 392 in his career. He passed Al Singleton (390) and Taylor Suman (389) to move into third on the Temple all-time list. He needs 37 more to tie Lance Johnstone (429) for second in the TU record books.

Late in the third quarter, junior LB Sharif Finch blocked a punt that redshirt-junior DB Nate L. Smith picked up and returned 16 yards for a touchdown to make the score 30-3. It was the Owls second special teams TD of the season – they also scored two points on a blocked PAT. It was also Temple's sixth block punt in the last 17 games and fifth returned for a TD in that same span.

Two possessions later, Smith intercepted Lee McNeill at the goal line and returned it 74 yards to set up the Owls final score of the game.

Junior RB Jahad Thomas capped off his night early playing just one series into the second half. His final carry, a 1-yard TD, gave Temple a 17-3 lead. He watched the rest of the game from the sidelines finishing with 20 carries, 109 yards and two TDs and was the team's leading receiver as well with 3 catches for 48 yards. He has now scored at least one rushing TD in every game and has eclipsed the 100-yard plateau in three of the four games this season. Incidentally, Thomas' counterpart, 49ers' RB Kalif Phillips also led his team in rushing and receiving yards (125 & 41).

Entering the game Jahad Thomas had 14 of the 15 Temple runs of 10+ yards this season with QB P.J. Walker having the only other "big run." However, while Thomas added four more such runs, three other Owls joined the club – Ryquell Armstead (12 and 10), David Hood (10), and Brandon Shippen (20).

Making their college football debuts in the win were the following players: QB Frank Nutile, LB Todd Jones, TE Chris Myarick, OL Gordon Thomas, OL Jaelin Robinson and WR Marshall Ellick.

Redshirt senior WR Robby Anderson made just three catches for 35 yards but two resulted in touchdowns. He now has four multiple TD games ion his resume – the last one was in the 2013 season finale at Memphis.

Since taking the lead in the third quarter vs. Penn State, the Owls have trailed for less than 7 minutes this season in the following three-and-a-half games. Overall, Temple has had a lead for 140:52 of the 240 minutes played this season.

Since being held without points in the season's opening quarter vs. Penn State, Temple has scored points in each of the following 15 quarters this season. It's most productive quarter has been right after halftime with a 54-6 advantage in the third quarter. Those totals were boosted by a 21 point 3^rd quarter spree at Cincinnati and 20 in the 3^rd period at Charlotte.

"Just the Facts" Machine

Players Mentioned

Robby Anderson

Ryquell Armstead

Marshall Ellick

Sharif Finch

Kyle Friend

David Hood

Todd Jones

Chris Myarick

Frank Nutile

Jaelin Robinson

Brandon Shippen

Nate L. Smith

Gordon Thomas

Jahad Thomas

Phillip Walker

Temple University Athletics