Football Outpaces Tulsa, 43-22, to Lock Up Bowl Bid

Saturday, November 25

Tulsa, OK

4:00 p.m.

Temple University

6-6 , 4-4

Tulsa

2-10 , 1-7

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Temple

Tulsa

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Football Outpaces Tulsa, 43-22, to Lock Up Bowl Bid

11.25.17 | Football

Box Score PDF Box Score Photo Gallery - Game Action Video Highlights Coach Collins Post-Tulsa Press Conference Frank Nutile Post-Tulsa Press Conference Keith Kirkwood Post-Tulsa Press Conference Jacob Martin Post-Tulsa Press Conference Cole Boozer Post-Tulsa Press Conference

TULSA, Okla. - With Bowl eligibility on the line and facing an underrated Tulsa squad in hostile territory, Temple put together a signature performance across all three facets of the game, weathering the Golden Hurricane in a 43-22 victory. Following an abnormally quiet game last week against unbeaten UCF, the Owls' offense returned to its usual potency behind the efforts of QB Frank Nutile and his receiving corps, dialing up 262 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air (not to mention two long receptions to inside the Tulsa five-yard line, setting up a pair of rushing touchdowns).

Keys to the Game

> After shutting down the Temple offense to open the game, Tulsa took over deep in its own territory. The Golden Hurricane proceeded to drive the field behind a combination of power rushing and pinpoint passing, concluding the possession with a 35-yard pass over the top for the game's opening touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

> The Owls' offense responded on their ensuing possession, putting together a nine-play, 52-yard drive to set up K Aaron Boumerhi for a 39-yard field goal, cutting the Tulsa advantage down to 7-3.

> After exchanging punts, the Temple offense went to work again, this time driving 90 yards via a slew of big plays that culminated with Nutile connecting with WR Adonis Jennings for a 28-yard TD, granting the Owls their first lead of the day, 10-7.

> Following another stop from the Temple defense, Nutile and company were able to quickly take advantage, compiling their second straight scoring drive of the day. Two plays after the redshirt junior signal-caller dropped a gem into WR Keith Kirkwood up the left sideline to set up the Owls in the red zone, junior RB Ryquell Armstead outpaced nearly the entire Tulsa defense as he sprinted the width of the field for Temple's second touchdown and a 17-7 edge.

> The Golden Hurricane found a spark on offense during its ensuing drive, pushing down inside the the Owls' red zone. After a few close calls, Temple forced Tulsa to settle for a field goal, closing the scoring gap down to just one possession in the former's favor, 17-10.

> The Owls refused to allow Tulsa to threaten their first half lead, compiling a third-consecutive touchdown possession highlighted, once again, by a Nutile-to-Jennings pass. This time around, the redshirt junior wideout caught a 65-yarder down to the one-yard line, allowing RB David Hood to punch it in for the TD the following play.

> Tulsa was able to put together a second consecutive scoring drive, kicking a 47-yard field goal to pull within 11 of the Owls, 24-13.

> After forcing a Temple punt with just over a minute remaining in the first half, the Golden Hurricane were looking to close the gap before heading into halftime. The Owls' defense had other plans, though, as redshirt junior DB Derrek Thomas intercepted a pass and ran the ball back 83 yards to the Tulsa two-yard line. Nutile and the offense only needed one play to cover the last two yards, as the redshirt junior QB found Kirkwood wide open for the score and a commanding 31-13 halftime advantage.

> Aided by a pair of 15-yard personal fouls, the Tulsa offense opened the second half with a touchdown drive, capping the possession with a 14-yard rush into the end zone and slicing the deficit down to a 31-20 margin.

> Following the Owls' defense holding the Golden Hurricane, WR Isaiah Wright saw fit to expand on his already impressive resume, notching a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown to safely secure Temple's lead, 37-20.

> The fourth quarter proved scoreless until, with just over three minutes remaining, Nutile found Kirkwood for the pair's second touchdown of the day, this time a short six-yard catch to the end zone's front right pylon. On the ensuing PAT, though, Tulsa would put up the final points of the game, blocking the attempt and returning it the length of the field for two points.

Game Notes

> Redshirt freshman Keyvone Bruton made his first-ever appearance as an Owl, checking in for the opening kickoff return.

> The Nutile-to-Jennings relationship continued to flourish on the road, as the duo racked up 89 yards with one touchdown on the day. Since the redshirt junior signal-caller took over under center Week 8 against Army, the two have compiled 382 yards with five scores, best on the team during that span. Interestingly enough, the lone TD from the pair came from 28 yards out, the first time this season Jennings caught a touchdown pass less than 34 yards.

> On the day, Nutile consistently found his receivers for big gains, as Jennings pulled down a 65-yarder and Kirkwood brought in one for 51 yards. Although each possession would eventually end in a rushing score, the two receptions serve as Temple's longest pass plays not for touchdowns.

> The Owls notched 31 first half points against the Golden Hurricane, surpassing the 30-point mark for just the fourth time this season. In the previous three contests (ECU, Navy & Cincinnati), Temple finished the game with 34, 34 & 35, respectively, and topped all those just two possessions into the third quarter versus Tulsa as Wright returned a punt 72 yards for a TD.

> Sophomore LB Shaun Bradley played a major role for the Temple defense against the Golden Hurricane, racking up a career-high 13 tackles in the matchup.

> Wright's third quarter punt return for a touchdown marks the first of its kind for Temple since 2014, when Khalif Herbin did the same against Delaware State. Further, Wright has now managed to score points in five different ways this season: receiving, rushing, passing (two-point conversion), kickoff return & punt return.

> With less than a minute to go in the victory, safety Sean Chandler grabbed the final regular season pick of his four-year career, sliding the senior starter up into a tie for eighth all time in career interceptions (9).

Up Next

With the win, the Owls secured Bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season and seventh time in the past nine years, and will learn their bowl destination December 3rd following Conference Championship Weekend.