The Phanatic Magazine is live at the Linc as Temple tries for revenge against UConn in the shadow of Tropical Storm Hanna. The Owls should have won last year's game if a certain official that shall remain nameless showed some Mick Foley-like testicular fortitude.
11:15: It's humid but no rain yet. It's a shame they can't kick these things off early...Both teams are 1-0 and Temple leads 7-3 all-time in the all-time series and is a perfect 4-0 in Philly....ESPNU is here and former Miami coach Larry Coker is doing the color...
Temple captains are QB Adam DiMichele and WR Bruce Francis on offense. DT Terrance Knightnon is the defensive captain, while WR Travis Shelton has special teams honors for the day...
UConn is rated 37th in the country by the Associated Press so this is a big test for Al Golden and Company...
11:35 - Sparse crowd as you can imagine... I realize Hanna is here but it's a shame Philadelphia does not support college football. Golden has this team going in the right direction and they should be able to challenge in the MAC by next year.
On the plus side, at least for the guys...The Temple ladies are out in force and looking spectacular. Things have changed since I went to college...
11:40 - Fourteen of Temple's 22 starters are underclassmen, including 10 on defense. The only senior to start on defense is CB Evan Cooper.
11:44 - By the way, the Eagles are hosting the Rams here tomorrow so expect a a terrible track. As my favorite degenerate gambler Andy C. says "Bet the under."
11:47 - Pre-game Phanatic plugfest: check out McMullen and Gottlieb on WTBQ Radio; McMullen on the Team 990, listen to the Steve Lienert podcast and read his Eagles stuff at philadelphiaeagles.com and buy Jared Trexler's new Penn State book...
Why?...Why not
Also check out former-Phanatics Tim McManus and Tom Byrne on ESPN950.
11:53 - Cloudy and 78 with seven MPH winds just before kickoff...91 percent humidity, however. It's even sticky in the air-conditioned press box...Lee Corso's upset alert today...you guessed it, Temple over UConn
11:59 - I'm guessing 10,000 in the stadium before kickoff for a revenge game. I realize this is a four-sport professional city but that's embarrassing. When it comes to college football, Philly is no different than Miami or Tampa in a pennant race.
Any rich people out there want to build Temple a 35,000 seat stadium in the middle of North Philly?
12:02 - Temple wins the toss and wants to receive...Time for DiMichele...By the way, DiMichele is the Dustin Pedroia of college football. There is no way he should be any good but he is.
12:04 - Rain is here...it never fails
12:06 - First big play...DiMichele fakes a handoff inside and scurries for 19 yards. On next play, DiMichele hits James Nixon for 46 yards...Should have been a TD but Adam underthrew it...
12:09 - Temple should have had seven but DiMichele misfired on two consecutive passes...Owls settle for a Jake Brownell 22-yard field goal.
12:14 - UConn is led by Tyler Lorenzen, brother of former UK hefty lefty and NFL washout Jared Lorenzen.
12:16 - Owls come up big on defense -- Linebacker John Haley intercepts a deflected pass at Temple 28-yard-line.
12:19 - Temple in the hurry-up...Big pass from DiMichele to Francis negated by sack on the next play. Owls on to punt after draw on 3rd-and-20.
12:22 - Touchback and UConn will start at the 20. DiMichele looks wild high early.
12:23 - Steady rain now. May start to see some fumbling.
12:26 - UConn has settled down and is pounding the Owls with the ground game...
12:30 - Big 3rd-and-1 from Temple 13...UConn converts with power run by Donald Brown...
12:31 - Lorenzen was going in for TD on QB draw when he fumbled just before the goal line. Translation. I am psychic...DB Dominique Harris with the recovery in the end zone...play will be reviewed
12:33 - Clear fumble. Temple ball...fumble was forced by MLB Alex Joseph.
12:40 - End of the first quarter....Temple 3, UConn 0
FIRST QUARTER NUMBERS: DiMichele 4-of-7 for 70 yards plus 15 more on the ground...UConn had 96 yards rushing to just 33 for Temple.
12:58 - UConn is just killing the Owls on the ground. This is going to add up by the fourth quarter.
1:00 - Lorenzen had Michael Smith wide open in the end zone and threw a knuckle ball. Why the Huskies just didn't keep pounding the ball is beyond me...Amara Kamara kills the drive with a sack and Tony Ciaravino comes up empty from 34 yards out...Thank you Hanna...
1:02 - UConn is dominating this game since the opening drive but Temple still leads 3-0.
1:05 - DiMichele throws a strike to Shelton over the middle but Travis bobbled the ball and Lawrence Wilson was there to pick it off...
1:08 - Huskies were smart this time and kept it on the ground. But, the Temple D responded with a three-and-out and Ciaravino missed from 44 yards out, hitting the left upright...It's better to be lucky than good.
1:12 - The Owls finally got something going offensively again thanks to a 40-plus yard pass to tight end Steve Maneri on a wheel route and Brownell cashes in with a 41-yard field goal. Temple 6, UConn 0
1:19 - Another int. off a deflection by UConn. This time, it was DiMichele's fault. He tried to force the ball to Maneri in coverage. The rain is really coming down now...
1:23 - The Huskies game plan is flawed...Lorenzen can't throw in this weather.
1:26 - Halftime...Temple 6, UConn 0
HALFTIME STATS: DiMichels is 5-of-14 for 114 yards with another 24 on the ground. Meanwhile, Brown has 114 yards rushing for UConn while Lorenzen has another 59 but is just 6-of-11 passing for 37 yards...Hanna is now pounding the Linc so the Huskies should keep the ball on the ground.
1:41 - Sheets of rain coming down there but the wind still isn't all that bad...
1:48 - Second half is underway and we shall see if Huskies' coach Randy Edsall found some common sense in the locker room...
1:51 - Looks like the Wizard was in the UConn locker room during halftime dispensing some brains...Edsall didn't throw the ball until he had too on 3rd-and-10. Problem is, Temple knows they can't chuck it now...
1:55 - The rain is Biblical now as the Owls get their first chance in the second half. It's going to be difficult since they have shown no sign of a running game...
1:59 - Rain has let up a bit but Marquise Liverpool can't convert a 3rd-and-1 off tackle.
2:06 - Brown is killing the Owls now...Play action may work, even with Lorenzen...
2:08 - 3rd-and-3 at the Temple 44, UConn converts with the QB draw...The Huskies are one-dimensional but the Owls defense is wearing down...
2:13 - Owls rise up and force a 3rd-and-long. Lorenzen had an open receiver but threw behind him. UConn is clearly more talented but Temple has the better QB, kicker and head coach...
2:16 - Personal foul backs the Owls up...No chance on this possession...
2:17 - 3rd-and-a-million and DiMichele finds a wide open Shelton behind the defense for.....a drop....It's not Travis' day...that could be a killer...Owls have to punt from deep in their own end...
2:20 - End of third quarter, Temple 6, UConn 0
2:21 - Temple cheerleaders in the pouring rain...Could be worse
THIRD QUARTER NUMBERS - Brown up to 170 yards rushing
2:26 - Joseph was down for a moment but left under his own power. Huskies are now at the Temple 22.
2:29 - Winds are really picking up...Hanna may like the Cherry and White...Lorenzen looks clueless and almost throws another pick on an ugly shovel pass...Time for a Ciaravino hat trick?
2:31 - Nope, it's good from 36, Owls 6, Huskies 3 with 13:18 left...
2:33 - Temple must find a way to run it in this weather...Decent kick return by Shelton has the Owls starting at the 33.
2:36 - Offensive pass interference on Dy'Onne Crudup kills a Temple drive...That's not what a tired defense needed...
2:37 - Big time punt by Jeff Wathne in bad weather...At least Brown has a long field.
2:39 - Temple is obviously keying on Brown, forcing a Lorenzen pass on 3rd-and-long that could have been picked...
2:45 - Owls go three-and-out and Jasper Howard takes back punt 31 yards...
2:46 - Break in the weather should help UConn but Lorenzen looks gun shy...I grabbed a cup of coffee while a cross-field pass of his was in the air...Still, the Temple D is falling apart..
2:50 - 3rd-and-13 from the Owls 17...Stop me if you have heard this...Terrible pass by Lorenzen...37-yarder by Ciaravino evens things at 6-6 with 6:35 left...UConn 265 to 117 on the ground
2:52 - Hanna had really let up to give DiMichele a chance...Another penalty will have Temple starting at the 13...
2:55 - It's up to DiMichele...Liverpool can't gain a yard on two opportunities to convert a first down...Uh oh, Lamar McPherson on 4th-and-1 at the Temple 34...He's stoned....Owls just can't run the ball...Officials are reviewing the spot.
3:00 - Play stands...UConn takes over...terrible decision by Golden may cost the Owls the game...
3:02 - Owls D stands up....47-yard field goal or the Huskies will have to go on 4th-and-5...2:38 left
3:04 - wide left for Ciaravino
3:06 - DiMichele has 2:33 to win it...Rain has nearly stopped and Temple is running the ball?
3:07 - Adam just channeled Fran Tarkenton to convert a third down. Amazing scramble...
3:09 - 39 ticks left...3rd-and-8 from the 45 comes up empty...We should be looking at OT
3:10 - Great punt by Wathne secures OT...The Owls are lucky they are in the extra period. Ciaravino missed three field goals and Lorenzen has been awful...
3:12 - UConn won the toss and had decided to play D...Golden should try to get DiMichele on the edge where he can use his arm or legs...
3:13 - WR screen to Shelton down to three but Crudup called for holding...Ball all the way back on the 19.
3:17 - Late hit on UConn saves the Temple drive...
3:19 - 3rd-and-6 and DiMichele to Crudup comes up two yards short...Brownell boots the 21-yarder...The Temple D must keep the Huskies out of the end zone
3:21 - All Brown all the time...The Owls are about done...Three straight runs and its over...
3:22 - Tough loss for Temple...It was pretty obvious UConn wasn't about to let Lorenzen do anything but the Owls still couldn't stop Brown, who passed the 200-yard mark on the ground -- a career-high.
Don't expect this one on ESPN Classic anytime soon and that's not surprising because of the weather. What's disappointing is Temple had plenty of chances but couldn't make the big play. This is a team still learning how to win but at the end of the day, anytime the opposing quarterback is as bad as Lorenzen was today, you have to find a way.
I complimented Golden in the second quarter but I clearly jumped the gun. Too many penalties show a lack of discipline and there were some strange coaching decisions in the fourth quarter that spelled the difference.
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