By John McMullen
Philadelphia, Pa. (The Phan) - You have to give Al Golden credit. He doesn't back away from a challenge.
Just taking over the beleaguered Temple program was a roll of the dice. TU is a basketball school that hasn't been "bowling" in three decades, and rarely puts more than 25,000 people into the cavernous Lincoln Financial Field.
Slowly but surely, Golden is turning the Owls around. Last year the team won five games, its most since 1990, but should have won at least two more.
Learning to win is the last lesson Golden needs to teach his senior-laden club and it looks like its going to be the most difficult.
A rather easy MAC schedule featuring Buffalo and Ball State at home and no Central or Western Michigan has many, including Sports Illustrated, thinking about a MAC Title and bowl bid for the Owls. But, a loss to a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) team, even a successful one like Villanova, quickly dampened any enthusiasm.
Wildcats strong safety John Dempsey forced a fumble with under six minutes to go that led to the tying touchdown, and followed that with a interception with under a minute left that set up Nick Yako's game-winning 32-yard field goal as Villanova stunned Temple, 27-24, in the inaugural Mayor’s Cup game before 27,759 at the Linc.
Five turnovers and the inability to contain Wildcats quarterback Chris Whitney down the stretch proved to be the Owls' undoing.
"The bottom line is we turned the ball over five times," Golden said. "That's where it begins and ends."
Generally, the difference between FBS and FCS teams is depth but it was the Villanova defense that came up with the big plays and the Temple "D" that wilted.
With his team holding a 24-17 edge, Owls quarterback Vaughn Charlton found Jason Harper on a dig route to put the ball in Wildcats territory. Dempsey followed with his first big play, however, forcing a Kee-ayre Griffin fumble with 5:53 remaining.
Whitney did a brilliant job from there, keeping play after play alive as the gassed Owls defense chased him to no avail. A marathon like 12-play drive ended with a six-yard TD pass to Brandyn Harvey over the middle and the game was even at 24 with 1:35 on the clock.
On the ensuing Temple drive, Charlton didn't see Dempsey in zone coverage and threw the ball right to the junior. Dempsey had nothing but green in front of him but tripped at the Villanova 46.
The Owls couldn't take advantage of the big break and force overtime as Whitney calmly led the Wildcats into field goal position and Yako was perfect from 32 yards out as time expired.
"Every kicker dreams of getting that game-winning field goal," said Yako, a redshirt freshman. "It was reality tonight."
Whitney finished 24-of-35 for 278 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The dual-threat also added 33 yards on the ground for Villanova. Harvey had nice receptions for 142 yards and a score while jack of all trades Matt Szczur has 155 all-purpose yards.
"Obviously, our game plan was about what you saw," Villanova coach Andy Talley said. "We hoped we could get Temple into the fourth quarter... keep it close."
Charlton was 19-of-28 for 317 yards and two TDs but had three interceptions and could have easily had a couple more. Griffin added 70 yards rushing but also had a big turnover.
Charlton was tentative early on but the Temple defense, especially the front seven, overmatched Villanova and kept things scoreless deep into the second quarter.
The Owls defense finally kick-started things in the second quarter when free safety Jaiquawn Jarrett recovered a Harvey fumble at the Owls' 38. Back-to-back impressive runs by Griffin and Bernard Pierce quickly got Temple into field goal position and freshman Brandon McManus put the Owls on the scoreboard by booting a 25-yard field goal with 4:39 left until halftime.
Villanova answered with its most impressive drive of the first half and were deep in Owls territory when a 4th-and-1 option was stuffed. Sensing a momentum shift, Golden went for the kill on the next play and had Charlton go over the top to a wide-open James Nixon for 75-yard TD and a 10-0 Temple edge.
The Owls had a chance to take control early in the second half. Joe Jones took a quick hitch pass from Charlton 28 yards on the opening play of the third but two plays later, Lamar McPherson coughed the football up and Villanova free safety Ross Ventrone, who had an interception earlier, was Johnny on the spot, scooping up the fumble and racing 59 yards for a TD to make it a 10-7 game.
An ugly Charlton interception woke up the 'Nova sidelines even more but Whitney and Company still couldn't do anything with the Temple defense, which recorded consecutive sacks to stem the tide.
Charlton settled down on the ensuing possession and led an impressive nine-play, 52-yard drive capped by a 1-yard Griffin TD run to give the Owls a 17-7 cushion with 3:21 left in the third quarter.
Just when you thought Villanova was done, Whitney responded by leading an impressive seven-play, 75-yard march, culminating in a five-yard TD toss to Tony Canci with 22 seconds remaining until the fourth.
It was Temple's turn to respond from there as things heated up. Griffin took the ensuing kickoff back 54-yards before Charlton found Michael Campbell for a 44-yard TD less than a minute into the final frame. It was a questionable throw but Campbell raised up over a pair of 'Nova defenders to make a spectacular catch and extend the Owls lead to 24-14.
A shaky 27-yard Yako field goal made it a one-possession game, 24-17, with 10 minutes left.
OWL DROPPINGS:
*This was the 30th meeting between the Owls and the Wildcats since 1908, renewing a 101-year old cross-town rivalry after a six-year hiatus. The Wildcats now hold a 16-12-2 series advantage.
*This was the first in a series of four Mayor’s Cup games. The two teams are also slated to play again in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
*Scouts from the Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints were on hand.
*Only two programs have gone longer than Temple without making it to a bowl: New Mexico, which hasn't been to one since 1960, and Kent State (1972).
*Mayor Michael Nutter and comedian Bill Cosby (Temple ‘61) participated in the coin toss. Nutter also presented the Mayor’s Cup trophy to Villanova following the contest.
*Villanova is 3-11 vs. FCS teams since restoring football but is 2-0 vs. Temple.
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