Temple beats Tulane to end season; bowl berth uncertain

New Orleans, LA -- Things came right down to the wire, but there's a measure of redemption for Matt Rhule.

PJ Walker threw for 255 yards and the only touchdown of the night as the Temple Owls slipped by the Tulane Green Wave, 10-3, in American Athletic Conference action at Yulman Stadium.

Walker converted 20-of-38 passes and was intercepted once, adding a game-high 76 yards on 16 rushing attempts as well for the Owls (6-6, 4-4 AAC) as they snapped a three-game slide in order to become bowl eligible a season after winning a total of just two games.

Tulane (3-9, 2-6) saw quarterbacks Tanner Lee and Nick Montana combine to convert 19-of-40 passes for 151 yards, the latter also tossing an interception in the meeting. Lazedrick Thompson carried the ball 11 times for 63 yards on the ground.

Late in the first quarter the Green Wave finally broke through on the scoreboard as Andrew DiRocco knocked through a 28-yard field goal to give the hosts a lead.

Temple knotted the score when kicked Austin Jones converted a 37-yard field goal with under three minutes remaining in the first half.

Following a scoreless third quarter, the only touchdown of the night came in the fourth when Walker floated a pass into the left corner of the end zone and Romond Deloatch managed to land in bounds for the eight-yard score.

The Owls are now bowl eligible for the fourth time in the last six seasons. 

There still remains a question of whether or not they will be selected even in a bowl season more crowded than ever. Temple, under Al Golden, finished 8-4 in 2010 but was left completely out of the bowl picture one season removed from a loss to UCLA in the EagleBank Bowl and one season before beating Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl.