Defending an accomplished dual-threat quarterback has been Temple’s kryptonite all season, and the latest dose was served up by a 5-foot-11, 185-pound dynamo from Houston.
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Greg Ward, Jr. ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns to secure Houston’s spot as the Group of Five representative and earn the Cougars a trip to either the Peach Bowl or Fiesta Bowl. Farrow (high ankle sprain) has 949 yards and 12 TDs while Demarcus Ayers leads the strong receiving corps with 89 catches, 1,140 yards and six TDs.
Ward’s second touchdown came on a 10-yard run that made it 24-3 with less than seven minutes left in the third quarter.
With his performance today, Ward became the first quarterback in Houston history to rush for 1,000 yards (1,041), and that was with him essentially missing the UConn game due to injury.
Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer shredded the Owls for 299 passing yards and a touchdown with 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and USF’s Quinton Flowers torched them for 230 yards and two touchdowns through the air with 90 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Ward headed to the sidelines holding his right ribs but returned for the Cougars’ next series.
The Owls responded with a 10-play, 77-yard drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Walker to Anderson with 2:26 left in the third quarter. The Owls have not allowed a touchdown in their past two games after giving up 104 points in their previous two contests.
The Cougars converted the first one for their initial score.
Tyus Bowser intercepted Walker on Temple’s first possession when he launched the ball under heavy pressure from Elandon Roberts. Walker’s pass was incomplete to sophomore wide receiver Adonis Jennings, and the Cougars took over on their own 38-yard line. Webb carried the ball the last three times on the drive and scored from the 1 with 10:05 left in the opening quarter. To nobody’s surprise, Ward was named the game’s most outstanding player.
A 39-yard field goal by Austin Jones made it 24-13 early in the fourth.
NOTES: Owls senior LB Tyler Matakevich, the AAC Defensive Player of the Year, had eight tackles to raise his season count to 126…. Houston, which may be without running back Kenneth Farrow for the second straight week, averaged 44.9 points during its 7-0 record at home.
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After the game, head coach Tom Herman talked about the win and how his team played. Temple remains without a conference title…. However, a few members of the event staff at TDECU Stadium in Houston appeared to feel that such boisterous actions needed to be deterred, and the result was some violent confrontations, even as the majority of fans streamed by.
