The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Football Falls to Temple
November 14 | Football
AKRON - Akron took advantage of two early turnovers to gain an early 17-7 lead, but Temple scored 49 unanswered to win its eighth straight of the season, defeating the Zips 56-17 Friday night at InfoCision Stadium.
Temple (8-2, 6-0) jumped out to an early lead off the opening kickoff. After a first down, Chester Stewart hit Michael Campbell on a deep pass down the middle of the field which resulted in a 63-yard touchdown, the longest pass play the Zips have surrendered this season.
Akron answered right back to tie the game at 7-7 with a seven-play, 78-yard drive. Andre Jones accounted for 36 yards, including an 11-yard reception, an 18-yard rush and a nine-yard touchdown catch from Patrick Nicely.
On the ensuing drive, Manley Waller picked off Temple's Stewart for Waller's third interception of the season. The UA drive stalled, but Branko Rogovic split the uprights from 45 yards out for a 10-7 UA advantage. The kick was the longest of the season for the Zips and the longest since Igor Iveljic's 49-yarder versus Buffalo last season (a span of 11 games).
On the following drive, Akron came with another turnover. Temple center John Palumbo prematurely snapped the ball on the Owl 26 and Akron linebacker
Sean Fobbs corralled the loose ball in the endzone for the score and a 17-7 lead. The score was the first of Fobbs' career and the first UA fumble recovery for a score since Jones' 64-yard return versus Central Michigan on Nov. 23, 2007.
Temple got back on track, apparently scoring on a 62-yard run by Jason Harper. However, a personal foul during the run brought the ball back to midfield. Undaunted, Temple took advantage of an Akron penalty and later got an impressive 22-yard touchdown run from James Nixon, cutting the Zips' lead to three, 17-14.
The Owls regained the lead, 21-17, midway through the second quarter (6:15 mark) on a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown by Delano Green. Prior to the break, Bernard Pierce broke off a 45-yard run and, two plays later, Stewart kept the ball on an option and scored from seven yards out for a 28-17 lead. On the Zips first play from scrimmage after the TU score, Nicely was intercepted by Wilbert Brinson, who returned the ball to the UA five. After a Zips' penalty, Pierce scored from two yards out and the point after put Temple up 35-17.
Temple kept the pressure on to start the third. After forcing an Akron punt, the Owls went up 42-17 after a 24-yard Stewart to Joe Jones screen pass for a score. The Owls pushed their advantage to 49-17 after a one-yard Stewart run as the fourth quarter began. After an Akron fumble, the Owls only needed five plays to cover 26 yards, the final five from Mat Brown, to make the score 56-17.
Pierce finished with 97 yards on 19 attempts, while Campbell had three catches for 97 yards. For the Zips, Jones caught five passes for 41 yards.
Akron will return to action next Friday, also on ESPNU, when it travels to Bowling Green for a 5:30 contest.
