Annapolis, Md– If Temple wants to have any type of success in bowl games maybe they want to consider not playing games against Atlantic Coast Conference teams in future contests.
The Owls lost a bowl game to an ACC team again, this one a 55-13 to North Carolina in the Military Bowl before 24,242 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. UNC set a Military Bowl record for points scored.
For the third time in four years, Temple (8-5) lost a bowl game to an ACC team, this one a 55-13 defeat to North Carolina in the Military Bowl before 24,242 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Tar Heels (7-6) set a Military Bowl record for points.
Temple is now 3-6 all-time in bowls, and the ACC is responsible for half of their losses.
“It’s a hard one to swallow because I don’t know if there is that big of a gap between those two teams, but there was today.” Temple head coach Rod Carey said after the game.
The Tar Heels defense gave Temple’s quarterback Anthony Russo different looks and blitz him relentlessly. Russo was 12 of 20 for 128 yards and pick-six for the afternoon.
“They didn’t show us anything different, we just have to do a better job of executing.” Temple quarterback Anthony Russo.
The Tar Heels was up 20-6 at halftime, UNC scored 21 unanswered third-quarter points to squash any comeback notions by the Owls.
Temple had some bright spots on the afternoon with sophomore receiver Jadan Blue and freshman running back Re’ Mahn Davis.
Blue became the first Owl’s player to accumulate 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He had eight receptions for 92 yards for the game, ending with 95 receptions for 1,067 yards, both single-season school records.
“You know, when you are the first to accomplish something, there is always satisfaction in that. I am thankful to God first, my family, my teammates for putting me in situations and me for capitalizing on hard work and everything.” Temple Blue said.
Blue set up Temple drive with a 60-yard catch on a crossing route which Davis’ 4-yard touchdown jaunt cut UNC’s lead to 10-6 with a little over 7 minutes to play in the first half.
Davis also scored on a 45-yard pass from Todd Centeio in the third quarter.
The air was let out Temple’s sail when Owls’ Amir Tyler blocked a 41-yard field-goal attempt by Noah Ruggles and returned it for a score as time expired in the first half. The play was nullified by an offside call on Roche.
That miscue gave Ruggles another opportunity and he booted a 36-yard field to put North Carolina up 20-6 going into the break.
The second half the Tar Heels put the game away and Temple had no answers on defense to stop the offensive onslaught by UNC.
