Temple Owls (2-5, 1-2 AAC) celebrated their Homecoming in style, securing a 20-10 victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-5, 0-3 AAC) at Lincoln Financial Field, with 18,721 fans in attendance. Temple came out strong early, scoring 17 unanswered points in the first half and holding off Tulsa’s late-game push to claim their second win of the season.
Quarterback Evan Simon led the charge with 297 passing yards and a touchdown, keeping the Owls' offense moving down the field. The offensive highlight came when running back Terrez Worthy capped off Temple’s first-half dominance with a one-yard rushing touchdown, his first of the season and the Owls’ first by a running back this year. Temple's defense also stepped up, with standout plays from DE Diwun Black, who notched two sacks and forced a fumble, alongside Jamel Johnson’s crucial interception that ended the first half.
The Owls’ defense came through again in the fourth quarter when Andreas Keaton recovered a fumble, securing the win after Tulsa cut the lead to 17-10 in the third. Kicker Maddux Trujillo put the game out of reach with a 41-yard field goal early in the fourth, sealing the 20-10 victory.
Tulsa’s offense, led by QB Kirk Francis, struggled to find consistency throughout the game. Francis managed to throw for 153 yards and a touchdown but couldn’t overcome the pressure from Temple’s defense. Tulsa's WR Anthony Watkins was a bright spot, with 73 yards receiving and the Golden Hurricane’s lone touchdown, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.
How the Game Unfolded:
Temple opened the scoring with a 29-yard field goal by Trujillo late in the first quarter. Simon connected with tight end Peter Clarke for a three-yard touchdown early in the second, extending the Owls' lead to 10-0. The Owls further built their advantage with Worthy’s one-yard rushing touchdown, pushing the score to 17-0 at halftime.
Tulsa responded in the third quarter with a 63-yard touchdown pass from Francis to Watkins, and a 46-yard field goal by Seth Morgan brought the score to 17-10, putting pressure on Temple. However, Trujillo’s 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter restored the Owls’ 10-point cushion, ensuring the win.
Notable Performances:
Statistical Dominance:
Temple’s defense played a pivotal role in the win, holding Tulsa to just 10 points. The Owls’ ability to capitalize on key turnovers and limit Tulsa’s offensive momentum was critical. Notably, the Owls are now 23-0 since 2013 when holding their opponents to 10 points or fewer.
Up Next:
Temple will travel to Greenville, North Carolina, for an AAC showdown against East Carolina next Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET, which will be broadcast on ESPN+. Meanwhile, Tulsa will host UTSA as they look to snap their losing streak.
With this Homecoming victory under their belt, the Owls will be aiming to build on the momentum as they head into the latter half of the season.
