Temple football shuts out UMass thanks to a second-half momentum shift

Temple’s dominant second half concluded with three touchdowns, and ultimately led the Owls to a 28-0 victory over Massachusetts on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

Temple outplayed UMass after a slow showing that led them to find the end zone just once in the first half.

The Owls entered the game as a 9.5-point favorite. However, three troublesome turnovers — quarterback E.J. Warner threw two picks, and wide receiver Zae Baines fumbled a punt — allowed the Minutemen to trail by only a touchdown at halftime.

“To start off with a sack and some penetration from the different looks, we have to really settle in,” said first-year coach Stan Drayton. “They were seeing a lot. To UMass’ credit, they presented a lot of [looks] out there.”

It was Temple’s defensive performance that allowed the Owls to overcome a bevy of mistakes, holding the Minutemen to just 259 total yards.

The Owls continue to struggle with turnovers from the quarterback position. Warner has thrown three interceptions in the last two games. Luckily, UMass failed to capitalize on his two picks.

However Warner, who completed 11 of 22 passes, flashed his arm talent, especially after he found wide receiver Adonicas Sanders for a 50-yard touchdown with 14 minutes, 29 seconds left in the fourth quarter, completing Temple’s scoring.

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“It’s awesome,” Warner said about his relationship with Sanders. “Me and Adonicas came in around the same time. From Day 1, we were in the film room watching film, getting better, and talking [about] football.”

The offensive line continued to struggle to protect Warner. Temple moved offensive tackle Adam Klein to center, and James Faminu stayed at right tackle. The group had trouble remaining consistent throughout the game, letting the true freshman take multiple hits from UMass’ defensive line.

Linebackers Kobe Wilson and Yvandy Rigby stood out. Wilson totaled nine tackles, and Rigby finished with eight.

At the end of the second quarter, Warner threw a 34-yard pass to Sanders, who finished with 101 receiving yards, that gave the Owls the momentum they needed.

Six plays later, Warner threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver Ian Stewart, who had two receptions on four targets, with 1:54 left in the second quarter. The 69-yard drive gave Temple a 7-0 lead.

The Owls’ defense also contributed to the scoreboard.

Outside linebacker Layton Jordan, who has emerged as one of college football’s premier pass rushers, grabbed a one-handed interception and returned it for a 41-yard touchdown, giving the Owls a 21-0 lead with 6:14 left in the third quarter.

“It just boosts my confidence, way more than I had in coverage drop,” Jordan said about his interception.

Sophomore safety Alex Odom also had an impressive performance. He compiled nine tackles and grabbed his first career interception for a gain of 21 yards with 12:26 left in the second quarter.

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Temple will travel to Memphis on Saturday. It’ll mark the Owls’ first conference game of the season with a noon kickoff.