The University of Connecticut Huskies took the quick trip to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and ran off with a 34-20 victory against the Temple Owls.
After two straight one-score losses, the Huskies are back in the win column.
Kalieb Osborne got the party started with a 38-yard completion to Ryder Treadway and then another 11-yard pass to the receiver. Osborne took a read option for himself on third- and- one from the 12 into the endzone for a 7-0 UConn lead.
“We got the ball to start the game, and it was huge for him to get in there and get in a rhythm right away,” Coach Jason Candle said.
That lead was a short-lived as on the first Temple play for scrimmage, Ajani Sheppard found a wide-open JoJo Bermudez for a 79-yard touchdown strike to tie the game.
Connecticut got the ball back and worked their way onto Temple’s side of the field when Kenji Christian checked into the game. Christian, who missed last game with a hamstring injury, took his first touch 39 yards to the house to give UConn the lead back 14-7.
The Owls methodically drove down the field before Sheppard pitched it to wide receiver Colin Chase. Chase rolled out and passed it to Peter Clarke II to knot the game up again.
The Huskies tried to respond at the end of the first quarter as Osborne had a clutch third down completion to Julian Allen. UConn was inside the redzone when they faced a fourth down and two after a third down incompletion. Connecticut left the offense on the field, and Osborne tried to get the first with his legs. The quarterback was shoved out of bounds before the first down marker, and Temple took over.
UConn’s penalty woes reared their ugly head on the next Temple drive as Hayden Pegg and Esean Carter were whistled for penalties. The Owls got it inside the 15 before the Huskies finally put pressure on Sheppard. Joshua Mickens came off the edge and had the undershirt of Sheppard before he broke away. Thankfully for the Huskies, Anas Luqman was right there for the sack. The Owls settled for a field goal to take a 17-14 lead.
Osborne got his rhythm back on the next drive with two quick passes. He then handed it off to Trey Cornist who did the rest. The Central Michigan transfer took it 51 yards to get UConn inside the five-yard line. Cornist then punched it in on second- and- goal to put the Huskies back in front.
Temple looked to have something going when they faced a third- and- two before the two-minute timeout. Keveun Mason took the handoff, got the first and then some. Mason was fighting for extra yardage when Renick Dorilas stripped the ball loose, and Braedyn Moore pounced on the ball for the UConn recovery.
“You don’t start the game how you want to start it (on defense), but our kids settled in and played a really solid second half on defense,” Candle said on Fox Sports Radio postgame.
Cornist had another 40-yard run, and the Huskies were in business before facing a fourth- and- six. Pressure came off the edge, and Osborne was hit as he released a pass to Shamar Porter. The third-year UConn receiver made a contested grab at the two yard-line and a roughing the passer penalty put the Huskies at the one.
“I knew I had my player, and I lobbed it up to him,” Osborne said. “Five always comes down with it somehow, someway.”
Chaos ensued as Osborne fumbled the next snap then was sacked on second- and- goal before spiking the ball with two seconds left in the half. Jack O’Connor knocked in a 20-yard field goal, and the Huskies took a 24-17 lead into halftime.
After four straight punts to start the second half, Temple got the ball back down seven. The Owls got it inside the 15 before Rickey Williams and Tahjae Mullix sacked Sheppard. The Huskies got a third down stop, and Temple’s field goal unit came on. Carl Hardin kicked in a 29-yarder to make it 24-20.
The Owls were then threatening at the start of the fourth. Sheppard was in a groove but lost control of the football when Shamar Riser-Pressley applied pressure off the edge. K’Von Sherman fell on the loose ball, and it was ruled a fumble. The referees reviewed the play, and the call was upheld to UConn’s ball.
UConn finally got some offense going in the second half but faced a third and long. Osborne moved in the pocket and fired a pass to Cyncir Bowers who made a leaping grab, running past the first down marker for an 18-yard gain. A few plays later Bowers bounced to the outside on first and goal before diving to the pylon. The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native extended the Huskies lead to 31-20.
“If you can produce points off turnovers, which we were able to do today, that’s a backbreaker for the other team,” Candle said on Fox Sports Radio.
Temple instantly punted thanks to a combined sack from Sherman and Mullix followed up by a big hit from Dorilas. The Huskies chewed clock before O’Connor nailed a 27-yard field goal to make it 34-20.
“To be able to take their punch and to be able to come back, just proud of the resiliency and the fight of our team,” Candle said on Fox Sports Radio.
The Huskies moved to a 3-3 record once the clock hit zeros. Osborne finished with 257 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. Corist had 114 rushing yards and a touchdown while Bowers pitched in 84 yards on the ground with a score of his own.
UConn has a bye next week, then return to Rentschler Field for a rivalry matchup with UMass Amherst on Oct. 23.