PHILLY COLLEGE SPORTS FOOTBALL REVIEW
Temple Defeats An SEC Opponent For The First Time In 75 Years, Villanova Drops A Double Overtime Heart-Breaker At Syracuse
August 28, 29, 2014 Games
TEMPLE – Overall 1 – 0, 0 – 0 American Athletic Conference
Result – Won 37 – 7 at Vanderbilt
Summary – In training camp coach Matt Rhule felt his team would have to be bigger and stronger to compete and win.
“We tried to get bigger and stronger,” Rhule said. “You need 21, 22 teal old grown men out there in the fourth quarter. We tried to push them, get them more confident.”
The team bought in. The team won a big intersectional clash against Vanderbilt in Nashville. The game was delayed over an hour and a half by bad weather. When the Owls took the field, they were ready. The defense did not give up a touchdown, and took the ball away 7 times getting 4 fumble recoveries and 3 interceptions. Defensive back Tavon Young had two interceptions to earn the AAC Defensive Player of the Week honor. The defense got a key score as defensive tackle Averee Robinson recovered a fumble off a sack taking it 55 yards for a touchdown. The score with 39 seconds left in the first half gave the Cherry and White a 21 – 7 halftime lead. Robinson recovered two fumbles in the contest. Temple scored three times in the third quarter to put the game away. The Owls gave up 278 yards of total offense, just 54 on the ground.
Vanderbilt got their only score on special teams recovering a fumbled snap on a punt in the endzone.
The Cherry and White ran the ball effectively posting 144 yards on 45 carries. Jamie Gilmore led the way with 65 rushing yards. Quarterback P.J. Walker completed 23 of 34 passing attempts for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns. The scoring tosses were a 35 yard strike to Brandon Shippen, the first score of the game. Shippen recorded a team leading 65 receiving yards. The second touchdown pass of 18 yards went to Jalen Fitzpatrick to give Temple the lead at 14 – 7. Walker ran for 21 yards and a touchdown.
Next Game – September 6 vs. Navy at The Linc
VILLANOVA – Overall 0 – 1, 0 – 0 CAA
Result – Lost 27 – 26 (2 OT) at Syracuse
Summary – The mantra for the Wildcat football team this season was ‘togetherness.’
“Togetherness would be a very good word for us coming into the season,” said quarterback John Robertson.
“We weren’t as together last year as I thought we were,” Villanova Coach Andy Talley said. “I think we are more together now than we have been.”
The team showed it, but lost in the second overtime at the Carrier Dome. The Wildcats went for the win attempting a two-point conversion at the end, but Robertson was stuffed to end the game. The CAA Preseason Player of the Year recorded 314 yards of total offense in the game. Villanova had a chance to win the game in regulation, but kicker Chris Gough was wide-right on the 25-yard attempt. Gough did tie the game with a 25 yarder with 7:14 in the fourth quarter.
In the overtime Gough matched a field goal by Norton to send the game to another stanza tied at 20.
The Orange scored on their possession off a fake field goal getting a one-yard touchdown pass off a fake field goal. Punter Riley Dixon threw the pass to tight end Kendall Moore to get a 27 – 20 lead. The Wildcats answered back on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Robertson to Gary Underwood, but did not get the winning conversion.
Syracuse had a 17 – 7 lead in the third quarter. Villanova got in proximity when returner Poppy Livers returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown cutting the gap to 17 – 14.
The Wildcats had a 190 – 136 rushing yards advantage. Robertson led the way with 115 rushing yards on 34 carries. Running back Kevin Monangai ran for 46 yards and a touchdown. Prince-Tyson Gulley had 100 yards on the ground for the Orange including a 65-yard scoring run in the first quarter.
Robertson completed 16 of 27 passes for 199 yards and a score. Livers caught 5 passes for 58 yards.
Defensively, Villanova was led by linebacker Don Cherry who recorded 9 tackles and 2 for losses.
Next Game – September 6 vs. Fordham at Villanova Stadium
PENN – Overall 0 –0, Ivy League 0 – 0
Result –
Summary –
Next Game – September 20 at Jacksonville
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