Temple Puts A Scare Into Notre Dame, Before Falling 24-20
Philadelphia, PA (CBS) — With 4:45 left to play Saturday night, it seemed like Lincoln Financial Field was gripped by a surreal mist. The impossible was taking place. Temple was beating Notre Dame. Then the laws of probability took over. Notre Dame—bigger, stronger, faster Notre Dame, with its cadre of high school all-Americans—began whittling the Owls down.
It just so happened to be one of Philadelphia's own that did the Owls in, when DeShone Kizer found Roman Catholic's Will Fuller with a 17-yard touchdown and the winning difference in No. 9 Notre Dame's 24-20 victory over the No. 21 Owls before 69,280 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Temple was more than respectable, forcing two red zone interceptions and keeping the Fighting Irish on their heels.
But in the end, Notre Dame turned into, well, Notre Dame, and the Owls scored national points in playing a very competitive game.
P.J. Walker completed 13 of 30 for 188 yards, with a touchdown and an interception for the Owls. Jahad Thomas rushed for 82 yards, on 21 carries, including a 1-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown that tied the game 17-17 with 10:51 remaining. That finished a drive in which the Owls converted two fourth downs, including the Thomas TD run.
Notre Dame took a 14-10 lead into halftime, although the Owls held a 10-7 lead with 6:17 left in the half, on a Walker's 12-yard TD strike to Brandon Shippen. Notre Dame answered on its next series, when Kizer took off down the sideline untouched on a 79-yard TD run with 4:51 remaining in the second quarter.
The Owls had a tough time moving the ball. Temple was outgained 467 to 279 in total yards, but it was Temple's advantage defense that kept them in the game. A real key came in the first half, with Notre Dame driving, and Tavon Young punching a ball free at the goal line, where Tyler Matakevich caught the deflection for his fifth interception this year.
