Temple takes down East Carolina, 20-10
No. 23 East Carolina’s hopes for a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl may have come down like the rain did in Philadelphia, as the Pirates fell 20-10 to unranked conference foe Temple.
The win marks the end of ECU’s five-game win streak and the first win against a ranked team for Temple since they took down then-No.14 Virginia Tech in 1998 on the road.
The Owls took advantage of 5 fumbles and just a slow, frustrating day for the ECU offensive staff and won despite not even totaling 200 total yards on offense in the win.
The Pirates also found themselves committing a multitude of penalties, tallying up 12 worth 120 yards.
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ECU quarterback Shane Carden was held to just 217 yards passing and was sacked four times and gave up one fumble. Running back Breon Allen struggled running the ball, coughing up the ball twice in the first half that led to the Owls’ first two scores.
The first fumble was run back for a 63-yard touchdown by Tavon Young, and the second score came on the legs of Kenny Harper, giving Temple a 14-0 lead early.
Allen’s two fumbles saw him sit the bench for most of the second half, leading to backup Chris Hairston rushing for a team-high 153 yards, but also gave up a fumble of his own in the sloppy conditions.
After an ECU field goal made it an 11-point game, the Owls drove the ball down the field on a 76-yard drive that ended with Harper’s second touchdown of the game that put an emphatic stamp on the upset win.
The Pirates finally scored late in the fourth quarter, as Marquez Grayson marched into the endzone long after the visitor’s fate had been decided.
East Carolina (6-1, 3-1 AAC) will have while to recuperate, as they’ll travel to Cincinnati on Nov. 13 in a game that could decide the fate of The American.