 TEMPLE 24, MIAMI 21 Temple (6-4, 4-3 MAC) helped its own cause with two solid rushing performances and a defense that registered seven sacks. It was enough to overcome a school record-setting night by Miami receiver Nick Harwell. The sophomore caught 15 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns. It was the fifth game of 2011 in which Harwell, who did not play in the opener, reached the century mark.
The RedHawks had a 428-310 advantage in total yards and registered 24 first downs to Temple’s 17. But the three turnovers more than made up for those stats.
Miami’s first drive of the game was a preview of things to come and also proved decisive – for the Owls.
Dysert’s 34-yard pass to Harwell on the second play from scrimmage put the RedHawks at Temple’s 40-yard line. Back-to-back Miami penalties and a one-yard rush by Dysert set up a second –and-19. Chris Givens got part of that back on a nine-yard reception but fumbled the ball.
Kevin Kroboth recovered for the Owls, who drove to the MU. 18. Although the RedHawks defense managed to halt the drive, Temple cashed in with a field goal that eventually spelled the difference in a three-point win.
Although MAC rushing leader Bernard Pierce did not see action due to injury, 5-5, 170-pound junior Matt Brown filled in with 127 yards (his fourth 100-yard-plus performance of 2011). Equally important, quarterback Chris Coyer provided 97 yards of rushing in his first career start. He got the call after a breakout 184-yard rushing performance against Ohio University the previous week.
Temple’s win over Miami moves Ohio University (3-2 MAC, 6-3 overall) into control of first place in the MAC East, with last week’s narrow Bobcats victory over Temple (4-3, 6-4 overall) serving as a head-to-head tiebreaker chip against the Owls.
Miami (3-3 MAC, 4-6 overall) entered Wednesday’s contest with a ticket to the MAC championship game if it won out, as it did last year on the way to the title game. As it now stands, MU needs help on multiple fronts and must win its final two games (against Western Michigan and Ohio) to reach a .500 overall record.
Miami took its only lead of the game with a 12-play, 90-yard drive on its second possession. Dysert scrambled right and found Harwell crossing the middle for a 29-yard TD play to finish the drive at 3:33 of the first quarter.
Temple came right back on its next possession, moving 66 yards in 10 plays. Coyer provided 46 or those yards on five rushes and 10 on a TD pass to Deon Miller in the left side of the end zone. . It was UT’s only score of the evening not related to a Miami turnover.
An interception and 14-yard return by Adrian Robinson set up Temple’s third score. Coyer ran nine-yards off the right side one play later, and McManus’ kick put the hosts up by 10 at 17-7 heading into intermission.
Miami put together a seven-play, 59-yard scoring drive , beginning midway through the third stanza. Dysert hit Givens with a 25-yard strike for the TD, and Mason Krysinkski’s PAT made it a 17-13 contest.
Momentum seemed to be swinging the RedHawks way after the defense forced a Temple three-and-out. Dysert completed four of five passes, moving his team to the TU 36. But on second-and-nine, Dysert’s pass for Givens went off his outstretched hand and into the arms ot Zamel Johnson. He then returned it 53 yards to the Miami 30.
Temple, which played turnover-less football, nearly gave one up just outside the Miami end zone when linebacker Evan Harris forced Coyer to fumble, but Brown fell on the ball to preserve possession and took it in from two yards out on the following play.
Miami began it’s second scoring drive of at least 90 yards midway through the fourth quarter, thanks, in part, to a Temple penalty.
After gaining one first down, Miami punted. But the Owls were flagged for offsides on the play. That gave the RedHawks a first down, and Dysert reeled off five straight passes over the next seven plays en route to a score. Harwell hauled in a 14-yarder for the final distance.
Despite being sacked seven times by the MAC’s top sack squad (UT has 32), Dysert completed 28-of-37 for 364 yards on the night. Along the way, he threw three touchdowns and two interceptions – both of which led to Temple scores.
With 3:57 remaining, Miami passed up an onside kick, dropping a pooch kick down to the TU 31-yard line, where Brown went down while fielding the ball. Once the Owls had the ball, they made the most of it, picking up three first downs while Miami could stop the clock only once before time expired.
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