UConn topples Temple, 34-20

The UConn Huskies (3-3) took down the Temple Owls, 34-20, before heading into their bye week.

Quarterback Kalieb Osborne completed an efficient 17 of 23 (73.9%) passes for 257 yards and also ran in a TD. In the backfield, Trey Cornist racked up 114 rushing yards on just seven carries, while Cyncir Bowers returned to his home state and posted 84 rushing yards with a TD and an 18-yard reception. In Kenji Christian’s first game back, the senior tallied 61 yards (39 rushing, 22 passing). Defensively, the Huskies notched two fumbles that created a pair of scoring drives.

As for the Owls, Ajani Sheppard completed 19 of 25 (76%) attempts for 260 yards and a touchdown. This game started off as a shootout, ending the first quarter tied 14-14. In the second quarter, UConn separated

Both programs’ offenses came out hot, but the Huskies struck first. At the 25-yard line, Osborne connected with Ryder Treadway on back-to-back plays for 52 yards, putting Connecticut in Temple’s redzone. After Bowers rushed to the 12-yard line, Osborne finished the job. A linebacker was flying at him, but he stepped aside and ran in for a 7-0 lead.

In one play, the Owls tied it up as Sheppard launched a deep ball to a wide-open JoJo Bermudez for a 79-yard touchdown. On the next drive, UConn pushed the pace with a 39-yard TD run by Kenji Christian to go back ahead.

At the five-minute mark, Sheppard handed off a jet sweep to wideout Colin Chase. While the defense was preparing for the run, Chase fired to wide-open Paul Clarke.

The Huskies attempted to regain the lead, but got sacked on a 4th down attempt at the Temple 9.

On the ensuing Owls poessession, the Huskies gifted Temple a combined 30 yards (15 yards roughing the passer, 15 yards facemask), spotting the ball at the home team’s 46-yard line. This led to Sheppard rushing up the middle and finding Bermudez for 32 yards. The drive stalled from there as kicker Carl Hardin hit a 26-yard field goal to take a 17-14 lead, their first of the day.

Osborne hit Treadway for 11 yards to the 44-yard line. Cornist carried the ball right and juked left, found the hole, bolted down to the 5-yard line after a 51-yard rush and finished the drive from the goal line to make the score 21-17.

Midway through the second frame, Keveun Mason pushed the Owls offense to the 44-yard line. After the two-minute timeout, Mason rushed for 18 yards and fumbled the ball. Renick Dorilas punched the ball out and Braedyn Moore pounced on it at UConn’s 22-yard line.

On the first play, the offensive line shifted left, allowing Cornist to go for 44 yards. Near midfield, the drive was looking stalled. But on 4th-and-6, Osborne stayed strong under pressure to send a leading pass to Shamar Porter that he incredibly held on to. A roughing the passer penalty moved them to the goal line. A muffed snap moved them back so a Jack O’Conner field goal made it 24-17 at the break.

Coming out of the break, both squads traded punts. It wasn’t until the three-minute mark that Temple scored the first points of the third quarter with a field goal. In just three passes, Sheppard advanced to the Huskies’ 16-yard line, but the Owls settled for a 29-yard field goal.

Going into the fourth quarter, Temple constructed a promising drive reaching Connecticut’s 39-yard line. From there, defensive lineman Shamar Riser-Pressley knocked the ball out of Sheppard’s hand and K’Von Sherman recovered it. UConn capitalized on the fumble with a TD, forced a three-and-out, and then ran out the clock with Bowers and Cornist to set up another O’Connor field goal to set the final score at 34-20.

Next up, UConn will face UMass after their bye week on Friday, Oct. 23.