Mountaineers explode early in rout of Owls
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – In one of the oddest environments in college football, West Virginia hit Temple with an early offensive onslaught and rolled to an easy win on Saturday. Avon Cobourne ran for 94 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns, and quarterback Rasheed Marshall added 98 yards rushing and two scores as the Mountaineers won, 46-20.
The game was played in front of just 15,042 people at Veterans Stadium, the regular home of the NFL’s Eagles that holds 65,000. That strange situation was one that worried West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez.
“We talked about this environment all week, really preached it to them,” Rodriguez said of the muted crowd and atmosphere at the Vet, with the Eagles logos at midfield and in the end zone. “We wanted to come out and get momentum early, that really helps.”
The Mountaineers (6-3, 3-1 Big East) have beaten Temple (3-6, 1-3) in 11 of their last 12 meetings dating to 1984.
West Virginia has won three of four overall, with its only loss coming to Miami the previous week.
West Virginia scored on its first possession, as Cobourne finished an 81-yard drive with a 2-yard TD run.
On the Owls’ first offensive play, Sean Szarka was hit in the backfield by Jermaine Thaxton and fumbled. Thaxton recovered the ball to give West Virginia possession at the 15. Three plays later, Cobourne scored on a 1-yard run. Later in the quarter, Quincy Wilson scored on a 4-yard run to make it 21-0. After a West Virginia field goal, Temple’s defense stopped the Mountaineers at the Temple 1-yard line. But Owls backup quarterback Mike Frost fumbled the ball in the end zone, and lineman Donny Klein fell on it for a safety that made it 26-0. On their next drive, Marshall went 28 yards on a quarterback keeper to give West Virginia a 33-0 lead.
“That was as impressive a defensive performance as I have seen in a long time,” Rodriguez said of the first half. “Our defense took Temple out of what they do best.”
In the first half, the Mountaineers outgained Temple 226-16 and forced three turnovers, leading to 16 points. The Owls managed just two first downs in the half and 9 yards on the ground.
“We wanted to come out and jump on them, we didn’t want them to think they could have success with us,” said linebacker Grant Wiley, who had an interception.
Marshall, who was 10-of-18 passing for 74 yards, added a 16-yard TD run in the third quarter that made it 40-0. He fumbled at the goal line, but regained possession in the end zone.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a worse first half than that one,” said Temple coach Bobby Wallace. “It wasn’t one thing, it was everything. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am.”
Mike McGann led the Owls with three touchdown passes and 180 yards, but he completed just 13 of 32 passes, and all of his scores came in the second half.
Tanardo Sharps, Temple’s leading rusher at 114 yards a game, had just 30 on 17 carries.
The Owls scored all of their points with the game out of reach. McGann hit Krishan Lewis with a 4-pass with 3:25 left in the third quarter to make it 40-7. McGann threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.