Ya-Sin, Mack shine as Owls lose to the Bulls

Despite a second half surge, the Owls fell to the Buffalo Bulls.

Sloppy was the theme of the first half for Temple. Following a failed onside kick to start they game, the Owls could not get their offense down the field. It was not until the 1:51 mark that either team reached the end zone when Buffalo’s quarterback Tyree Jackson hit Charlie Jones for a 33 yard touchdown.

The second quarter did not bode much better for Temple. In the opening 2 minutes of the quarter, Frank Nutile was picked off by cornerback Cameron Lewis. From there Buffalo was able to cash in with a 22 yard touchdown run courtesy of Kevin Marks. It was not until the final play of the quarter that the Owls were able to get on the board. Wide receiver Branden Mack made an improbable Hail Mary catch to keep Temple within striking distance.

An energized Temple team scored immediately following halftime giving the Owls a 14-12 lead. The Bulls quickly seized back control scoring 10 unanswered points to close out the quarter.

In need of a big play, Branden Mack once again provided a spark for the Owls as he blocked a Buffalo punt leading to a score for the Cherry and White. The two teams then traded a pair of touchdowns, leading to the Bulls controlling the ball in the games final minutes. Following a questionable roughing the passer call, Buffalo’s Anthony Johnson found pay dirt with a 29 yard touchdown catch. The Bulls then sealed the game after recovering a Nutile fumble.

While this is a tough loss for Temple, there were some positives to build from. As previously stated, Branden Mack had a huge impact for the Owls. He scored 2 touchdowns and blocked a punt leading to another score. On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Rock Ya-Sin was the story. After a rough start to the game, Ya-Sin bounced back defending numerous passes, and getting an interception.

The Owls will now travel to Maryland where they look to get their first win of the season.