PHILADELPHIA - Redshirt senior defensive lineman Praise Martin-Oguike plowed through the left side of East Carolina’s offensive line, to sack and strip East Carolina sophomore quarterback Gardner Minshew.
Martin-Oguike then recovered his own strip with just over a minute remaining in the second quarter.
39 seconds later, Temple senior running back Jahad Thomas rushed for a three-yard touchdown that put the Owls, who were down seven after East Carolina’s opening drive, up 21-7 entering halftime.
Thomas, who rushed for 155-yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns, lead the Owls to a 37-10 victory against East Carolina to improve to finish the regular season 9-3.
For the second consecutive season, Temple has won the American Athletic Conference East Division. They will play Navy in the conference championship game next Saturday at 12 p.m. in Annapolis, Maryland Dec. 3.
“Our offensive line did a nice job, our backs did a nice job, our receivers ran the ball when they had to and we converted some third downs to keep us on the field to allow the momentum to go,” said Temple head coach Matt Rhule.
Thomas has record two touchdowns in nine out of the 10 games he’s played after missing the first two weeks of the season. He finished the regular season with 18 total touchdowns on the year.
On an 11 play, 76-yard drive in the third quarter, Temple pounded the ball with Thomas, sophomore running back Ryquell Armstead and redshirt junior fullback Nick Sharga.
Temple senior running back Jahad Thomas lead Owls to 37-10 win over ECU /photo: Zamani Feelings
Thomas plowed three-yards through the endzone for his second rushing touchdown of the night to make it 27-7 Owls with 1 minute and 21 seconds left in the third quarter.
Senior left tackle Dion Dawkins said that by getting the ball to their athletes on jet sweeps helped open-up the middle of the field.
“Those plays with all of the fast guys on our team definitely helped,” Dawkins said. “When those guys get around that edge and just use their speed and get yards and first downs, that helps us tremendously.”
In last year’s 24-14 win over East Carolina, the Owls only averaged 3.3 yards per carry, however, with a date with Navy in the AAC Championship game as the end prize, they dominated the line of scrimmage.
Midway through the first quarter, Temple senior quarterback Phillip Walker connected with junior wide receiver Adonis Jennings for 44-yards on third down to set the Owls up on East Carolina’s two-yard line.
Temple senior quarterback Phillip Walker set the Temple record for 10,000 passing yards.
Walker set the record after his 6-yard completion to Adonis Jennings during the second quarter. Walker completed 12 of 20 passing attempts throwing for 158 yards during the game.
Temple senior QB Phillip Walker holds American Conference Eastern Division Championship Trophy /PSD photo
Two plays later, Armstead, on his first carry of the night, bounced a two-yard touchdown run to the outside for Temple’s first touchdown of the game. Freshman kicker Aaron Boumerhi’s PAT was good to tie the game 7-7 at the 7:38 mark in the first quarter.
Rhule said in his press conference last Tuesday, Armstead, who didn’t play against Tulane last week, was about “50-90 percent.”
Armstead rushed for 35-yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns. Four of his ten carries were run inside East Carolina’s 16-yard line.
Sophomore running back Jager Gardner chipped in with a 14-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter to make 37-10 Owls.
Overall, the Owls rushed for 256 rushing yards against an East Carolina team that ranked last in the AAC in rushing defense.
“Jahad [Thomas], PJ [Walker], the whole senior class, they played really well today,” Jennings said. “Just to top off the East side of the division. But you know Jahad and the o-line really did a good job with running the ball as well as the other running backs."
Temple Football Team Celebrates Holding American Athletic Conference East Division Trophy /PSD photo by Zamani Feelings