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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, October 29, 2006

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Temple savors first victory

Associated Press

Bowling Green's Chris Bullock fumbles as Temple's Andre Neblett closes in. Temple won for the first time since Nov. 13, 2004.

RON CORTES | The Associated Press

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PHILADELPHIA — Travis Shelton looked at the scoreboard and enjoyed the rare sight.

Temple beat Bowling Green, 28-14, yesterday, snapping a 20-game losing streak and handing new coach Al Golden his first victory.

"We had more points and it was a great thing to see," said Shelton, who scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and a 43-yard touchdown reception. "Our players were jumping up and down and were so excited. We've worked so hard for so long, and it was worth all the hard work."

Golden didn't get much time to celebrate his first win after eight losses. He left Lincoln Financial Field immediately after speaking with his team to "attend to a personal matter," the school said in a statement.

Golden and his wife are expecting their second child, and the school's statement said Kelly Golden was hospitalized with "mild complications."

Adam DiMichele threw two scoring passes as Temple (1-8) ended the nation's longest losing streak with its first win since a 34-24 victory over Syracuse on Nov. 13, 2004. The Owls lost to Boston College in their final game of the 2004 season and lost all 11 games last season.

The Owls had been outscored 351-71 in their first eight games and allowed 60 points in three losses.

Golden was doused with a cooler by his players as the final seconds ticked away. He was emotional in the short time he spent with his team after the win and said the win was for the seniors, Shelton said.

Temple defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio said winning was enough for the Owls.

"It's an emotional game," D'Onofrio said. "You pour your heart and soul into this. I couldn't be happier for the kids."

DiMichele threw a 45-yard TD pass to Bruce Francis to give the Owls a 21-7 lead with 8:44 left in the third quarter before Bowling Green's Chris Bullock, who ran for 182 yards on 29 carries, scored his second touchdown of the game. This time, Bullock scored on a 1-yard run to cut Bowling Green's deficit to 21-14 less than a minute into the fourth quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Shelton scored on a 96-yard return, matching the longest return in Temple history. The Owls' Paul Loughran accomplished the feat against Boston University in 1971. The run was the longest for the Owls since Makonnen Fenton's 94-yard return against Connecticut in 2002.

DiMichele had his finest game of the season, going 10 of 13 for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

"You can't stop here," DiMichele said.

Bowling Green (4-5) didn't expect to be on the losing end after last season's 63-point victory, but coach Gregg Brandon was philosophical about the outcome.

"Congratulations to Al Golden, he's done a good job," Brandon said. "I'm not too excited about being the team that broke the streak, but it was going to happen, anyway."

Maryland 27, Florida St. 24: Sam Hollenbach threw three touchdown passes, and the host Terrapins (6-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) held off the Seminoles (4-4, 2-4).

Maryland led 27-14 in the third quarter, but was not assured the victory until Jeremy Navarre blocked a 46-yard field-goal try by Gary Cismesia with 42 seconds left.

Washington St. 37, UCLA 15: Alex Brink completed 28 of 38 passes for 405 yards and three touchdowns, and the Cougars (6-3, 4-2 Pac-10) dominated the second half in beating the host Bruins (4-4, 2-3).

Washington State, which outscored the Bruins 23-0 in the second half, took a 20-15 lead late in the third quarter on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Brink to Brandon Gibson.

Arizona State 26, Washington 23 OT: Rudy Carpenter threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Brent Miller on Arizona State's second play of overtime as the Sun Devils (5-3, 2-3 Pac-10) beat the host Huskies (4-5, 2-4) in the first overtime game in Husky Stadium history.

Washington got the ball first in overtime, but moved backward five yards. Michael Braunstein kicked a career-long 47-yard field goal to put the Huskies up 23-20.

TCU 26, Wyoming 3: Jeff Ballard carved up the Cowboys' nationally top-ranked pass defense for 244 yards, and Lonta Hobbs scored two touchdowns to lead the host Horned Frogs (5-2, 1-2 Mountain West Conference) to victory.

The Cowboys (4-5, 3-2) entered the game allowing just 121 passing yards and 227 total yards per game. Colorado State's 217 passing yards had been the most against Wyoming.

New Mexico 20, Colorado St. 19: Kenny Byrd kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired and Donovan Porterie directed the Lobos (5-4, 3-2 Mountain West Conference) to their third straight comeback victory, beating the host Rams (4-4, 1-3).

Porterie, who had led second-half wins over UNLV and Utah, completed 15 of 25 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. Rodney Ferguson ran for 80 yards and a touchdown for New Mexico.

Kansas 20, Colorado 15: Freshman quarterback Todd Reesing started the second half and threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to rally the host Jayhawks (5-5, 1-4 Big 12) past the Buffaloes (1-8, 1-4).

The 5-11 Reesing, who had not played at all in the first eight games, came into the game after the Jayhawks managed only 90 yards in the first half and fell behind 9-0. He was 7 for 11 for 106 yards passing, and ran for 90 yards on just seven carries.

Indiana 46, Michigan St. 21: Kellen Lewis completed 15 of 25 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns, including a school-record four to James Hardy, and ran for a score in leading the host Hoosiers (5-4, 3-2 Big Ten) past the Spartans (4-5, 1-4).

Michigan State grabbed the lead with a touchdown on the opening drive of the game. But Indiana gave up just 35 yards the rest of the first half and did not allow another first down until the fourth quarter, a span of 12 possessions by the Spartans and 46 straight points by the Hoosiers.

Vanderbilt 45, Duke 28: Sophomore quarterback Chris Nickson ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more, and the visiting Commodores (4-5) withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Blue Devils (0-8).

Nickson threw for 250 yards on 14-of-24 passing and ran for 150 yards, the first Vanderbilt quarterback to rush for more than 100 yards since Jay Cutler had 129 against Kentucky in 2003.

Virginia 14, N.C. State 7: Jason Snelling ran 17 yards for his second touchdown with 1:31 to play and the host Cavaliers (4-5, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat the Wolfpack (3-5, 2-3).

Snelling, who carried 20 times for 99 yards, broke off an 18-yard run down the left side on the play before go-ahead run. He scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter.

Iowa 24, Northern Illinois 14: Iowa redshirt freshman Jake Christensen threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start as the host Hawkeyes (6-3) beat the Huskies (5-4).

The Hawkeyes held Garrett Wolfe, the nation's leading rusher, to 66 yards on 22 carries. His sputtering Heisman campaign is most likely finished. After rushing for more than 160 yards in each of his first six games, including a 171-yard effort at No. 1 Ohio State, Wolfe has just 136 in his last three.

Kansas St. 31, Iowa St. 10: James Johnson had 115 yards rushing and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 32-yard run late in the third quarter as the host Wildcats (5-4, 2-3 Big 12) scored 31 straight points to beat the Cyclones (3-6, 0-5).

Linebacker Brandon Archer recovered a muffed punt and a fumble for Kansas State, which needs just one victory in its last three games to become bowl eligible in Ron Prince's first year as coach.

Kentucky 34, Mississippi St. 31: Andre Woodson threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns, and the Wildcats (4-4, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) held off the host Bulldogs (2-7, 0-5).

Kentucky broke a 14-14 halftime tie by scoring on four of its first five possessions in the second half. However, the Wildcats, who led by 31-17 in the fourth quarter, needed a recovery by Jacob Tamme on an onside kick with 2:12 left to seal the win.

Cincinnati 17, Syracuse 3: Dustin Grutza's 37-yard touchdown pass through a tricky, swirling wind helped the host Bearcats (5-4, 2-2 Big East) pull away in the second half over the Orangemen (3-6, 0-4).

Houston 51, UCF 31: Jackie Battle rushed for two touchdowns in the last eight minutes and the host Cougars (6-3, 4-1 Conference USA) scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat the Golden Knights (2-6, 1-3).

Tulane 42, Army 28: Lester Ricard passed for 409 yards and three touchdowns to lead the host Green Wave (3-5) to a non-conference victory against the Black Knights (3-6).

Brigham Young 33, Air Force 14: John Beck completed 23 of 31 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns and the Cougars (6-2, 4-0 Mountain West Conference) beat the host Falcons (3-4, 3-2).