Gildan New Mexico Bowl: Temple 37, Wyoming 15 Final
Box Score
Photos
Post Game Notes
Albuquerque, N.M. – Temple won its first bowl game since 1979 with a dominating 37-15 win over Wyoming in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. Temple scored on its first three possessions and four of its first five possessions to open a 28-7 halftime lead over the Cowboys. Temple added three field goals in the second half for the 37-15 final.
Temple finished the year with a 9-4 overall record, while Wyoming ended with an 8-5 record. Temple’s last bowl win was 31 years ago with a 28-17 win over California in the Garden State Bowl in 1979.
The Temple offense scored on seven of eight possessions and totaled 422 yards of offense, while the Owls defense forced three interceptions and limited Wyoming to 269 yards of offense. Quarterback Chris Coyer was effective in managing the offense as he threw for 169 yards and one touchdown and also rushed for another 70 yards. Temple running back Bernard Pierce rushed for 100 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns.
In the second half, Temple kicker Brandon McManus added three field goals for the 37-15 final. In the third quarter, McManus converted a 34-yard field goal with 1:22 left in the third quarter, to cap the Owls 13-play drive and open a 31-7 lead. McManus added a 37-yard field goal with 12:45 left in the fourth quarter and a 34-yarder with 3:22 left in the fourth quarter for the 37-7 lead.
Temple opened the scoring on the opening drive of the game and set the tone for the Owls for rest of the afternoon. The Owls marched 90 yards on 13 plays (6:19), capped by a one-yard touchdown run by running back Bernard Pierce, to open a 7-0 lead. The drive included two third down conversions and a key fourth and one conversion from their own 47 yard line.
The Owls continued its offensive momentum on the second drive to extend a 14-0 lead over the Cowboys. Pierce added his second rushing touchdown of the game, this one from two yards out, to cap a nine-play, 69-yard (4:11) drive at 14:28 left in the second.
Temple forced its first interception off Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith in the second quarter as corner Kee-ayre Griffin made the interception and returned it to the Wyoming 35 yard line. The Owls scored on a one-yard touchdown run by running back Matt Brown to extend the Owls lead to 21-0 at the 10:21 mark of the second quarter. Brown’s score was set up by a 14-yard run Coyer down to the one-yard line.
Wyoming scored on a 21 yard touchdown with 37 second left in the first half. Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith converted a fourth and three with a 21-yard touchdown pass to his receiver in the corner of the end zone to cut the Owls lead, 21-7.
Temple answered on the next play with a 61-yard touchdown pass Coyer to wide receiver Rod Streater with 21 seconds left to regain a 21 point margin with a 28-7 lead.
Temple made its second bowl appearance in three years and was bowl eligible for the sixth time in school history. Temple earned bowl eligibility during the 1934 (1935 Sugar Bowl—20-14 loss to Tulane), 1979 (Garden State Bowl—28-17 win over California), 1990 (7-4 record, no bowl bid), 2009 (EagleBank Bowl—30-21 loss to UCLA), and 2010 (8-4 record, no bowl bid) seasons.