Quarterback Cale Hellums rushed for three touchdowns and 104 yards on 22 carries to lead Army to a 21-17 victory over Temple in the Owls’ American Conference opener on Friday in Philadelphia.
Hellums also completed 3 of 6 passes for 36 yards as the Black Knights (2-1, 1-1) piled up 281 rushing yards to beat Temple (1-3) for the fifth consecutive time. The senior’s first touchdown came on Army’s opening drive, a 15-yard run that capped a 77-yard, 12-play march taking 7 minutes and 10 seconds off the clock.
Temple responded quickly when Samuel Brown V turned a short reception from quarterback Ajari Sheppard into a 78-yard touchdown on the second play of the Owls’ next possession, tying the game 7-7 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Hellums picked up 20 yards on a fourth-and-4 pass to Godspower Nwawuihe before scoring again on a 12-yard run, putting Army ahead 14-7. Temple answered with a 67-yard touchdown pass from Sheppard to Colin Chase four plays later, leveling the score at 14-all heading into the final quarter.
Carl Hardin kicked a 29-yard field goal after an 88-yard drive to give Temple a 17-14 lead with 7:38 remaining. But Hellums led a 12-play, 72-yard drive that chewed up six minutes before scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard run.
Sheppard, a senior transfer from Washington State making his first career start, finished with 243 yards and two touchdowns on 11-of-20 passing. Before this game, he had attempted only two passes in his college career, both completions. Brown carried the ball 10 times for 96 yards for Temple.
Temple head coach K.C. Keeler said the decision to move the game to Friday came partly because of a Sept. 29 AC/DC concert at Lincoln Financial Field.
Army will visit Louisiana Tech on Oct. 3, while Temple travels to South Florida on the same day.
According to Yahoo Sports.