Robbed!

Temple robbed by the Big East. Does that headline sound familiar? In their first game against a Big East team since getting expelled from the conference, the Owls lost at UConn on Saturday, 22-17, when Big East replay official Jack Cramer refused to overturn an incorrect call that robbed the Owls of a go-ahead touchdown with 40 seconds to go.

Cramer’s decision upheld the on-field call that wide receiver Bruce Francis was out-of-bounds when he caught a deflected pass in the back of the endzone. The call was made by an official from the MAC.

But the replay showed quite clearly that Francis stabbed his left foot inside the back line when he caught the ball.

Cramer had no comment after the game. The only official word came from Big East Associate Commissioner Nick Carparelli, who issued the following comment through UConn’s media relations office: “[Cramer] did not feel there was enough video evidence to overturn the call on the field. The replay official’s charge is to overturn obvious mistakes, not to make calls. And he did not think it was an obvious mistake.”

The controversial finish left a bitter taste to an otherwise inspired performance by the Owls, who bounced back strong from a 42-7 loss to Buffalo last week. After falling into a 10-0 hole, the Cherry and White defense stiffened and the Owls got back into the game on quarterback Adam DiMichele’s 59-yard touchdown pass to Francis with 2:49 left until halftime.

Temple took a 14-13 lead on a 13-yard TD run by tailback Jason Harper (22 carries, 114 yards) early in the third quarter. The teams then traded scores, with UConn jumping ahead, 22-17, on tailback Donald Brown’s five-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Then things really got crazy.

Facing 4th-and-1 on his own 32-yard line, UConn Coach Randy Edsall went for the first down and the Huskies were stopped. But DiMichele gave the ball back with an interception.

When the Huskies punted the ball, Owls freshman Jaiquawn Jarrett was called for roughing the punter. But the Temple defense stopped UConn again. And again.

The last stop came on another 4th-and-1 play at the Temple 28 with 2:36 to go. The Owls then drove down the field, the big play coming from Harper on a short pass that he turned into a 26-yard gain.

On 1st-and-10 at the 15, Harper picked up four yards. On 2nd-and-6, DiMichele was pressured into an incomplete pass. On 3rd-and-6, DiMichele was hit just as he released a pass to wideout Dy’Onne Crudup, who was wide open coming across the middle. The pass went into the ground.

Finally, on fourth down, the Owls went with some razzle-dazzle. DiMichele tossed the ball to Harper, who ran to his right and then pitched the ball to Crudup coming back to the left. Crudup was looking to throw the ball to DiMichele, who had faded towards the endzone after the initial handoff.

But UConn’s cornerback wasn’t fooled by the misdirection and he stayed close to DiMichele. With no other options, Crudup set his feet and threw the ball. In the back of the endzone, DiMichele and UConn safety Robert Vaughn went after it, and Vaughn tipped it backwards.

The ball hung in the air long enough for Francis to come across the field and catch it before stepping out of the back of the endzone.

That’s how it happened. Unless you’re from the Big East.

The Owls (0-3) will visit Bowling Green next Saturday.