Bernie's MAC Show: Episode Three

Freshman tailback Bernard Pierce posted his third straight 100-yard game and the Temple defense forced five turnovers as the Owls overcame a series of special teams blunders to secure a 24-19 victory over Ball State on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

Fans of the Temple football team can rattle off a litany of inexplicable losses.

Hail Mary passes. Fumbles returned for touchdowns in the last minute. Interceptions that set up last-second, game-winning field goals.

And those are just in the last year.

Saturday’s Mid-American Conference contest against winless Ball State had the potential for another ugly finish, but the Owls overcame a complete special teams meltdown to dispatch the Cardinals, 24-19, at Lincoln Financial Field.

Temple won despite an errant punt snap, dropped punt snap, blocked field goal and missed field goal. The victory was the third in a row for the Owls, who are 3-2 overall and 3-0 in the MAC, while Ball State fell to 0-6, 0-2.

“I hate the word frontrunner, because you don’t win the league in October,” Coach Al Golden said. “You can lose the league in October, and we’ve found many ways to do that. We’ve re-written the record book on that. So we’ll try it this way now.

“Obviously, I would prefer not to have those catastrophic breakdowns, but they’re fixable. We kept our poise, we battled back and everybody’s mad because we didn’t play well. But we won, so the expectation has changed.”

After trailing, 10-0, at the half, Ball State closed within three on a 50-yard touchdown pass from Kelly Page to Torieal Gibson 4:01 into the third quarter.

On Temple’s ensuing drive, long snapper Marquise Liverpool – set up at the 46 – fired the ball over the head of punter Jeff Wathne, who didn’t run it down until it was inside the 5-yard line. With several Cardinals in pursuit, Wathne couldn’t control the ball and Ball State’s Eric Williams recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

“I could feel it was a bad snap when it left my hands,” Liverpool said. “I was hoping Jeff would be able to handle it, but it was a bad snap and I take full responsibility. I just have to make some corrections during the week. I got my butt a little too high.”

The Cardinals missed the extra point, but held a 13-10 advantage.

Temple answered back immediately with true freshman Bernard Pierce running for 43 yards, including a two-yard touchdown run, on the next drive to put the Owls ahead to stay, 17-13.

“We just had a little talk (before the drive),” Pierce said. “Everybody blocks, everybody runs, catches the ball. Do what you do and do your assignments and we’ll get back in the game.”

Pierce ran for 125 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, becoming the first freshman in school history with three consecutive 100-yard games. The last back to accomplish the feat was Tanardo Sharps as a senior in 2002.

“I expected to make an impact, but I couldn’t tell how big of an impact it was going to be,” Pierce said. “I came in knowing I was trying to do big things.”

With Ball State near midfield in the closing minutes, the Owls got pressure and safety Jaiquawn Jarrett jumped a route for his second interception of the day and third turnover. The interception set up Pierce’s three-yard TD run that sealed the game with 3:29 to play.

“When I saw the quarterback get pressure, he just locked onto the back and I just tried to make a play,” Jarrett said.

Temple forced five turnovers overall, and outside of the breakdown on the 50-yard scoring strike, kept the Cardinals in check. Ball State scored its last touchdown on the final play of the game, a score set up by a dropped punt snap and penalty for illegal kicking.

“If that’s not the best defense, especially physically, we’ve played since I’ve been at Ball State, it’s right up there,” Ball State Coach Stan Parrish said. “I take my hat off to Al, because four years ago they couldn’t walk and chew gum. And they know what they are, that’s why I think they have a good chance to win the East.”

Temple took a 10-0 lead on the first two drives of the day. Brandon McManus kicked a 27-yard field goal, and Vaughn Charlton hit James Nixon on a 28-yard touchdown pass after Joe Jones returned a punt 30 yards. Nixon leaped for the ball, then dragged his feet as he came down in the back of the end zone.

“This week I concentrated on playing point guard, I have good skill position players around me and if I can just get it to them I’ll be successful,” said Charlton, who was 17 for 30 for 186 yards and hit nine different receivers. “I think my confidence in James is growing every week. He’s really proved himself on the game field and practice field.”