Rhode Island RamsvsTemple Owls
URI 14/TEM 38
Things to say
Temple beat Rhode Island 38-14 at Lincoln Financial Field.
01
opener
Temple handled it, 38-14. It was close at the half, then the Owls just took over on the ground. Rhode Island kept giving the ball away and you can't do that on the road.
02
key player
Keveun Mason was the whole show. 20 carries, 158 and two scores. Temple didn't even need to throw it.
03
hot take
Honestly the final score flatters Temple. Two pick-sixes did a lot of the work. Their offense was fine, not scary.
04
deep cut
Watch the Rhode Island receiver Buchanan though. Ten catches, 137 yards. Their whole passing game was basically him, and Budge still threw two picks that came back for six.
05
exit
Owls open 1-0, which is what you want out of a home tune-up. We'll see if that run game holds up against somebody real.
The recap
Temple ground Rhode Island into dust behind Keveun Mason, who bulldozed for 158 yards and a couple of short-yardage scores while the Owls leaned on smashmouth football all night. The real dagger was Temple's secondary — two pick-sixes off Tyler Budge, a 35-yarder from Jamarcus Pierre and a back-breaking 63-yard house call from Tyree Alualu, turned a 17-14 nailbiter into a laugher.
URI actually hung around early, tying it up on a Marquis Buchanan deep ball, but Budge's three-interception night handed Temple points the offense never had to earn. Final's 38-14, and the defense did the heavy lifting.