Pierce, Defense Guides Temple to 30-16 Victory

For the first time since 1979, the Temple Owls are 3-0 after their victory over Connecticut, 30-16.

Sophomore sensation, Bernard Pierce, finally was able to get off on the right foot for the first time this season. After rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2009, Pierce was still in search of his first 100-yard game of the 2010 campaign, but that search has ended after Pierce complied 179 yards against the Huskies.

In addition to his 179 yards, Pierce reached the endzone on three occasions, including a 27 yard reception to start off the scoring for Temple.

Pierce's backup, Matt Brown, was rarely used, only receiving two touches for six yards.

The passing attack was led by Chester Stewart's 160 yards on 16 completions, with his biggest weapon coming in the form of Joe Jones, who led Temple with 74 receiving yards, and made an all important block on a Bernard Pierce run to set up a touchdown.

Defensively, Temple was led by reigining MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Adrian Robinson Jr. In what appeared to be a "Houdini-like" play, Robinson ripped the ball out of UCONN's star running back Jordan Todman's hand, and took the ball down the sidelines for a touchdown that gave Temple a 20-16 lead.

The entire defense played great all four quarters, despite allowing Todman to rush for 167 yards.

Pierce and Robinson were the catalysts in Temple's unbeliveable victory, but punt returner Delano Green made, arguably, the most important play of the game.

Half way through the fourth quarter, Green fielded a punt, even though he should have called for the fair catch. With a swarm of UCONN and Temple players surrounding him, Green broke right, then bounced backwards and back outside, picked up two huge legal blocks, and stormed his way up field before being tripped up by his own guy at UCONN's four yard yard line.

Pierce ended up scoring a few plays later, and that all but clinched Temple the victory.

With Temple now standing at 3-0, the Owls will be on the road for the first time this season in Happy Valley, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions. Not many folks predicted Temple to defeat UCONN, and the same will apply for Penn State, but we have all seen miracles happen before.