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Temple’s Harrison Hand selected AAC defensive player of the week

Hand had 10 tackles and an interception in Temple's 20-17 win over then-No. 21 Maryland.

Temple's Harrison Hand (23), left, and Chapelle Russell bring down Maryland running back Javon Leake in the first quarter Saturday.
Temple's Harrison Hand (23), left, and Chapelle Russell bring down Maryland running back Javon Leake in the first quarter Saturday.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

Temple junior cornerback Harrison Hand has been named the American Athletic Conference’s defensive player of the week.

Hand had a team-high 10 tackles and an interception that led to a Temple touchdown in the Owls’ 20-17 win Saturday over then-No. 21 Maryland.

A transfer from Baylor and graduate of Cherry Hill West, Hand keyed the defensive effort against a Maryland team that had beaten previous No. 21 Syracuse, 63-20, the week before.

In addition, Temple sophomore receiver Jadan Blue was named to the AAC honor roll. Blue had five receptions for 132 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown reception.

Georgia Tech game time announced

The time of Temple’s Sept. 28 game against Georgia Tech will be 3:30 at Lincoln Financial Field. The AAC made the announcement Monday.

The storyline of this game will be the return of former Temple coach Geoff Collins, who guided the Owls the previous two years. Collins is 1-2 at Georgia Tech, coming off a 27-24 overtime loss to Football Championship Subdivision school Citadel.

Let the hype begin

After the win over Maryland. Temple (2-0) earned points in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls. Monday, more praise came Temple’s way from Buffalo coach Lance Leipold, whose 1-2 team will host the Owls at 3:30 Saturday.

Leipold, whose team lost to Penn State by 45-13 on Sept. 7, said the Nittany Lions and Temple compare favorably.

“I think those two would be a good matchup,” he said during the Mid-American Conference teleconference. “As we play different teams in the year, Temple looks like a Big Ten team.”