Temple found itself on the losing end of a nailbiter against Toledo. Next up, a Friday night fight against Army
K.C. Keeler kept the offense on the field for a two-point conversion that would decide the game. But Ajani Sheppard’s pass sailed over the hands of Peter Clarke.
TOLEDO, Ohio — Temple’s 14-point fourth-quarter lead had disappeared. Its first road game had stretched into overtime. Yet after Ajani Sheppard escaped a sack and ran 25 yards for a touchdown, the Owls stood one play from taking it all back.
K.C. Keeler kept the offense on the field for a two-point conversion that would decide the game. Sheppard’s pass sailed over Peter Clarke in the back corner of the end zone, allowing Toledo (2-1) to complete a 49-48 comeback victory over Temple (1-2) Saturday at the Glass Bowl.
The failed conversion capped a reversal that began after Sam Brown’s third touchdown gave Temple a 42-28 lead with 6 minutes, 43 seconds remaining. Toledo scored, recovered the ensuing onside kick, and scored again to force overtime, where Connor Walendzak’s touchdown left the Owls chasing the game once more.
Sheppard changes the plan
Keeler entered the week expecting Jaxon Smolik to direct most of Temple’s offense, with Sheppard appearing when his mobility suited a particular package. That plan lasted one possession.
Smolik opened the game with a three-and-out. Sheppard entered after Jaylon Joseph forced a fumble on Toledo’s first offensive snap, although Temple failed to gain a first down and settled for Carl Hardin’s 40-yard field goal. Smolik later went to the locker room and eventually returned to the sideline, but Sheppard remained behind center.
“Jaxon went out with a foot issue,” Keeler said. “By the time he was ready to come back in, we were in the throes of things. We put a lot of points on the board with Ajani, and he did a good job.”
Sheppard rewarded that decision by throwing touchdown passes to Joey Schlaffer and Brown before delivering his most emphatic response. His fourth-quarter fumble gave Toledo possession at Temple’s 32-yard line and led to Walendzak’s touchdown reception, which put the Rockets ahead, 28-27. On Temple’s next possession, Sheppard answered with a 69-yard touchdown pass to Colin Chase and a two-point conversion to Clarke.
The rotation was over. For better and, ultimately, for worse, Temple’s offense belonged to Sheppard.
Sam Brown: A Monster of the Midwest
Brown did not ease into his Temple debut. His first two carries gained 15 yards, immediately giving the Owls another powerful option alongside Keveun Mason. His receiving ability also provided Sheppard with an outlet when Toledo crowded the line of scrimmage.
Brown scored once as a runner and once as a receiver before halftime, but his biggest contribution came with Temple protecting a seven-point lead. He broke through Toledo’s defense for 50 yards, carrying the Owls to the Rockets’ 15-yard line, then finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. His third score appeared to put Toledo on the brink.
Instead, the Rockets erased the deficit before regulation expired.
Temple cannot close the door
After Brown’s third touchdown, Temple needed to protect a 14-point lead for 6:43. Instead, Toledo attacked the weakness the Owls had spent much of the afternoon surviving.
John Alan Richter found CJ Miller in the flat for a touchdown, and Toledo recovered the ensuing onside kick. A completion to Terrel Crosby moved the Rockets to Temple’s 22-yard line before Richter connected with Daryl Barnett Jr. for the tying score. Given 50 seconds to answer, Temple had a potential 50-yard completion to Chase ruled out of bounds before Sheppard was sacked as regulation expired.
Toledo then needed two plays to score in overtime, with Walendzak following Sam Lee’s gain to the 1-yard line with a touchdown run.
“We definitely didn’t play very clean defensively,” Keeler said. “There is some improvement that needs to be made on the defense. We can’t let up that many points.”
Temple forced Toledo to punt for the first and only time with 10:41 remaining. The Owls never stopped the Rockets again.
