Owls run over Wyoming, 37-15

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Temple defeated Wyoming, 37-15, in Saturday's New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium.

Temple quarterback Chris Coyer completed 8 of 12 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown. He also finished with 71 rushing yards to be named the game's offensive MVP. Temple tailback Bernard Pierce added  100 yards and two touchdowns as the Owls won their first bowl victory in 32 seasons. Temple linebacker Tahir Whitehead (11 tackles) was the defensive MVP.

The Owls scored on seven of their eight possessions en route to compiling 424 yards of offense. They racked up 255 of those yards on the ground.

Temple's first two touchdowns came on Pierce's 1-yard runs. Then the Owls went ahead 21-0 on Matt Brown's 1-yard score with 10 minutes, 21 seconds left in the half.

Wyoming (8-5) finally got on the scoreboard when quarterback Brett Smith completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Josh Doctson on a fourth-and-third play 37 seconds before intermission.

But Temple responded 18 seconds later.

Coyer completed a 61-yard touchdown pass to Rod Streater on the first play of the ensuing drive. That gave the Owls a commanding 28-7 halftime cushion.

Temple placekicker Brandon McManus booted three second-half field goals to make it a 37-7 game. Wyoming scored a on a touchdown pass and two-point conversation with three seconds left to close the gap to 22 points.

Temple ended the season with a four-game winning streak.