Temple trailing Wake Forest, 31-10, at halftime

by Marc Narducci

Published Dec. 27, 2016, 5:15 p.m. ET

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- After a quick start, little has gone right for Temple. After scoring an opening touchdown, the Owls surrendered 31 straight points before Aaron Boumerhi's 45-yard field goal with four seconds remaining in the half left the Owls trailing Wake Forest, 31-10, at halftime today in the Military Bowl at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Temple's offense didn't wait long to get in gear. On the Owls' first offensive play of the game, after a Sean Chandler interception, Phillip Walker hit Adonis Jennings on a go pattern for a 48-yard touchdown. It was the 21st TD pass of the season for Walker, a season high.

Wake Forest tied the score when John Wolford hit wide-open tight end Cam Serigne on a 41-yard pass with 8:37 left in the first quarter. There was nobody within 10 yards of Serigne when he caught the ball.

Wake Forest continued moving at will on Temple and scored on its next possession when Wolford hit Tabari Hines on a wide receiver screen and the sophomore went 20 yards for the TD. That completed a four-play, 54 yard drive.

A costly turnover led to the third Wake Forest touchdown after Chandler fumbled a punt and Dayton Diemel recovered on the Temple 12-yard line. Wake Forest freshman Cade Carney made Temple pay by rushing for a touchdown on the first play, extending the lead to 21-7 with 12:26 left in the half.

Wake Forest didn't score 21 points in seven of its games this season.

All-conference placekicker Mike Weaver boosted the lead to 24-7 on a 25-yard field goal with 8:34 left in the half.

Walker, who wasn't intercepted in the previous three games, had that streak snapped when a deflected pass by Demetrius Kemp was picked by defensive end Duke Ejiofor at the Owls' 39.

The Demon Deacons cashed in when sophomore Matt Colburn scored on a second-effort 3-yard run, making it 31-7 with 3:02 left in the half.

To put this in perspective, Temple had allowed as many as 31 points in just two games this season.

Wolford completed 10 of 19 passes for 183 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the half. Walker was 11 for 21 for 123 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.