The Army Black Knights (4-0, 3-0 AAC) steamrolled over the Temple Owls (1-4, 0-2 AAC), 42-14 on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field.
Army used the formula that has worked well so far this season, starting fast. Army once again scored a touchdown on each of its first two offensive drives of the game to jump out to a 14-0 lead. Army has scored a touchdown on its first two offensive drives in all four games this season.
QB Bryson Daily was once again spectacular rushing for 152 yards, his third consecutive 100-yard performance while adding three rushing touchdowns. Daily has scored three rushing touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. RB Kanye Udoh aided Daily on the ground, rushing for a career-high 128 yards of his own, including a 28-yard touchdown run.
The Black Knights once again totaled over 400 yards of offense (489), eclipsing that mark in all four games of the year. Army's defense was equally impressive, generating seven sacks by seven different players and holding Temple to –5 rushing yards, the fewest the Army defense has allowed since at least 1996.
On the game's opening drive, the Temple offense had a touchdown negated on a holding penalty when QB Evan Simon hit Antonio Jones for 49 down the middle of the Army defense. Army's defense would hold forcing a punt following the holding penalty.
On Army's third offensive play from scrimmage slot back Noah Short took a pitch from QB Bryson Daily and raced down the left sideline for a 61-yard touchdown, the longest rush of his career. The drive started with a 22-yard run by Daily.
On the ensuing drive, the defense forced another punt as OLB Eric Ford logged his first career sack, bringing down Simon for a loss of seven. Army led 7-0 after one quarter.
Army's second offensive drive continued into the second quarter, as the Black Knights moved methodically driving 13 plays, 89 yards and taking 8:29 off the clock, capped off by a Daily 8-yard touchdown run to take a 14-0 advantage. Daily connected with Short on a 27-yard pitch and catch to get into the red zone.
Army forced another punt on the Owls' second drive, with Josiah Banks tipping a third-down pass at the line of scrimmage to halt the drive. Temple answered with a stop of its own as the Black Knights punted with 3:23 left to play in the half.
The Army defense got the ball right back to set up the offense with a two-minute drill, forcing a three and out. However, Army's offense was stymied once again and was forced to punt back with just over a minute to play in the half.
On the first play of the drive, DL Jacob Tuioti recorded his first career sack to force yet another three and out from the Temple offense. Army got a 27-yard completion from Daily to WR Casey Reynolds to start the drive, but time ran out on the Black Knights as the first half ended with Army holding its 14-0 lead.
Coming out of the locker room, Daily hurdled a defender on an impressive 36-yard run to get inside the red zone yet again. Daily finished the drive himself, on a 9-yard touchdown run, his second of the game as Army went up 21-0.
Army forced its third consecutive three and out on Temple's ensuing drive.
RB Kanye Udoh joined the scoring party in the third quarter on a bruising 28-yard run to extend the lead to 28-0.
Temple drove down its next drive and found the end zone with Dante Wright hauling in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Evan Simon with 1:10 to go in the third. The Owls attempted a pass on a two-point conversion, with Josiah Banks breaking up the pass.
Simon hit Daniel Evert for a 54-yard touchdown on Temple's next drive, cutting the score to 28-14 following a successful two-point conversion.
With the Owls within two scores, Army answered with an efficient six-play drive led by a career-long 41-yard scamper from Udoh. Daily then made it consecutive three rushing touchdowns, scoring from 12 yards out to make it 35-14.
Jayden Mayes got the ball back for Army with his second interception of the season, diving along the far sidelines to pick off Simon with just over six minutes to play.
QB Dewayne Coleman entered following the interception, finding WR Cam Schurr for an 18-yard touchdown pass which marked the first career touchdowns for each. K Trey Gronotte knocked in his sixth extra point of the game to bring the final score to 42-14.
Elo Modozie, Adam Cash, Kyle Lewis and Brett Gerena added sacks in the closing quarter as Army recorded seven total sacks after not recording one through the first three games.
