Russo rallies Temple past No. 20 Cincinnati
PHILADELPHIA >> After throwing three interceptions, Temple’s Anthony Russo came through down the stretch and the Owls handed one of the most surprising teams in the country its first loss.
Russo threw a tying, 20-yard touchdown pass with 49 second left to Brandon Mack, and then a 25-yard TD to Isaiah Wright in overtime as Temple beat No. 20 Cincinnati 24-17 Saturday.
Russo was 20 for 41 for 237 yards passing, with three touchdown passes and three picks for the Owls (5-3, 4-0 American). He led a seven-play, 75-yard drive in the closing minutes to tie the game with the TD to Mack.
“We just didn’t quit,” Russo said. “I think that’s a big step for our team and something we’re going to build on.”
Cincinnati (6-1, 2-1) got a first down on its first play of overtime, but an errant snap behind QB Desmond Ridder left the Bearcats with second-and-21 and a personal foul pushed them even further back. Ridder was intercepted on third-and-36 by Shaun Bradley to end the game.
Temple receiver Randall Jones caught five passes for 67 yards and scored a touchdown.
“They just took shots,” Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. “They made some plays down the field and you have to give them some credit.”
The Bearcats, coming off a 4-8 season, were off to their best start since 2009.
Cincinnati’s Michael Warren II and Charles McClelland combined for 202 yards on the ground and the Bearcats dominateds after falling behind 10-0.
“We went at them and we just kept chipping away and chipping away,” Temple coach Geoff Collins said. “The guys did a great job when it mattered.”
The Bearcats picked off Russo twice in the final six minutes, but Temple’s defense kept holding and giving the offense a chance. Temple got the ball back after a Cincinnati punt with 2:37 to play and Russo took over from there for a tying drive.