PHILADELPHIA — Evan Simon threw two third-quarter touchdown passes and Carl Hardin kicked two field goals as Temple rallied past UTSA 27–21 on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in the American Conference opener for both teams.
Trailing 14–3 at halftime, the Owls erupted for 21 points in a decisive third quarter to erase an 11-point deficit. Simon, a Rutgers transfer, completed 16 of 25 passes for 199 yards and two scores, both coming in the third frame. His 8-yard strike to JoJo Bermudez pulled Temple within four midway through the quarter, and on the Owls’ next snap, Hunter Smith broke free for a 54-yard touchdown run that gave Temple its first lead at 17–14 .
UTSA briefly went back ahead on Owen McCown’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Devin McCuin late in the third, but Temple answered immediately when Peter Clarke hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Simon to make it 24–21 with 1:30 left in the period. The defenses traded stops through most of the fourth quarter until Hardin’s 36-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining provided the final margin.
Simon directed a balanced attack that produced 327 total yards, including 128 on the ground. Smith finished with 74 rushing yards and a touchdown on just eight carries, while Clarke added 82 yards and a score on four receptions. Bermudez contributed 27 receiving yards and a key 51-yard punt return that set up Hardin’s first field goal in the opening quarter .
McCown kept UTSA competitive throughout, going 25 of 37 for 234 yards and two touchdowns, but also throwing two interceptions. McCuin caught six passes for 60 yards and a score, while AJ Wilson led all Roadrunners with 67 receiving yards. UTSA’s ground game, typically a strength behind FBS rushing leader Robert Henry Jr., was limited to 70 yards on 30 attempts, with Henry managing just 42 yards on 12 carries .
Temple’s defense came up clutch after halftime, sacking McCown three times and forcing both of his interceptions—one each by J.J. Jones and Avery Powell. Linebacker Curly Ordonez paced the Owls with seven tackles, while Sekou Kromah, Demerick Morris, and Shane Badmus combined for the three sacks .
The win improved Temple to 3–2 overall and 1–0 in the American, while UTSA dropped to 2–3 (0–1) and saw its 10-game home winning streak snapped a week earlier.
Temple travels to Navy next Saturday, while UTSA returns home to face Rice.