Gardner carries Temple football to low-scoring win

Jager Gardner recorded his second 100-yard rushing game on Thursday.

Redshirt-senior running back Jager Gardner celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the season opener game against Bucknell at Lincoln Financial Field on Aug. 31, 2019. | JUSTIN OAKES / FILE PHOTO

With two minutes, 24 seconds remaining in the second quarter, redshirt-senior running back Jager Gardner ran the ball to the South Florida two-yard line. Gardner’s 57-yard gain set the Owls up to lead the game 7-0 at the end of the first half.

Gardner led all players in rushing yards and recorded his second career 100-yard game in Temple’s (6-3, 3-2 The American Athletic Conference) 17-7 win over South Florida (4-5, 2-3 The AAC) Thursday night. Garnder also passed 1,000 career rushing yards. 

Temple finished the game with 153 rushing yards, more than double the Bulls’ total. 

Before Gardner’s rush, the Owls gained 17 total yards in their two previous drives of the second quarter.

Redshirt-sophomore quarterback Todd Centeio threw Temple’s first-half touchdown to redshirt-junior tight end Kenny Yeboah on his first drive of the game. Centeio threw only one other pass in the game and finished with a perfect completion rate. 

Starting quarterback redshirt-junior Anthony Russo completed 15 of his 21 attempted passes and gained 164 yards for the Owls. His longest pass went 36 yards to redshirt-sophomore wide receiver Jadan Blue.

Blue led all Temple receivers with 121 total yards and accounted for more than 70 percent of the Owls’ receiving yards. 

Senior linebacker Sam Franklin scored the Owls’ second touchdown on a 39-yard fumble recovery. 

Redshirt-sophomore kicker Will Mobley wrapped up the Owls’ scoring with a 44-yard field goal, which tied his career high from Temple’s 30-28 win over Memphis (8-1, 4-1 The AAC) on Oct. 12.  

The Owls’ next game is on Nov. 16 at noon against Tulane at Lincoln Financial Field.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*