PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Keveun Mason rushed for 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns and the Owls added two pick-6 scores as Temple beat Rhode Island 38-14 on Saturday in the Owls’ season opener.
Mason scored on a 1-yard run late in the first half for a 24-14 lead then added a 3-yard score with a minute left in the third quarter to give the Owls a 31-14 advantage.
Tyree Alualu returned an interception 63 yards for a score midway through the fourth quarter to put the game away. Jamarcus Pierre had a 35-yard pick-6 in the first half.
Jaxon Freeman found Jayce Smolik in the left corner of the end zone less than three minutes into the game but the Rams (1-1) tied it on Tyler Budge’s 35-yarder to Marquis Buchanan. Temple went into halftime ahead 17-7.
Budge threw for 195 yards and had passing and rushing touchdowns but was intercepted twice for the Rams (1-1), ranked sixth in the Stats Perform FCS poll. Buchanan had 137 yards on 10 catches.
Temple is 12-0 against Rhode Island but this was the first meeting since 1975.
Up next
Rhode Island: Home against Elon in a Coastal Athletic Association game next Saturday.
Temple: Host to No. 18 Penn State next Saturday.
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