Temple Owls vs Vanderbilt Commodores Box Score on Aug 28, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 29, 2014

Temple 37, Vanderbilt 7: Sophomore quarterback P.J. Walker threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another while the visiting Owls capitalized on seven Commodores’ turnovers in the rout.

Walker went 23-of-34 for 207 yards, including scoring strikes to Brandon Shippen and Jalen Fitzpatrick, for Temple (1-0) in a game delayed for 1 hour, 38 minutes by severe weather. The Owls took advantage of four Vanderbilt fumbles, including a 55-yard return for a touchdown by lineman Averee Robinson late in the first half.

Stephen Rivers, one of three different quarterbacks used, completed 12-of-25 passes for 186 yards as the Commodores (0-1) lost in coach Derek Mason’s debut. Temple, which beat its first SEC team since Florida in 1938, held Vanderbilt to 54 yards rushing.

Walker connected with Shippen on a 35-yard slant for the score with 3:47 left in the first quarter, but Oren Burks recovered a fumbled punt snap in the end zone early in the second to tie it. Temple responded on Walker’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Fitzpatrick and Robinson scooped up a Rivers fumble and scored with 39 seconds left for a 21-7 halftime lead.

Vanderbilt missed a field goal on its first drive of the second half and the Owls added a pair of Austin Jones field goals along with a 3-yard touchdown run by Walker for a 34-7 lead going into the final quarter. Two of the third-quarter scores were set up by interceptions from defensive back Tavon Young.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Walker has passed for at least 200 yards in all eight of his career starts. … Vanderbilt RB Jerron Seymour, who led the team in rushing last season with 716 yards, was held out of the opener as a precaution while he gets fully fit after offseason knee surgery. … The Commodores were originally penalized a timeout (in each quarter) for wearing the phrase “Anchor Down” on the back of their uniforms, but the timeouts were reinstated when officials were showed documentation by Vanderbilt officials that the jerseys had been approved.