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Sept. 6, 1997

Temple Comebacks to Down BC

PHILADELPHIA - Temple used a 27-yard touchdown run by Stacey Mack with 1:18 remaining to snap an 11-game losing streak and defeat Boston College, 28-21, in the season opener for both teams.

Kevin Walker caught six passes for 138 yards and two touchdown passes for the Owls, who won for the first time since a season-opening decision over Eastern Michigan on August 31, 1996.

Temple erased an early 14-point deficit and won for just the second time in 34 Big East Conference games. The Owls had lost their last 11 conference games since their only conference win on October 14, 1995 over Pittsburgh.

"At halftime I told them that the BC coaches are telling their team 'don't worry, Temple will find some way to lose," said Owls coach Ron Dickerson. "And they yelled out "No way coach, we're going to win this one.'"

The Eagles lost in their first game under head coach Tom O'Brien, who took over a program plagued by a gambling scandal in 1996.

Mack, who carried 16 times for 121 yards, broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and then raced up the left sideline for the winning score. The final drive was kept alive by a personal foul on a punt that gave the Owls a first down at their own 43/

Walker had tied the game midway through the fourth quarter on a 34-yard touchdown reception from Pat Bonner, who completed 7-of-10 passes for 95 yards. Walker, a senior, missed almost all of 1996 due to a broken collarbone suffered in the season opener.

Boston College jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Mike Hemmert and a 26-yard scoring strike from Matt Hasselbeck to Anthony DiCosmo. Temple quickly cut the deficit in half when Elmarko Jackson returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown with 29 seconds left in the opening period.

The Owls tied the game 62 seconds into the second quarter when Kevin Harvey threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Walker and then found Wendell Davis for the two-point conversion. Harvey, however, suffered a sprained right ankle and was used sparingly in the second half.

DiCosmo caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Hasselback for the only score of the third quarter.

Hasselback completed 25-of-41 passes for 277 yards and was intercepted twice.