BRANDEN MACK HAD TWO TOUCHDOWN CATCHES AND A BLOCKED PUNT IN THE OWLS LOSS TO BUFFALO.(Temple University photo)

The ebb and flow of a college football game was in full effect on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field as the University of Buffalo (2-0) topped Temple (0-2) in a contest where the momentum went back and forth before the Bulls scored in the final minute to win 36-29. The Bulls wide receiver Anthony Johnson, a preseason All-American, scored the game-winner. Johnson had been in and out of the game because he had been getting sick to his stomach after learning his best friend since elementary school was shot and killed on Friday night.

“I got the call last night,” said Johnson, who caught six passes for 76 yards, “I was going to go home but my family members told me, ‘to play through this game first even though I had a heavy heart.’ I wanted to play for him and my teammates so I just stuck through it.”

The Owls had the first crack at the momentum when their defense stopped the Bulls on fourth-and-one at the Temple 19 but they only got one first down. Buffalo again drove into Temple territory but was forced to punt, after a three-and-out by the Owls, the Bulls started their next drive on the Temple side of the 50-yard line. On a third-and-eight at the Temple 33, Bulls quarterback Tyree Jackson avoided the Owls rush by rolling to his right and his pass to Charlie Jones split a pair of defenders for a 33-yard touchdown. It 6-0 after a missed extra point. Like last week’s game against Villanova, getting off the field on third down was a problem for the Owls, Buffalo converted on nine-of-17 tries including four-of-six in the first quarter.

On the Owls ensuing possession, Frank Nutile had a deep pass intercepted at the goal line by Cameron Lewis. Following the pick, the Bulls got a first down on a fourth-and-three at the Temple 41 when Jackson connected with Johnson on a 19-yard play. Two plays later, Kevin Marks ran in from 22 yards out breaking through Temple tackle attempts along the way. Temple’s Rock Ya-Sin picked off the two-point conversion attempt and returned it for an apparent two points for the Owls but a penalty on the return negated it so it was 12-0.

Following a missed field goal by Temple’s Aaron Boumerhi and an interception by Ya-Sin in the end zone, the Owls snatched the momentum back on the final play of the first half when Nutile threw a Hail Mary from the Bulls 39. Branden Mack out-jumped everybody for the ball and the Owls had life down 12-7 at halftime.

The Owls received the second half kickoff and marched right down the field to take the lead. Ryquell Armstead ran three times for 18 yards on the drive and Nutile used play action to find Randle Jones, who had beaten two defenders deep, for a 44-yard touchdown.

The Owls defense kept it going by getting off the field in three plays but Nutile had a pass that was tipped intercepted by Lewis at the Temple 26. Marks would score from the one and the Bulls had the lead back 19-14. Before the end of the quarter, Buffalo added a 46-yard field goal.

For the second week in a row the Owls used special teams as a spark, Mack blocked a punt and Ty Mason fell on it in the end zone. It’s the 21st blocked kick for the Owls since 2014 and third this season. On the two-point conversion play, Ventell Bryant took an end around and flipped the ball over a plethora of Bulls defenders to Kenny Yeboah and the game was knotted at 22. Unfortunately, the Owls were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play and the 15 yards combined with a short kickoff by Will Mobley, who was filling in for an injured Boumerhi, gave Buffalo great field position.

They went 58 yards primarily on the running of Marks, who gained 41 yards on six carries on the possession and 138 for the game. Jackson completed a five-yard pass to Antonio Nunn to cap the drive.

In perhaps their best drive of the season, the Owls tied it again on a three-yard catch by Mack. The eight-play, 75-yard drive was highlighted by a 50-yard run by Armstead, who finished with 107 yards on 14 carries.

On Buffalo next possession, it appeared the Owls would get off the field when a pass by Jackson on third-and-10 was incomplete but Temple was called for roughing the passer and the Bulls had new life. An 18-yard pass from Jackson to Jones converted another third down. On another third-and-10 from the Owls 29, Johnson was running a shallow crossing pattern, he caught the pass from Jackson, broke a tackle and thanks to a key block from Nunn was able fight his way into the end zone with 59 seconds to go in the game.

“It had been working all game,” Johnson said about the game-winning play. “I knew if we ran it again, I had to make the first guy miss. After I got past him I knew I was going to get in the end zone because I was counting on a teammate to make a block and that’s what he did.”

“He’s an All-American for a reason” said Temple head coach Geoff Collins about Johnson. “We’re a leverage-based defense, if you lose leverage you’re going to have a tough down especially against a great player.”

Temple managed to get to midfield but Nutile was sacked and had the ball stripped.

“I definitely need to play more consistent,” said Nutile, who was 15 of 31 for 216 yards with three touchdowns, two interceptions and a fumble. “There’s been ups and downs too with the turnovers. So, it’s one of those things I need to clean up real fast.”

The Owls are 0-2 for the first since 2013 which was former head coach Matt Rhule’s first season.

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