Penn State Downs Temple
Philadelphia, PA - September 12, 2026: After a slow start Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field, Penn State scored 17 points in the second half to down Temple 27-9. Quarterback Rocco Becht threw three touchdown passes in leading the way for the Nittany Lions who improved to 2-0.
It was the 46th meeting of the in-state rivals with Penn State now holding a significant advantage in the series 41-4-1. The two teams last played in 2016 when Penn State won at home 34-27. Temple defeated Penn Sate the previous year (2015) in Philadelphia by the score of 27-10. Penn State has now won the last thirty-three out of the thirty-four meetings.
Penn State received the opening kickoff. On the first play from the PSU 25-yard line, Becht hit a streaking Koby Howard deep down the middle for a 56-yard pass completion. A face mask penalty by Temple moved the ball to the Temple 9-yard line. Temple’s defense tightened, which included a sack of Becht on third and goal, and it forced Penn State to attempt a 33-yard field goal. Kicker Ryan Barker was wide and Penn State came up empty on the drive.
After Temple went three and out, Penn State was set up in good field position at the Temple 44-yard line but they as well went three and out. Penn State punted the ball and pinned Temple back at their 3-yard line.
Temple ran the ball four consecutive plays, gaining a first down, to move it out to the 14-yard line. However, on 2nd and 9, Temple’s Jaxon Smolik, a Penn State transfer in the off-season, was intercepted by Tony Rojas who returned the ball to the 5-yard line. Rojas appeared to be blitzing on the play but after getting tangled up, he dropped into coverage and stepped in front of the Temple receiver for his first INT of the season.
Penn State was stuffed on three running plays in the red zone and on 4th and goal, Head Coach Matt Campbell decided to go for it. Becht was hurried by the Temple defense and his pass missed receiver Andrew Rappleyea. It was Penn State’s third trip into Temple territory without any points.
On Temple’s next possession, they went on a 91-yard drive, running fifteen plays and using up 8:11 of the clock. This drive was highlighted by a 47-yard scramble by Smolik, as well as two key pass completions. Temple was stopped on third and goal at the Penn State 6-yard line and the they settled for a field goal by Carl Hardin to take a 3-0 lead.
On Penn State’s next two possessions in the second quarter, they scored 10 points to go into the half with a 10-3 lead. The Lions first went 62 yards in 10 plays, leading to a Barker 31-yard field goal to tie the game. The Lions then went 83 yards in 10 plays, leading to a 23-yard reception for a touchdown by Brahmer, putting the Lions up just before the half.
In the second half, the Penn State defense held Temple to four possessions. On Temple’s first possession of the second half, they drove down the field but Hardin’s 52-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Penn State’s Daryus Dixson. After having to punt on their next two possessions, the Owls put together their best drive late in the fourth quarter. Their twelve play, 75-yard drive, resulted in a Ajani Sheppard 3-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion failed.
Penn State’s Chase Sowell scored on a 16-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, Barker extra point good, to give Penn State a 17-3 lead. Barker then hit a 39-yard field goal later in the quarter before Brahmer’s second touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, a 23-yard pass from Becht. Becht was a stellar 21 of 27 in passing on the day.
Temple out rushed Penn State 176 yards to 148 yards. Becht threw for 268 yards with Brahmer leading the receivers with five catches for 79 yards. Carson Hansen led Penn State, for the second week in a row, in rushing. Hansen carried the ball 19 times for 89 yards. Penn State totaled 416 yards of total offense while Temple managed 283 of total offense. There were no fumbles in the game.
On defense for Penn State, Rojas led in tackles, for the second straight week. Rojas tallied 7 total tackles, 5 of which were solo. Cael Brezina was right behind Rojas with 6 total tackles, 5 were solo. Temple was led on defense by Curly Ordonez who had 12 total tackles, 9 of which were solo.
Coach Campbell after the game noted the team’s sluggish start and difficulty in scoring in the red zone. Penn State had five opportunities in the red zone but only came away with one touchdown.
“I don’t think there’s any explanation other than we didn’t play very well. We didn’t play very well in the first half or the first quarter of the game offensively. I think you go back and you look at those three runs down in the red zone like they’re all there. You know, the first one, it’s a bad run. The second one we get beat on the inside, and then the third one we get beat at right guard. We’re off by an inch, but it’s a game of inches. And, especially when you play on the road, you have to have great execution. We didn’t do it. And then defensively, we give up two 40-yard plays because of lack of detail. Where does that start? I think it has to start as the head football coach, right?”
Penn State’s next game is home against the University of Buffalo on September 19. Temple goes on the road to Toledo, also on September 19.
