The game between Maryland and Temple could not have started worse for Maryland Terrapins fans. Temple put up three touchdowns to lead 21-0 within the game's first ten minutes. The Terps offense looks inept, while the Temple offense treats the Maryland defense like a high school squad.
Temple started the scoring after a long pass play set up a short score. The Owls have converted every third down conversion they've faced, and prior to the last possesion of the quarter, Maryland's offense could not move the ball.
In perhaps the most telling sequence of the game, Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien threw deep along the sideline to a wide open Devin Burns. O'Brien's throw was high but still could be caught. Instead of the long gain, or potential touchdown, the ball bounced off Burn's hands for an incompletion. Forced to punt on fourth down, the Temple special teams crashed through the Terps' porous line, blocking the punt and recovering the fumble inside the Maryland 10-yard line.
Three plays later Temple running back Bernard Pierce grabbed an option pitch and ran through the Maryland goal line for his third touchdown of the first half. Pierce's stat line through one quarter is 10 rushes for 31 yards and, again, three touchdowns. Temple quarterback Chester Stewart, a Hanover, Md. native, was perfect in the first frame throwing four completions on four attempts for 100 yards. Stewart also showed some wheels with an 18-yard scamper.
We'll have more on this game throughout the week in this StoryStream. For more on the Terrapins head over to Testudo Times, and for more on the Owls, check out SB Nation Philly.