Cale Hellums delivered a strong all-round performance as Army defeated Temple 21-17 on Friday in Temple’s American Conference opener. Hellums rushed for 104 yards and scored three touchdowns to help Army secure its second win of the season.
Hellums carried the ball 22 times and was also effective as a passer, completing 3 of 6 attempts for 36 yards. Army finished the game with 281 rushing yards as its ground attack caused problems for the Temple defense throughout the contest.
Army took control early with a long opening drive. Hellums guided a 77-yard, 12-play possession that lasted 7 minutes and 10 seconds. He finished the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run, putting Army ahead 7-0.
Temple responded before halftime. Samuel Brown V caught a short pass from quarterback Ajari Sheppard and turned it into a 78-yard touchdown play. The score tied the game at 7-7, and neither team was able to add another touchdown before the break.
Hellums continued to make important plays after halftime. On a fourth-and-4 situation, he connected with Godspower Nwawuihe for a 20-yard gain to keep Army’s drive alive. Hellums then scored on a 12-yard run, giving the Black Knights a 14-7 advantage in the third quarter.
Temple answered again in the same quarter. Sheppard found Colin Chase for a 67-yard touchdown pass, bringing the score level at 14-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
Temple moved ahead late in the final period when Carl Hardin converted a 29-yard field goal with 7:38 remaining. The kick gave the Owls a 17-14 lead and put Army under pressure.
However, Army produced a decisive final drive. Hellums led a 72-yard possession that lasted 6 minutes and 2 seconds. The 12-play drive ended when Hellums ran three yards for his third touchdown of the game, putting Army ahead 21-17.
Temple had an opportunity to respond, but Army held on to secure the victory. The result extended Army’s winning streak over Temple to five games.
For Temple, Sheppard had 243 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 11 of 20 passes in his first career start. Samuel Brown also contributed 96 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Temple coach K.C. Keeler said the game was moved to Friday partly because of an AC/DC concert scheduled for September 29 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Army improved to 2-1 with the victory, while Temple dropped to 1-3. Army will next face Louisiana Tech, while Temple will travel to South Florida for its next game.