{"id":20498,"date":"2017-11-03T13:20:18","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T13:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/11\/03\/temple-takes-down-slumping-navy-34-26\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:14:08","slug":"temple-takes-down-slumping-navy-34-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/off-duty\/military-sports\/2017\/11\/03\/temple-takes-down-slumping-navy-34-26\/","title":{"rendered":"Temple takes down slumping Navy 34-26"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PHILADELPHIA \u2014 Temple coach Geoff Collins needed his deep, booming voice for his postgame press conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the adjacent locker room, the music was loud and so was the chanting. And why not? Amid an uneven first season in charge, Collins\u2019 Owls put together their best performance of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frank Nutile threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns, and Temple\u2019s struggling offense awoke to beat struggling Navy 34-26 on Thursday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutile, making his second straight start in place of the injured Logan Marchi, completed 22 of 30 passes with one interception as Temple (4-5, 2-3 American Athletic Conference) snapped a two-game skid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe lost a heartbreaker two weeks ago and we had 10 days to really get together as a team and regroup,\u201d Nutile said. \u201cWe have this mindset that it\u2019s a championship game very week. So it feels really good to win a game like this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adonis Jennings had five catches for 127 yards, including touchdown catches of 34 and 40 yards. Keith Kirkwood and Jake Robinson also caught TDs for the Owls, who entered averaging just 20.9 points a game, 112th best in the FBS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter Nutile, who praised his offensive line by saying \u201cI maybe got hit once all game\u201d as he picked apart Navy\u2019s secondary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe knew what a competitor he was. We knew how smart he was,\u201d Collins said of his junior QB. \u201cBut just the command he had over the offense and his gamesmanship, I\u2019m really proud of him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navy quarterback Zach Abey, who sustained a concussion in a loss to Central Florida on Oct. 21, rushed for 87 yards and caught a touchdown pass on trick play before leaving with a shoulder injury. The Midshipmen (5-3, 3-3) rushed for 136 yards, well below their nation-best average of 376, in their third straight loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have any excuses,\u201d Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. \u201cWe were rested. We had a lot of guys back. They beat the crap out of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t