Simon accounts for 6 TDs, Trujillo's 64-yard FG spurs Temple to 45-29 rally past Utah State

Sep 22, 2024, 05:05 am

PHILADELPHIA -- — Evan Simon's 91-yard scoring pass to Dante Wright with four minutes left in the third quarter gave Temple the lead for good and the Owls beat Utah State 45-29 on Saturday.

Simon's scoring play to Wright gave Temple (1-3) a 24-21 lead and helped ignite a three-touchdown Owls fourth quarter. Simon threw a 16-yard score to Daniel Evert with 11:57 left. Later, he tossed a 2-yarder to Peter Clarke with 6:02 left before running it from the 1 for the game's last score with 3:22 remaining.

Simon threw for 271 yards and five touchdowns and ran for 49 yards on 11 carries and the touchdown.

Spencer Petras threw for 293 yards and a touchdown for the Aggies (1-3).

Herschel Turner ran it in from the 4 to start the second quarter for a 7-0 Utah State lead. Three minutes later, Petras threw a 26-yard touchdown to Jalen Royals for a two-score lead. Temple countered when Simon threw a 32-yard score to Antonio Jones with 7:50 before halftime. With 1:10 remaining before halftime, Simon threw a 17-yard touchdown to Antwain Littleton to tie it.

Less than a minute later, Utah State went back up when Rahsul Faison ran it in from 20 yards out. Temple then reduced the deficit to 21-17 when Maddux Trujillo kicked a 64-yard field goal as time expired before intermission.

The kick is the longest made field goal at the top level of college football since 2008 when UTEP’s Jose Martinez hit a 64-yard field goal. It’s also the longest kick in the history of Lincoln Financial Field in either a college football or NFL game. Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott held the previous record with a 61-yard field goal.

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