Temple defeats South Florida in its return to the Big East

Drenched from a celebratory Gatorade bath, Steve Addazio couldn't stop smiling.

"It is Temple back in the Big East Conference, our first Big East game," the Owls coach said. "We made a statement that we are headed in the right direction, and that we will be a valued member in the conference."

Saturday afternoon was a moment everyone involved with Temple football can enjoy for some time.

Thanks to clutch plays by tailback Montel Harris and special teamer Marcus Green, the Owls defeated South Florida, 37-28, at Lincoln Financial Field in their first Big East game since being kicked out of the conference after the 2004 season.

Back then, Temple (2-2, 1-0 Big East) was asked to leave for struggling on the field and at the gate. A charter member of the Big East in 1991, the Owls lost their first 27 conference games and went 14-80 in 14 seasons before being shown the door.

But Temple couldn't start celebrating this win until the final minute.

As the Owls clung to a 30-28 advantage, Green, a senior defensive end, blocked what would have been Maikon Bonani's go-ahead 45-yard field goal with 1 minute, 19 seconds left. Temple's Anthony Robey recovered the ball and returned it to the South Florida 35-yard line.

Harris ran 35 yards on the next play for his second touchdown, both coming in the fourth quarter. Brandon McManus' extra point gave the Owls a nine-point lead with 1:03 remaining.

Bulls quarterback B.J. Daniels, who was slowed by an ankle injury, was intercepted by Temple's Chris Hutton on the first play of the ensuing possession to finish off South Florida's chances.

Harris, who transferred to Temple this summer after a prolific career at Boston College, had 24 carries for a season-best 133 yards. He had 74 of those in the fourth quarter.

Slowed by a sore hamstring, the graduate student came into the game with just 35 yards on 15 carries this season.

"It was just a great team effort," Harris said after rushing for at least 100 yards for the 23d time in his career. "The offensive line was just opening up some holes. It was just a great team win."

Matt Brown, Harris' backfield mate, suffered a game-ending left ankle injury in the fourth quarter. Brown rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown. He's likely to play next week against Connecticut.

South Florida (2-4, 0-1) turned the ball over three times en route to losing its fourth consecutive game. The Bulls have also lost 10 of 11 conference games dating back to November 2010.

Daniels was held to six yards on nine carries. He completed 18 of 31 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown to go with the interception. Seven of his pass attempts were dropped.

"This is everything that we could have wanted," Owls safety Justin Gildea said. "Coming back into the Big East, we were trying to prove that we were a real team.

"And coming off of two losses like that, we had to prove that we could bounce back and get a significant win."