Pierce was listed as doubtful with a shoulder injury but finished with 212 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries. So far, Pierce has passed former Owls star Paul Palmer's freshman record for total yards with 766 on 135 carries. Palmer's old mark was 628. Pierce also has topped Palmer's freshman mark for touchdowns. Pierce now has nine; Palmer had six.

"Its always good to know you're breaking records and being good as a freshman," Pierce said. "I'm just doing it for the team and for the seniors who are about to graduate."

The Owls (5-2, 4-0 MAC) entered the weekend tied with Ohio for first in the division, but the Bobcats (5-3, 3-1 MAC) lost, 20-11, yesterday to Kent State. Toledo (4-4, 2-2 MAC) is now tied for third place in the West Division.

Temple junior quarterback Vaughn Charlton completed 11 of 20 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns.

"It feels good for right now," Charlton said. "It's a big win for us. We're going to enjoy it tonight on the plane ride home, and first thing tomorrow morning were going to look forward to our next opponent [Navy]."

Although Temple dominated much of the action in the first half, outrushing Toledo, 110 yards to 13, the Owls led by just 23-17 at intermission.

Temple opened some daylight on the scoreboard when Owls senior Alex Joseph picked off Toledo's Alex Pettee and returned the ball 39 yards to the Rockets' 7-yard line. Temple capitalized when Pierce ran it 2 yards to give Temple a 30-17 lead.

On its next possession, Temple drove 30 yards in nine plays, with Brandon McManus kicking a 29-yard field goal.

The Rockets drove 64 yards in 13 plays on their next possession, but a 5-yard catch by Eric Page fell 1 yard short on fourth down.

Temple sealed the win with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Charlton to senior Jason Harper.

Early in the game, Charlton capped off the first Owls drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Michael Campbell. Pierce provided the second Owls TD, a 1-yard carry, to give Temple a 13-0 lead.

Toledo scored on the ensuing kickoff on an 85-yard return, but Pierce broke loose on a 39-yard run in the second quarter to go over 100 yards rushing and give the Owls a 20-7 lead.

The teams traded field goals before the Rockets made it a one-score game with 38 seconds left in the first half on a 6-yard run by DaJuane Collins.