Monday Morning Quarterback: Temple turns progress into proof with upset of South Florida
Tagged under: Pennsylvania Colleges, Temple
Mike Livingston | October 5, 2026
Temple spent the previous two weeks insisting it was closer than its 1-3 record suggested.
Eventually, coach K.C. Keeler admitted the Owls had to prove it.
They did Saturday, beating previously undefeated South Florida 17-13 on the road. Temple still made mistakes — a potential pick-six was erased by an offsides penalty, and Ajani Sheppard fumbled near the goal line — but unlike in losses to Toledo and Army, those moments didn’t snowball.
Keeler said Monday that Temple panicked when things went against it at Toledo, showed improvement against Army, and finally got the result to match that progress at South Florida.
Sheppard’s response shows growth
Sheppard’s late fumble could have become another defining mistake.
Instead, his response became one of Temple’s clearest examples of growth.
The quarterback was approaching the end zone in the third quarter when South Florida knocked the ball loose and recovered for a touchback. The Bulls eventually took a 13-10 lead, putting Temple in the same type of late-game position that had ended the previous two weeks badly.
Sheppard didn’t stay stuck on the mistake.
On Temple’s eventual go-ahead drive, he broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run that put the Owls ahead for good. Two days later, Sheppard said his teammates helped him immediately move forward.
“I’ve got a job to do,” Sheppard said. “I just have to move on to the next play.”
Keeler saw the same thing from the sideline. Rather than distancing themselves from Sheppard after the turnover, teammates surrounded him and assured him Temple would get another opportunity.
Those are moments Keeler believes players have to experience before they can grow from them.
Against Toledo, one mistake often led to another. Against USF, Temple finally stopped allowing one bad play to dictate the next one.
Offensive-line rotation paid off late
Temple’s offensive line has spent much of the season dealing with injuries and constant movement.
South Florida offered the clearest glimpse yet of what the unit could look like with more available bodies.
Temple used seven offensive linemen, including Eric King, who made his season debut. Kevin Terry took snaps at both tackle spots, allowing the Owls to rotate players more frequently rather than leaving the same five on the field for the entire night.
Keeler believes that mattered in the fourth quarter.
“I thought our offensive line was fresher,” Keeler said. “I think that helped us a lot.”
That freshness showed up when Temple needed it most.
The Owls took possession at their own 4-yard line late in the fourth quarter and drove 96 yards for the winning touchdown. Sheppard credited the blocking in front of him for opening the lane on his scoring run.
The rotation remains a work in progress, but getting King healthy gave offensive-line coach Al Johnson options Temple did not have earlier in the season.
Keeler said King’s return allowed Temple to rotate guards and tackles, something he hopes can eventually extend to Jackson Pruitt’s spot as well.
Temple needs to find a pass rush
Temple’s defense was good enough to win at South Florida.
Keeler still sees an obvious problem entering Saturday’s matchup with UConn: the pass rush.
Temple has been comfortable rotating several cornerbacks, but Keeler said their effectiveness against UConn will depend heavily on whether the defensive front can make quarterback Joe Fagnano uncomfortable.
“The big key is getting a pass rush,” Keeler said. “This week, we have to get an actual pass rush.”
Keeler described UConn’s quarterback as a 6-foot-4 passer who wants to stay in the pocket, continues looking downfield under pressure, and can become dangerous with his legs when necessary.
Temple’s win at USF supplied what Keeler called “proof of concept.”
Now, against another team that has lived through close losses of its own, the Owls have to prove that progress can carry from one week to the next.
