Bednarczyk leads Villanova 19-17 upset of Temple

0:54

Temple blocks field goal and returns it for TD

Temple's Quincy Roche blocks Villanova's field goal attempt and Kimere Brown scoops the ball up and runs 74 yards the other way for a touchdown.

Sep 1, 2018, 09:38 pm

PHILADELPHIA -- Zach Bednarczyk threw three touchdown passes and Jeff Steeb and Elijah Trent had interceptions on Temple's last two possessions to lead Villanova to a 19-17 upset in the season-opening crosstown matchup on Saturday.

Bednarczyk connected with Jarrett McClenton for a 30-yard touchdown on fourth-and-9 midway through the fourth quarter to put the Wildcats on top. Steeb then picked off Frank Nutile, who was making his first start, at the Villanova 32 with 6:45 to play. The Wildcats drained 5 1/2 minutes off the clock before Nathan Fondacaro pinned the Owls at the 1. One the next play Trent made a leaping pick to seal the win.

Villanova, an FCS school, took a 17-16-2 lead over the FBC Owls in the series that dates to 1908. The Wildcats have four wins over FBC teams, all since 2000. They beat Rutgers in 2002 and Temple in 2003 and 2009.

Bednarczyk, who was 29 of 40 for 254 yards with one interception, had touchdown passes of 1 yard to Ryan Bell and 17 yards to Brandon Chadbourn for a 13-3 lead in the first quarter. Kimere Brown returned a punt blocked by Quincy Roche 74 yards for a Temple touchdown midway through the second quarter and it was 13-10 at the half.

The Owls took the lead midway through the third quarter when Nutile threw a 15-pass to Isaiah Wright.