Game Of Inches As Army Takes Down Temple, 14-13
Army vs. Temple — First Half Recap
If there’s one way to describe the first half of the Army–Temple contest, it would be a defensive battle — or, depending on your perspective, two offenses struggling to find rhythm.
For this homecoming game for Army, the offense was virtually grounded through the air, registering zero passing yards in the first half. Some might say it was a product of two tough, disciplined defenses; others might point to inconsistent execution on both sides of the ball.
The Black Knights were without emerging running back Briggs Bartosh, who has been gaining momentum in recent weeks. But in his absence, fullback Jake Rendina stepped up in a big way — his 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave Army an early 7–0 lead.
Temple responded with a sustained drive of their own, capped by quarterback Evan Simon connecting with tight end Peter Clarke on a 4th-and-goal play-action pass, tying the game at 7–7 with 4:03 remaining in the half.
Then, as time expired in the second quarter, the Owls added a short field goal to take a 10–7 lead into halftime.
It should be noted that there were no turnovers in the 1st half for either team.
2nd Half Tug of War
To open the third quarter, Army came out firing on all cylinders, engineering a 14-play, 75-yard drive that showcased both balance and patience. Quarterback Cale Hellums capped it off with a 3-yard touchdown run, giving the Black Knights a 14–10 lead.
Late in the third quarter — with just :24 seconds remaining — Temple responded with a field goal following a 12-play, 68-yard drive that consumed over six minutes of clock. However, the Army defense stood tall, preventing the Owls from finding the end zone and preserving a narrow 14–13 advantage heading into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, the tug of war continued, as the Black Knights’ defense once again halted Temple’s opening possession. From there, Hellums and the Army offense took command, orchestrating a methodical, clock-draining drive that sealed the victory — and perhaps more importantly, showcased the team’s trademark discipline and toughness in closing out tight contests.
Offensive Notables: Hellums finished the game with 118 yards and one touchdown, while Rendina rushed for 42 yards and one touchdown. ILB Andon Thomas led the defense with eight total tackles with one TFL.
Post-Game (Army-Temple) with Head Coach Jeff Monken (11/8/25)
Post-Game (Army-Temple) with QB Cale Hellums (11/8/25)
Post Game (Army-Temple) Analysis with GBK’s Analyst Joe Iacono (11/8) with guest Alex Aukerman
Drive Summary
| Army | 0 – 7 11:21 – 2nd | Rendina,Jake rush middle for 7 yards to the TEM00, TOUCHDOWN. (Jones,Dawson kick attempt good.) ARMY drive 13 plays 73 yards 7:49 |
| Temple | 7 – 7 4:07 – 2nd | Simon,Evan left pass complete to Chase,Colin for 2 yards to the AWP00, TOUCHDOWN. (Hardin,Carl kick attempt good.) TEMPLE drive 13 plays 75 yards 7:16 |
| Temple | 10 – 7 0:01 – 2nd | Hardin,Carl field goal attempt from 24 GOOD, AWP wins the toss and chooses receive. TEMPLE drive 6 plays 47 yards 0:26 |
| Army | 10 – 14 6:44 – 3rd | Hellums,Cale rush right for 3 yards to the TEM00, TOUCHDOWN. (Jones,Dawson kick attempt good.) ARMY WEST POINT drive 14 plays 75 yards 8:21 |
| Temple | 13 – 14 0:24 – 3rd | Hardin,Carl field goal attempt from 31 GOOD. TEMPLE drive 12 plays 68 yards 6:11 |
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Temple | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Army | 0 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 14 |
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