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Font ResizeThe ride took a significant dip in a 47-17 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday.
The Owls allowed the Panthers to roll up 528 yards of total offense and were never really in it, bookending a nightmarish second half in a loss to Rutgers last week with an opening half against Pitt that was just as frustrating.
Temple (3-4, 2-2 Big East) actually led the Scarlet Knights 10-0 before getting swamped 35-10. The malaise continued on a wet day at Heinz Field when the Panthers (4-4, 1-3) raced to a 31-7 halftime lead and cruised.
"We gave up some obviously tremendously big plays, fast-hitting plays," Addazio said. "Certainly, we started that game out as poorly as you would want to."
The Owls have been competitive in their return to the Big East after getting kicked out nearly a decade ago, but looked a step slow trying to hem in Pitt running back Ray Graham.
The senior running back finished with 180 yards of total offense—109 rushing and 71 receiving—as the Panthers finally broke through after starting their last season in the Big East with three straight losses.
"(Graham) knows what we needed and we needed him to be good," Pitt coach Paul Chryst said.
Quarterback Tino Sunseri passed for 321 yards and three scores, Rushel Shell added 79 yards rushing and a touchdown and Pitt's defense kept Temple under wraps until the game was well in hand.
Montel Harris ran for 72 yards and a touchdown for the Owls, but Temple simply couldn't keep pace.
"We made some plays, but it wasn't enough," wide receiver Jalen Fitzpatrick said. "And we made too many mistakes that took away some of the big plays that we made. So, we were just too inconsistent today on offense, and that was a big difference for us."
Chryst urged his players to attack the Owls with a sense of urgency following a lethargic victory against Buffalo last week, and the Panthers responded with perhaps their most dominant performance of the season.
Not surprisingly, Graham led the charge as Pitt won its first conference game in almost 11 months.
Temple did its best to give the Panthers a lift. The Owls stuffed Pitt on the game's opening possession, but Temple gave it right back when the ensuing punt glanced off Anthony Robey and Pitt's Eric Williams fell on it at the Temple 39.
Seven plays later, the Panthers were in front when Shell bulled over from a yard out, and Pitt was just getting started. Sunseri capped a 90-yard drive the next time the Panthers had the ball with an 18-yard strike to J.P. Holtz. Graham accounted for 50 yards on the drive, including a 33-yard screen pass that put the Owls on their heels.
Temple responded by pulling within 14-7 on Chris Coyer's 9-yard touchdown pass to Cody Booth, but it was merely a speed bump for Pitt, which showcased just how far it has come under Chryst.
The Panthers started the season with losses to FCS member Youngstown State and Cincinnati. Pitt barely looked competitive against the Bearcats and uncertain of itself.
Six weeks later, Pitt is humming. That crispness was never more evident than in the second quarter, when the Panthers scored 17 points to grab control.
Graham walked in from 1 yard out to put Pitt up 24-7 with 2:32 to go in the half and the Panthers forced Temple to punt, getting the ball back at the Pitt 38 with 1:09 to go before the break.
The two-minute offense had been a major issue for the Panthers earlier in the season. Not on Saturday. Sunseri guided Pitt 62 yards in six plays. He hit Devin Street for a key 35-yard gain, then found Graham in the flat for a 4-yard touchdown pass that put the Panthers in charge 31-7.
Though the Owls steadied themselves in the second half, they never got closer than 17 while Pitt resurrected its hopes of making a bowl game for the fifth straight season. Temple still needs to win three of its final five games to play beyond Nov. 23.
"I don't really look that far ahead," Addazio said. "Our goal was to win the (conference) opener and get bowl eligible and that goal is still in front of us."
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Follow Will Graves at http://www.twitter.com/WillGravesAP
