PHILADELPHIA — Temple lost to USF on Nov. 14, but the Owls beat out the Bulls for the bigger distinction that both programs were aiming for.
Jahad Thomas ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns and P.J. Walker threw for 160 yards and a score to help No. 25 Temple beat Connecticut 27-3 Saturday night and secure a spot in the American Athletic Conference's inaugural championship game.
Had the Huskies pulled off the upset, USF would have earned the East Division title based on a tiebreaker. Temple finished 7-1 in the conference; USF was 6-2.
Romond Deloatch caught a touchdown for the Owls, who play at No. 21 Houston for the AAC title on Saturday with a New Year's Six bowl bid possibly at stake for the winner.
Temple reached 10 wins for just the second time in program history, capping a three-year turnaround under coach Matt Rhule that includes winning the AAC East Division.
UConn, playing without starting quarterback Bryant Shirreffs, struggled offensively. The Huskies gained 138 total yards, including 9 rushing. It was the fourth time this season the Owls held an opponent under 200 total yards.
Memphis 63, SMU 0: Paxton Lynch tied the Division I-A record with seven touchdown passes in a half, and the host Tigers set single-season records for yards and points.
Lynch hit seven receivers on his scoring passes and finished 9 of 14 for 222 yards — all in the first half — as the Tigers raced to a 56-0 lead. His seven passing scores set an American Athletic Conference single-game record, and his 28 passing touchdowns on the season are best in school history. Lynch's previous single-game high for TD passes was four.
Memphis had lost three in a row after an 8-0 start. The Tigers had 6,125 yards and 512 points for the season.
SMU struggled to muster any offense, totaling 97 yards and committing five turnovers. The Mustangs lost four fumbles, including two returned by the Tigers for touchdowns.
Cincinnati 19, E. Carolina 16: Andrew Gantz kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired to win it for the visiting Bearcats. Gantz missed a 44-yard attempt on the Bearcats' previous possession, but Cincinnati forced a three and out.
The Pirates failed in their bid to become bowl eligible.
Gunner Kiel drove Cincinnati to the Pirates' 25-yard line and Gantz hit his second winning field goal against East Carolina in as many years. Kiel was 30 of 47 for 270 yards with a touchdown and interception.
After Gantz hit a 50-yarder, East Carolina tied it at 16 when James Summers found Bryce Williams for a 2-yard score. But Summers was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play — a 15-yard penalty — and Davis Plowman missed the longer extra point try.