ESPN College Football

Bowl season kicked off with Temple capping one of the best seasons in school history in a 37-15 win Saturday over Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, N.M. Here's how it went down:

Turning point: Chris Coyer hit Rod Streater for a 61-yard touchdown pass to give Temple a 28-7 lead with 19 seconds left in the first half. The play came just 18 seconds after Brett Smith and Josh Doctson hooked up for a 21-yard score to get Wyoming on the board and perhaps give the Cowboys some momentum heading into the second half. No dice, as the Owls immediately responded. As a consolation, Wyoming did get possibly the most entertaining extra point of the season, as Daniel Sullivan's kick hit both uprights before falling through for the Cowboys' seventh point of the game.

Stat of the game: Temple rushed for 255 yards and did not turn the ball over. That was key for the Owls, who entered the game with the nation's No. 7 rushing attack. Wyoming, meanwhile, did little to improve its 115th-ranked rush defense, which entered the game giving up more than 230 yards on the ground per game.

Player of the game: In what may have been his final collegiate game, Bernard Pierce rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. The junior carried it 10 times on Temple's first two series, which both finished with him in the end zone. Coyer deserves plenty of credit as well, as he completed 8 of 12 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown while adding 70 rushing yards on just 12 carries.

What it means: The winningest senior class in Temple history notched the program's second-ever bowl win and the Owls' first in 32 years since they won the Garden State Bowl in 1979. Coach Steve Addazio received a Gatorade shower for his team's performance. The Owls finished the season with nine wins, including the last four in a row. Temple is -- at the moment, at least -- the most stable college football program in the state of Pennsylvania, and the Owls have tons of momentum heading into Year 2 of the Addazio era.

The prediction is in the books. Now it's time to look at the keys for Temple and Wyoming for Saturday's New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque.

Temple (8-4)

1. Establish Bernard Pierce early. The junior keys the nation's No. 7 rushing offense and is facing a weak run defense against the Cowboys.

2. Get to Brett Smith. The strength of the Owls' defense is their pass rush. They lead the MAC in sacks and are 17th nationally. Smith has been impressive for a true freshman quarterback and has a strong offensive line in front of him, presenting a challenge for Temple.

3. Don't be overwhelmed by the moment. This is not a top-tier bowl, but it is a big platform for Temple, which is riding a three-game winning streak and might be the most stable program in Pennsylvania at the moment. In going for their first bowl win since 1979, at the EagleBank Bowl in 2009, the Owls blew a 21-7 lead to UCLA and gained just 41 second-half yards in a 30-21 loss. Temple could generate plenty of momentum with a win Saturday, which would be huge for first-year coach Steve Addazio to build off.

Wyoming (8-4)

1. Win the turnover battle. Easier said than done against a Temple offense tied for third in the nation in fewest turnovers lost, with 12. But Wyoming's front-seven will simply need to make big plays against Pierce and Co., as the matchup heavily favors Temple on the ground. The Cowboys are fifth in the nation in turnover margin, at plus-15.

2. Contain Evan Rodriguez. The tight end is Temple's leading receiver, with 33 catches and 427 yards on the season. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder provides a big target for sophomore Chris Coyer, who will likely be making the fourth start of his career.

3. Send Gabe Knapton out strong. Three different positions and 49 career games have led to to 361 career tackles for the current end, who is 10th among active players and sixth in Mountain West Conference history. Knapton and his Abe Lincoln-like beard will take the field for the final time Saturday.

Temple and Wyoming are meeting for the second time in the schools' histories. The Cowboys topped the Owls, 38-23, on Sept. 1, 1990. Temple is bowl-eligible for the third straight season and is looking for its first bowl win since the Garden State Bowl in 1979, which marked the only bowl win in school history. Coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2010, Wyoming, meanwhile, is looking to end 2011 on a strong note after completing the third-biggest turnaround among FBS teams this season.

WHO TO WATCH: Bernard Pierce. Could this be it for Pierce? Arguably the most prolific running back in Temple history, Pierce rushed for 1,381 yards and 25 touchdowns (third-best in the nation) this season despite missing one game with a concussion. For his career, the junior has school records of 52 touchdowns and 312 points scored. His 3,470 career rushing yards are second. Pierce is coming off a career-best 189-yard performance in the Owls' regular-season finale against Kent State. He has submitted paperwork for the NFL advisory board.

WHAT TO WATCH: Wyoming's rush defense. The decorated Pierce could have a field day against the Cowboys, who rank 115th nationally in rush defense, allowing more than 230 yards on the ground per game. Wyoming does, however, have a knack for the ball, forcing 31 turnovers this season, good for fifth-best in the nation. It is also tied for fifth in the nation in turnover margin, at plus-15.

WHY TO WATCH: This five-year-old bowl is pitting eight-win teams against each other for the first time in its history. Wyoming is going for its first nine-win season since its 10-2 campaign in 1996. The Cowboys played in the New Mexico Bowl two years ago and upset Fresno State, 35-28, in a double-overtime thriller. The winningest senior class in Temple history (30), meanwhile, is looking to finish strong and clinch the fourth nine-win season in school history.

PREDICTION: Temple 38, Wyoming 21. Better late than never, right? Seeking its first bowl win in 32 years, Temple's flight to Albuquerque was delayed Wednesday, forcing the team to move back its practice time and then be late for a welcome reception and dinner. The Owls have the best player on the field in Pierce. They have the third-best scoring defense in the country. And they're riding a three-game winning streak and string of success unparalleled in school history.

Temple Owls (8-4) vs. Wyoming Cowboys (8-4)

Dec. 17, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Temple take: The Owls are back in a bowl under first-year coach Steve Addazio. They were bowl eligible last year but were not picked as an at-large selection. Running back Bernard Pierce has been incredible yet again. He earned All-MAC first-team honors, rushing for 1,381 yards and 25 touchdowns -- including a stellar 5.6 yards per carry.

They also have an outstanding backup, Matt Brown, who was a third-team conference selection for contributing 867 yards and five scores. Together they have teamed up to lead the nation's No. 7 rushing offense with 256.6 yards on the ground per game. Temple has had some quarterback issues, however, rotating through Chris Coyer, Mike Gerardi and Chester Stewart. Coyer is more of a fit for what Addazio likes to run with the spread, but he got hurt in the finale against Kent State, so Stewart and Gerardi are once again in the mix for the bowl game. Gerardi actually came into the year as the starter, but until the Kent State finale, hadn't played since Week 3.

Linebacker Stephen Johnson paces a stingy Owls' defense with 62 stops on the year. They allow just 13.8 points per game -- third nationally in scoring defense -- while allowing 122.5 rushing yards per game.

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Wyoming take: Quite the surprise season from the Cowboys from Laramie. When last year's quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels -- the 2009 conference freshman of the year -- announced he was transferring, many thought Wyoming would sink. But freshman quarterback Brett Smith has been fantastic in his first season, rallying Wyoming to a eight wins -- including signature road wins at San Diego State and at Air Force. Ironically, Smith likely wins the Mountain West's freshman of the year award once held by his predecessor.

Wyoming lost top wide receiver Chris McNeill, who suffered a season-ending arm injury last month against Air Force, but Mazi Ogbonna has filled the void as best he can, catching 39 balls and three touchdowns on the year.

Despite good defensive numbers from Luke Ruff, Brian Hendricks and Gabe Knapton, the Cowboys give up a lot of yards -- 432.25 per game. They rank 115th nationally in rush defense, yielding 230.8 yards per game on the ground.

Turnovers are the name of the game for the Cowboys, who rank fourth nationally in turnover margin with 31 takeaways on the season -- recovering 18 fumbles and 13 interceptions.