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Davis, Spiller key Clemson rout of Temple

Oct 13, 2006 - 2:47 AM CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- After a nail-biter last weekend, James Davis, C.J. Spiller and Will Proctor sparked Clemson to a laugher.

Davis and Spiller combined to rush for five touchdowns and Proctor threw for two scores - all in the first half - to lead the 12th-ranked Tigers to a 63-9 victory over Temple in a non-conference matchup at Bank of America Stadium.

Last Saturday, Clemson (6-1) rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun host Wake Forest, 27-17. On Thursday, the fourth-quarter was strictly garbage time.

"We played a clean game tonight," Tigers coach Tommy Bowden said. "We didn't commit a whole lot of penalties, which I was pleased with."

Jake Brownell kicked a 27-yard field goal less than two minutes into the game to give Temple a 3-0 lead. It would be the Owls' only lead and it would be short lived.

"That's obviously a team that's too big, too fast and too tough for us right now at this stage," Owls coach Al Golden said. "And that's the truth. Maybe a lot of people don't want to hear that that's the truth. That's a good team right there that we played."

Clemson scored touchdowns on each of its seven possessions in the first half. Davis answered Temple's field goal with an eight-yard TD run and after Spiller scored from a yard out, Davis added a two-yard TD for a 21-3 lead with 4:30 left in the opening quarter.

The second quarter was more of the same, only this time Proctor got involved as well, throwing a six-yard TD pass to Alex Pearson and a 55-yard scoring strike to Jacoby Ford. Davis and Spiller each added another rushing TD in the quarter as Clemson opened a 49-3 lead at the half.

"I told the team, 'Don't go play Temple, just go play football,'" Bowden said. "They needed to just come out and take care of business."

Davis finished with 138 yards on just nine carries and Spiller ran for 73 on 12 carries with both backs sitting out the second half. Proctor also saw only two quarters of action and completed 8-of-9 passes for 151 yards.

"This game played out exactly like we wanted it to," Proctor said. "The offense has a great deal of confidence."

Temple (0-7), which has lost 19 straight games, fell to 0-3 all-time against Clemson.

"This is clearly the best Clemson team," Golden said. "I can't recommend what they do but all I know is this - they are running the ball with power and authority right now."