It would be easy to think that the members of the UConn football team believe there are bonus points for a higher degree of difficulty.

Beginning with a 31-10 loss to Louisville on Nov. 8, UConn has surrendered multiple non-offensive touchdowns in three of the last 10 games including the two defensive touchdowns Boise State scored in a 38-21 loss on Sept. 13 and the two defensive scores and safety surrendered to Temple today.

"Sixteen uncontested points (on two defensive touchdowns and a safety) make it impossible to win, period," Diaco said. 

"You have some exposure there that creates some of those circumstances," Diaco said. "We are unhappy with the four explosive play passes (allowed) because that is just not what we do. We don't have our defense structured to give up explosive play passes so when they had the four explosive play passes, that was disappointing. They only really had two scoring drives, the other field goals were plus-field setups and we gave up 16 uncontested points. We are all disappointed. 

"We are not crushed, players understand what we are going to do. We have a bye week and we are going to concentrate on getting better."

The win was extra special to Temple junior linebacker Tyler Matakevich, a Stratford native and former St. Joseph High standout.

"We just stuck to our game plan and we get stronger as the game went on," Matakevich said. "We knew the defense was going to keep us in the game. We were playing excellent on defense and that is what we do, that is our brand. We are going to make big plays. It was just a matter of time before P.J. and the guys got things rolling."

Former Ansonia High star Arkeel Newsome drew a charge from the home crowd when he took a screen pass, shook off a tackle at the 30 and zig zagged his way across the field for a 74-yard touchdown.

Any momentum the Huskies might have gotten ended when after a defensive stop, Temple pinned the Huskies at the 2. On the next play there was miscommunication between Whitmer and Newsome resulting in Matakevich getting credit for the safety.

"I thought they were going to blow the play dead because they had people moving on the line and as soon as I saw them stop, I filled the hole and I just whacked him," Matakevich said. "The next thing you know you see the ref putting up the (safety) signal and we started going nuts."

UConn lost starting safety Obi Melifonwu to an upper body injury in the second quarter as he attempted to make a tackle. He immediately came off the field with his shoulder slumped.

"I'd say it is not insignificant," Diaco said. "I would say that he is probably going to be classified as injured. I just don't know if it is going to be day to day of it is going to persist."

UConn  played without punter Justin Wain, who suffered a lower-leg injury in Thursday's practice. 

Geremy Davis, who led UConn with eight catches for 80 yards, left the game but Diaco said is was merely an issue with dehydration and he could have returned to the game. UConn did run for a season-high 133 yards and Marquise Vann led UConn with nine tackles.