Cale Hellums has 3 TD runs to rally Army over Temple 21-17 in Owls' American Conference opener

PHILADELPHIA -- — Quarterback Cale Hellums rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns to lead Army over Temple 21-17 on Friday in the Owls' American Conference opener. Hellums rushed 22 times for the Black Knights (2-1, 1-1), who piled up 281 yards on the ground and beat the Owls (1-3) for a fifth straight time. The senior completed 3 of 6 passes for 36 yards. Hellums marched Army 77 yards in 12 plays on their first possession, scoring on a 15-yard run for a 7-0 lead. The drive took 7:10 off the clock. The Owls answered on the second play of the ensuing drive when Samuel Brown V caught a short pass from Ajari Sheppard and turned it into a 78-yard touchdown for a 7-7 tie that stood through halftime. Hellums picked up 20 yards on a fourth-and-4 pass to Godspower Nwawuihe then scored on a 12-yard run on the next play for a 14-7 lead in the third quarter. Sheppard fired a 67-yard scoring strike to Colin Chase four plays later to tie it 14-all heading to the fourth. Carl Hardin kicked a 29-yard field goal at the end of an 88-yard drive and Temple led 17-14 with 7:38 left. Hellums finished a 12-play 72-yard drive — that took 6:02 off the clock — with a 3-yard run for the go-ahead score. Sheppard totaled 243 yards and two touchdowns on 11-for-20 passing in his first career start. The senior transfer from Washington State spent his first two seasons at Rutgers and had two career pass attempts — both completions — entering play. Brown had 96 yards on 10 carries. Temple head coach K.C. Keeler said the Sept. 29 AC/DC show at Lincoln Financial Field was a factor in the Owls agreeing to move the game to Friday. Up next Army: At Louisiana Tech on Oct. 3. Temple: At South Florida on Oct. 3. ------ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here. Visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here.