Temple 24, Ball St. 19

Published Oct. 10, 2009 9:45 p.m. ET

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Pierce's short touchdown runs allowed the Owls to hold off a second-half charge by the Cardinals, who had had taken a third-quarter lead with 13 unanswered points.

Temple (3-2) has won three straight games to run its unbeaten Mid-American Conference record to 3-0. The Cardinals fell to 0-6 (0-2 MAC).

Pierce added a third game to a record he set last week, when he became the first freshman in school history to rush for 100 yards in two straight games.

The Owls led 10-0 after a 27-yard field goal from Brandon McManus and a 28-yard touchdown pass from Vaughn Charlton to James Nixon. Ball State's.

Dan Ifft caught a two-yard pass as time expired, for Ball State's final score.