Pierce totaled 121 yards rushing on 30 carries. His second touchdown, a 4-yarder with 8:05 left in the first half, was the 40th of his career. Paul Palmer had 39 touchdowns for the Owls from 1983-86.
Matt Brown added 15 carries for 114 yards and a score, and Chris Coyer had a 74-yard touchdown run on his only carry for Temple (4-2, 2-1 Mid-American Conference), which was playing its first-ever game in Muncie. Chester Stewart threw for 160 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown to Joe Jones for the Owls' first score.
Ball State (3-3, 1-1) could manage nothing offensively. Keith Wenning threw for 155 yards but was intercepted twice and lost a fumble. Jahwan Edwards led the Cardinals with 66 yards rushing.
