Temple Owls headed to Boca Raton Bowl to face Toledo Rockets

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Though the Temple Owls did not walk away as AAC Champions, they are going to a bowl game - the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl to be precise.

Temple will take on the Toledo Rockets at 7 p.m. Dec. 22 in Boca Raton, Florida.

24th-ranked Temple fell to the Houston Cougars 24-13 in the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championship game on Saturday.

Temple (10-3) had a chance to get within a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but Jeremy Winchester knocked down a pass in the end zone and the Owls settled for a field goal that made it 24-13.

They had two more chances to cut the deficit after that, but were stopped on fourth down both times.

"This isn't deflating," Temple coach Matt Rhule said. "This is one of the most positive days in Temple football history. I wish we would have won, but we got down, and our kids fought back. Disappointed, yes, but we are going to play in a bowl game."

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.