ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Before even walking onto Temple's practice field as a freshman, Phillip Walker told Owls coach Matt Rhule that he was going to bring home a championship.
The talented quarterback finally lived up to that promise as a senior.
Walker threw a pair of touchdown passes and the Owls contained No. 19 Navy's high-powered triple option for a 34-10 victory in the American Athletic Conference championship game Saturday.
Temple (10-3) won a league title for the first time since 1967. The loss by the Midshipmen (9-3) ensures that undefeated Western Michigan will earn the coveted spot in the Cotton Bowl as the Group of 5 champion.
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"If it means one thing, it means a promise has been fulfilled," Rhule said. "The true thing for me about this is just to have these players to be able to call themselves champions. Because that's the way they live their lives. When you win this conference, you've done something special. This is a fantastic conference with great teams from top to bottom."
Temple also snapped the Midshipmen's 15-game home winning streak at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, which was tied with Houston for the longest home mark in the nation.
"They just played better than we did," Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "It wasn't schematic, they just beat the crap out of us. There wasn't a magic wand. They just hit us in the mouth. And we hadn't been hit in the mouth in a long time. Normally we hit other people in the mouth.
"To Temple's credit, they hit us in the mouth. We were dazed the whole game. It's like the hit us with an overhand right on offense early on and we didn't respond."
Navy quarterback Will Worth injured his ankle early in the second quarter and later appeared on the sidelines with crutches and an air cast on his left foot. After the game, Navy confirmed Worth's season is over.
Prior to being injured, Worth set the school record with 2,595 yards of total offense this season.
Both of Walker's touchdown passes came in the first half, including a 56-yard strike to Keith Kirkwood that gave the Owls a 21-0 early in the second quarter.
"I know how fast Kirkwood is," said Walker, who was 15 of 25 for 199 yards. "I know he can get behind a defense. So, I just gave him the opportunity get the ball in his hands and he made a great play."
The Midshipmen also lost three slotbacks, Darryl Bonner (head), Dishan Romine (leg) and Toneo Gulley (ankle), to injuries.
Navy sophomore backup quarterback Zach Abey was forced into his first action and completed 7 of 13 passes for 104 yards with two interceptions. Abey had a 47-yard run late in the third quarter to give the Mids a spark. He then scored from 1 yard to cut the margin to 24-10 with 2:18 left in the third quarter.
"I felt pretty comfortable, especially getting reps the last few weeks," Abey said. "I run the second huddle and see the same looks we are going up against each week. Will helped me throughout the game today to make me as comfortable as I could be in the game. It was just hard to get the ball rolling."
The Mids' defense was more effective in the second half before wearing down. A 30-yard touchdown run by Ryquell Armstead provided the 34-10 margin with 3:04 left in the game.
Navy entered the game ranked second nationally in rushing offense with 342 yards per game. However, the Owls held the Mids to just 168 yards on the ground.
"We just wanted to go out there and dominate each and every play," Owls linebacker Sean Chandler said. "There wasn't a player we were focused on. We just wanted to play good defense."
NOTES: Navy had two turnovers in the first half, which equaled their total over the past in five games. ... Temple advanced to the conference championship for the second consecutive season. The Owls lost to Houston 24-13 in last year's title game. ... Owls LB Avery Williams was ejected for targeting in the second quarter. ... Navy takes on archrival Army next week and will then play in the Armed Forces Bowl.
