Army Rallies Past Temple 21-17 Behind Carson Smith's Fourth-Quarter Surge
The short version
- Army defeated Temple 21-17 at Lincoln Financial Field, moving to 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the American Athletic Conference; Temple fell to 1-3, 0-1.
- Carson Smith posted career highs with 12 carries and 63 yards, most of it on the game-winning drive.
- Smith entered after Godspower Nwawuihe left with a third-quarter injury and ran six times for 35 yards on the 12-play, 75-yard go-ahead series.
- Cale Hellums scored his third touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run with 1:41 remaining.
Senior fullback Carson Smith ran six times for 35 yards on Army's go-ahead drive after an injury to Godspower Nwawuihe in Philadelphia.
Army edged Temple 21-17 on Friday night at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, overcoming a 17-14 deficit in the fourth quarter. The Black Knights moved to 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the American Athletic Conference, while Temple dropped to 1-3 and 0-1 in league play.
Senior fullback Carson Smith was at the center of the comeback. He finished with career highs of 12 carries and 63 yards, with most of that production coming on the game-winning drive in the final period.
Smith saw his role expand after Godspower Nwawuihe went down with an injury late in the third quarter. Nwawuihe, who gained 3 yards on his final carry, went to the medical tent and then to the locker room. He later returned to the sideline without pads to watch the finish.
Trailing 17-14 with 7:38 remaining, Army mounted a 12-play, 75-yard drive for the decisive score. Smith carried six times for 35 yards on the series and picked up three first downs, including a physical run from the 4-yard line in which he climbed over tackle Henry Appleton and worked into space cleared by center Brady Small to set up first-and-goal.
That effort paved the way for quarterback Cale Hellums' third touchdown of the afternoon, a 3-yard run behind fullback Jake Rendina with 1:41 left to play. Smith credited the offensive line's physical style and said the unit approached the final drive with a finish-first mentality.
Nwawuihe entered the night with a strong season underway, having rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns over Army's first two games. He had drawn attention with an MVP performance in the 2025 Fenway Bowl win over Connecticut, and Temple's defense had limited his effectiveness before he left the game.
Smith has often flown under the radar in a backfield conversation dominated by Hellums, former quarterback Bryson Daily, recent graduate Noah Short, and current fullbacks Rendina and Nwawuihe. Head coach Jeff Monken said the senior's performance was no surprise, noting that toughness was a reason he was recruited.
Hellums said handing the ball to Smith late in the game was motivating, describing the fullback as a trusted player who gains extra yards after contact. Smith added that Army's backfield rotation means being ready whenever the opportunity arrives.
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