Cincinnati 14, Temple 6: Gunner Kiel threw for 174 yards and a touchdown and the Bearcats' defense stood tall in a win over the host Owls.

Mike Boone added 62 rushing yards and a TD for Cincinnati (8-3, 6-1 AAC), which moved into a three-way tie with Memphis and Central Florida for top spot in the conference. Kiel finished 19-of-31 while Mekale McKay led the Bearcats with six catches for 39 yards and a score.

P.J. Walker went 19-of-35 for 196 yards for Temple (5-6, 3-4), which has dropped five of six and needs a win in next week's regular-season finale at Tulane to become bowl-eligible. Jalen Fitzpatrick was the lone bright spot on offense, hauling in nine passes for 77 yards.

The Bearcats did all of their damage in the second quarter, erasing a 3-0 lead on Kiel's 3-yard toss to McKay near the left edge of the end zone 2:21 into the frame. Boone made it a 14-3 game with 28 seconds left in the half, punching it in from 1 yard out to cap a nine-play, 63-yard drive that took just 1:37 to complete.

The Owls looked to respond midway through the third quarter, but had to settle for a 31-yard Austin Jones field goal despite orchestrating a 14-play drive that took more than five minutes off the clock. Jones then missed a 27-yarder on Temple's next possession, and the Owls didn't threaten to score again.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Bearcats have allowed just six combined points in their last two games following a wild 54-46 win over East Carolina on Nov. 13. ... Cincinnati finishes its regular season Saturday at home against Houston. ... The teams combined to go 8-for-30 on third downs.