PHILADELPHIA -- A huge second half turned a close game into an easy victory for No. 18 SMU Saturday afternoon.

The Mustangs trailed at halftime but rolled in the second half to secure a 47-23 victory over Temple at Lincoln Financial Field. The Mustangs (7-1, 4-1 in AAC) outscored the Owls (1-4, 1-4), 37-10, in the third and fourth quarters and scored 27 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Playing without 15 players because of COVID-19 protocol, Temple couldn't find an answer for SMU's potent offense, which finished with 549 total yards. Shane Buechele threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns, and Tyler Page and Kylen Granson each had 100-yard receiving days.

Much of that came in the second half. SMU only had 192 total yards in the first half.

"We came in at halftime and really challenged them to play harder in the second half, to play with more spirit. I thought we were a little flat," SMU coach Sonny Dykes said. "The guys answered the challenge and really played well in the second half.

"I thought we were pretty sharp in the second half. That was about as well as we played a half of football. We certainly needed it."

Temple drew first blood with a score on the very first play of the game. Trad Beatty threw to Randle Jones, who turned a short pass into a 75-yard catch-and-run down the sideline for a score.

But SMU responded on its first drive with a score of its own. A 10-play, 85- yard drive was capped by a 24-yard pass play from Buechele to Page -- who had two touchdown receptions on Saturday, his first two of the 2020 season.

Temple went into the locker room with a 13-10 halftime lead, but SMU took the lead back for good on its first drive of the third quarter. Buechele connected with Page for a short pass that Page turned into a 44-yard catch-and-run with 12:58 in the quarter.

SMU led, 20-16, entering the fourth quarter, and on the first play of the quarter, Buechele connected with Granson for a 24-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to double digits. From there, the Mustangs scored three more times before Temple added on a late touchdown with 35 seconds left.

Page had a career day, posting nine catches for 131 yards and two scores. Granson caught six passes for a game-high 149 yards and a touchdown. Rashee Rice had five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown to add to SMU's air attack.

Temple held SMU's rushing offense to only 33 yards in the first half, but the Mustangs finished with 194 yards on the ground. Tyler Lavine and Ta'Merik Williams each had 49 yards and a touchdown. Williams' yards came on only one rush. Ulysses Bentley IV led the team with 79 rushing yards.

SMU next will prepare for a road matchup against Tulsa, which is undefeated in AAC play. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. next Saturday at Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Oklahoma.