Category Archives: Temple in a bowl game

12.05.11
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A good night at the LC

Wyoming rushes the field after its last NMB win in 2009.

I got a chance to shake Bernard Pierce’s hand and wish him luck in the game. If any of my running ability rubbed off in the handshake, Bernard should finish with 27 yards. Or maybe minus 27. So he’s going to have to go for 227 to save me a guilt trip.

Watched a little of the start of the Bowl Selection show at the Liacouras Center with former Temple great running back Sheldon Morris and we were both looking for the fast forward button on TV remote.
Neither of us had the remote, but Temple athletic director Bill Bradshaw took the microphone during the first commercial break and broke the suspense.
Temple vs. Wyoming, New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 17.
You know what?
Both Sheldon and I and about 90 to 92 percent of the other season-ticket holders won’t be able to make it in body (we don’t have deep enough pockets) but we will be there in spirit.
It was a surprise in a sense.
Both Sheldon and I (and about 90 to 92 percent of the other season-ticket holders) would have been able to make it to D.C., but it just wasn’t meant to be.
Most of the players thought the nation’s capital would be the destination as of about 5 p.m. (At least those at the E-O with my text number) so this pairing comes as a surprise.
Disappointment might be a little strong because any bowl is a good one but this announcement could have been better from my perspective.
Disappointment would have been the word I would have used if Temple was left out.
Temple should take care of business and move the program forward with the school’s first bowl win since 1979.
For a week, the talk had been of a Temple bowl rematch with Cal (1979 win) or UCLA (2009 loss).
Wyoming will be a rematch of sorts, too.
The Cowboys handed visiting Temple one of its only four losses during the 1990 season (28-23). Dick Beck, the current North Penn head coach, was the captain of that Temple team.
Still, I would have preferred to see Temple put a Big East team on its ass.
I would have liked to see Temple play Pitt in the BBVA Compass Bowl, but nobody asked me. SMU will play Pitt in Birmingham, Ala. instead. Temple vs. Pitt would have made a better storyline.
The TV show itself could have been better.
College football probably will never figure out a way to harness the suspense in its bowl selection show that college basketball has when announcing the brackets, but everyone got a chance to go home early.
I met a lot of the parents and I can now understand why this is a solid group made up of good and humble young men. They are all very nice people. I could not be prouder of a group representing Temple than this football organization and that goes from Steve Addazio through the players through the video and managerial staff.
I got a chance to shake Bernard Pierce’s hand and wish him luck in the game. If any of my running ability rubbed off in the handshake, Bernard should finish with 27 yards. Or maybe minus 27. So he’s going to have to go for 227 to save me a guilt trip.
There were plenty of Temple fans there and plenty of Temple fight songs played by the band.
All in all a good night at the LC.
Spare me of the endless Alabama vs. LSU talk.
These other schools deserve some love, too.
Temple football got some love at the LC, if not on the TV.

11.28.11
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Temple bowl foes: The unusual suspects

Expect Morkeith Brown to be in the middle of the bowl celebration again.

All of this bowl talk reminds me of the shell game on the Jumbotron at Lincoln Financial Field.
You know the one.
Three Temple helmets and guess which one the ball is under.
That’s pretty much how it is today, about a week before the official selection Sunday.
Like that video game, there are too many moving parts to make a solid prediction but there are just enough moving parts to know it is a limited pool of opponents to chose from right now.
I’m pretty sure of two things. They are going to have a bowl selection party at the Liacouras Center and everybody is going to go crazy around Morkeith Brown in the center of the room.
Everything else is just speculation at this point. The real bowl is under one of six helmets.
What isn’t speculation is the number of teams are mostly unusual foes for Temple football. I like that aspect of the bowl games. Reminds me of the World Series before interleague play ruined that element.
Heck, I’m excited to be playing anywhere but I’m a little more excited about certain matchups.
The speculation:

1) Rutgers vs. Temple, Birmingham Ala. BBVA Compass Bowl _ Two sites have this has the possible matchup. This is very appealing to me for three reasons: 1) Temple is underrated and 2) Rutgers is overrated and 3) It would give Temple another chance to shove it in the Big East’s face. Put me down for this one. Army keeps coming up as a common foe. Rutgers beat Army, 27-13. Temple beat Army, 42-14. RU also beat Ohio at home, 38-26, while the Owls lost at Ohio. The Owls were struggling with QB issues vs. Ohio but got that ironed out by Army.

2) San Diego State vs. Temple, New Mexico Bowl _ Should be good weather for this one. The teams have one common opponent and that is Army. San Diego State beat Army, 23-20. Temple beat Army, 42-14. This appears to be more likely than the first one because it makes sense, geographically. San Diego State brings the crowd. Temple brings the East Coast TV ratings. If Temple fans want to go on the cheap, they can take scenic Route 66 out to Albuquerque. It’s only a three-day ride. I’ll have to thumb it because I can’t afford the gas money. Both CNNSI and CBS Sportsline have this matchup.
3) Western Kentucky vs. Temple, Kraft Hunger Bowl, San Francisco _ ESPN predicted this and it makes no sense to me at all. Not because Temple is there, but because Western Kentucky is there. Western Kentucky brings nothing to the table. No fans. No TV ratings. Western Kentucky is to FBS football what Villanova is to FCS football in terms of interest and that is no interest. Temple brings a big-time East Coast TV following. It would make a lot more sense if UCLA is able to obtain a NCAA waiver and compete in this bowl at 6-7. Either UCLA or Cal vs. Temple would be a bowl rematch and a great game.

4) Florida International vs. Temple, Beef O’Brady Bowl _ Plenty of Temple fans in the Clearwater/St. Pete, Fla. area because I run into them every March at Phillies Spring Training. Probably the nicest town (go to Ybor City for night life) and the best weather. I’ll take it over any venue but Birmingham. Don’t like the foe because beating FIU doesn’t do much to promote the Temple football brand. Both teams have one common foe: Akron. FIU beat the Zips, 27-17. Temple won, 41-3.

5) Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Temple, New Orleans Bowl _ Great town, not-so-great foe. See the note on Florida International as far as promoting the Temple brand. The teams have one common foe, Kent State. Temple beat Kent State, 34-16. Louisiana-Lafayette beat Kent State, 20-12. College Football News is reporting this matchup.

Temple fans are still thawing out from D.C. game in 2009.

6) Wake Forest vs. Temple, Military Bowl _ Affords Temple fans the short and relatively cheap Amtrak trip to Washington, D.C., just like 2009. Unlike 2009, it can’t get to be that cold again in late December. Average high in Washington that week is 48. Temple drew 20,000 fans despite wind-chills below zero and a real temperature of 11 degrees above zero. Both teams have one common opponent, Maryland. Not much to chose. Temple went on the road and won at Maryland, 38-7. Wake beat Maryland at home, 31-10. This would be a nice win for Temple in front of a big homefield advantage for the Owls. USA Today is reporting this matchup.
Listen, when you are in the MAC and you don’t take care of business in three league games, any bowl is a great bowl.
There are just some better than others and I’m rooting for the first or second matchup.
Create your own Animation

12.04.10
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Doomsday bowl scenario faces Owls today



Go Freaking Blue Raiders!!!!

A Doomsday Bowl scenario faces the Owls today.
No, I’m not talking being one of the few teams in history to miss a bowl with an 8-4 record.
I’m talking about going to a meaningless bowl in Detroit to play another MAC team, Toledo.

MTSU vs. Fla. Int.
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: Link here


There’s a lot of scuttlebutt out there that the MAC, in order to maximize its teams in the bowl picture, will pit two of its teams, namely Temple and Toledo, in the Little Ceasars Pizza Bowl in Detroit.
I’ll pass on that one, thanks.
I’m sure there are some positives in there, but I fail to see them.
To me, it has all the appeal of moving the Cherry and White game to Detroit.
All week long, the talk has been of Las Vegas and El Paso and, recently, New Orleans.
If the announcement tomorrow is Detroit against another team in the same conference, downer would not be a strong enough word to describe my reaction and, I guess, that of my fellow Owl fans.
We can do two things now.
Hope for the best and root like hell for Middle Tennessee State in Miami for tonight’s 6 p.m. game.
That’s because, if Middle Tennessee State wins tonight at Florida International, it takes the automatic spot in the LCB opposite a MAC team, probably not Temple (hint: Toledo).
It eliminates the tempting option (only to MAC officials) of putting two MAC teams in that bowl and opens up a spot for Temple in another locale.
MTSU has a shot. It’s a 4 1/2-point underdog on the road, which means it would be favored at home. The Blue Raiders (5-6) have had their moments this year, pummeling Louisiana-Lafayette (34-14) and beating Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic in their last two games.  That might not sound impressive, but Florida Atlantic beat Florida International, 21-9, and LL hung tough at Ohio (38-31).
Really, MTSU is playing for Temple tonight and, in the absence of the Owls having a game, I’ve adopted the Blue Raiders.
As much as I’ve railed against Boise, I’d take Boise over Detroit in a heartbeat, particularly if the Detroit foe is another MAC team.
As bowltoligist Chris Squieri (Doogie on a pair of Owl message boards) points out, Temple’s dream scenario tonight is a Middle Tennessee State win coupled by losses by Washington (vs. Washington State), Oregon State (vs. Oregon, a given) and Louisiana Tech vs. Nevada (a probability).
Should Florida International win, I will be doing a lot of tossing and turning tonight with the possibility of throwing up at about 8:30 Sunday night.

11.30.10
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Orlando Sentinel: Sun Bowl vs. Miami



It’s not going to be this dark in El Paso on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m.

 Gotta love the MAC.
It’s the only conference where you can look reasonably horrible before a small crowd in Ohio in the last regular-season game and get what amounts to a reward.
Win the conference or division and go to Detroit,  Boise or Mobile.
Finish somewhat farther back in the conference and go to El Paso or Las Vegas.
Or D.C.
It was that way last year for the Temple Owls, when they spit the bit at Ohio and lost, 35-17, in the defacto MAC East championship game and got the marquee opponent of the MAC postseason in UCLA before 20,000 Temple fans in D.C.
It appears to be that way again this season, the marquee opponent part, not the D.C. part.
I must admit that I thought the season was, for all intents and purposes, over with a 23-3 loss at Miami.
The Owls would not have been a hot team coming into the postseason.
Their one marquee player has been an injury question mark and they would not bring 20,000 fans on the road with them like they did last year.
Reading the reports, though, I’m thinking that the Owls will find their way to a bowl game, more likely than not in a sunny and warm (err, warmer) climate.
If I had to handicap it today, I would go with these numbers:

  • 30 percent chance of Sun Bowl vs. Miami of Florida;
  • 20 percent chance of Vegas Bowl vs. Utah;
  • 15 percent chance of Humanitarian Bowl vs. Nevada or Fresno State;
  • 5 percent chance of “some other bowl”;
  • 30 percent chance of no bowl;

That’s from a selective reading of the situation. So it looks more like bowl than no bowl for Temple.
Orlando Sentinel says the Owls will go to the Sun Bowl to face Miami (Fla.) and I will take that.
The first thing you have to do when you read a bowl projection is skip over the ones that have “bleacher report” written next to the writer’s byline.
It’s a bunch of Joe Schmoes, like you and me, reports worth money Bleacher Report paid for them _ which is nothing.



The MAAC Vegas Bowl in, well, you know.

 The people you have to pay attention to are the ones who are paid and answer to the person paying them.
That’s why I’m giving credence to sites like CBSSportsline.com and people like Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated.
Those sites have the Owls going to either the Sun Bowl to play the U (the real Miami) or the Vegas Bowl to play Utah.
I’ll take either one.
I will pass on playing Boise or Nevada in Idaho, which is where many of the Joe Schmoes on Bleacher Report have us going. Pass, because it’s too much of a hardship for our fans.
The only reason I want to play a bowl is to get this bad taste out of my mouth that I’ve had the last couple of weeks and I want to be there when it happens. Since I haven’t been eating garlic, it must be the losing that’s eating at me.
I like what Michael Vick said after the game last night.
“I hate losing. It makes me sick. It makes me ill.”
I hear ya, Michael. Losing makes me sick, too, and the only remedy is to win again.
I don’t want to wait until next year for the cure.
It’s only a reward, though, if you go there (wherever) and win.  I want to see these Owls and especially the seniors go out with a swagger. I want to avenge the loss to UCLA and close the season the way it started _ bringing home a trophy. The season started with a Mayor’s Cup Trophy.
I want it to end with a Sun Bowl or a Vegas Bowl Trophy.
You can only get that by playing the game.
Beating Utah or the real Miami is the best mouthwash I can think of right now.