Football on the Fringe Season Previews were ranked, then delivered in random order.
At #6 on my pre-pre-season rankings, (ie, I checked on returning players, glanced at schedules, and ranked ‘em), Temple may be a step down from what I see as the “Big 5,” but not by much. Last year they went from laughingstock to a shot at league champions in 8 weeks, before stumbling down the stretch to wind up at 9-4.
The quarterback position appears to be solidified this year, placing the team in the hands of junior Chester Stewart, who started four games last year. Sophomore running back Bernard Pierce returns after rushing for 1300 yards and 16 touchdowns a year ago. All told, 9 starters on offense and 7 starters on defense form one of the most experienced teams in the MAC.
Schedule
9/3/2010 Villanova
9/9/2010 Central Michigan
9/18/2010 Connecticut
9/25/2010 at Penn State
10/2/2010 at Army
10/9/2010 at Northern Illinois
10/16/2010 Bowling Green
10/23/2010 at Buffalo
10/30/2010 Akron
11/6/2010 at Kent State
11/16/2010 Ohio
11/23/2010 at Miami (OH)
First things first for Temple: don’t lose to Villanova. They did last year, which really messed everybody up and made us think Temple was terrible. Maybe that was the plan all along. A win over UConn is possible but far from a given, and any trip to Happy Valley is a tough trip. Central Michigan in week 2 is a game that could set a tone for both teams, and either that game or Northern Illinois later in the year could be a championship preview.
Coaching
Al Golden enters his 5th season as Temple’s head coach, and is the architect of one of college football’s biggest turnarounds. Temple hadn’t won 5 games since 1990 before Golden’s team did it in 2008, and their ascendancy to a conference power is nothing short of remarkable. Golden was reported to be a candidate for the Cincinnati job last winter, and was rumored to even be on Notre Dame’s list at one point. At 41, he is one of football’s youngest coaches and undoubtedly a rising star (translation: don’t make long term plans with this guy, Temple fans).
Rankings
The MAC media votes on divisional order of finish then votes on one team to win the championship game. Temple was picked as the favorite in the East and nabbed 11 of 16 votes to win the title game. The Owls didn’t make the Coaches Poll, and the AP poll hasn’t been released.
Outlook
The Owls have a lot to be excited about, hence the #6 ranking on my non-AQ list. Their MAC schedule is a tough one though- both of the West powerhouses plus Ohio, Kent State, and the rest of the East. Ohio doesn’t play either Northern Illinois or Central Michigan, but the two will face off again in November, and just like 2009 I expect that will be for the spot in Detroit. I think that a 10 win regular season is very possible, and anything less than 9 will be a disappointment.
Temple Connections
OwlScoop – Rivals message board. Honestly, who uses ‘Scoop’ for any team named after an animal?
Philadelphia Inquirer – Local coverage of the Owls. Still has the basketball score from March, but the articles are about football.