Posted on 09/24/2010 11:23:54 AM PDT by curth
"Fifty years! Has it really been that long? . . . Are you sure?"
That was the reaction of former Temple (and Eagles) great Bucko Kilroy, 19 years ago, when told that the last time his Owls had beaten Penn State had indeed been 1941, when he was a two-way sophomore lineman.
On Oct. 18 of that year, in a steady drizzle before an estimated sellout crowd of 25,000 at Temple Stadium, the Owls took a 3-1 lead in the series with a 14-0 win.
The teams have met 35 times since. The best Temple has to show for it was a 7-7 tie in 1950 at what was still called Beaver Field.
Kilroy died in 2007. Yet his words ("It seems so far-fetched") still define the onesidedness of it all.
Which brings us to tomorrow, when Temple makes another trip to Happy Valley. But this one feels different. The Owls are 3-0 for the first time in three decades, while Penn State could be at least somewhat vulnerable.
So who knows? It would hardly be the biggest upset in the history of college football. Or maybe even the biggest one this weekend.
Fifth-year Temple coach Al Golden, who played tight end for Joe Paterno, deals with the overall one move at a time. He understands that a win over the Nits doesn't mean his guys are necessarily headed to the BCS final. Just as a loss wouldn't negate everything else they have done this month, or might do in the next several.
Nonetheless, it's hardly the same as playing Eastern Michigan. Or pretty much anyone else.
"As a football program, we appreciate the attention," Golden said. "But it's not going to change [the approach]. The story line changes, but I'm hoping our foundation,
#30 Bernard Pierce
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
I’d feel a lot better if it were being played at the Linc in Philly. Hopefully it will be a good close game with the Owls finally coming out on top. Personally, I’ve been waiting since 1975 when they first restarted playing. There have been a few heartbreakers in the series, 1976 was probably the worst.
JoePa and the “Nitterly” Lions better not look past Temple.
I think they have Iowa next week. Could be a distraction.
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