Penn State Opponent Preview: Week Two, at the Temple Owls
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Week two of Matt Campbell's tenure is his first road test against instate opponent, the Temple Owls.
Penn State will likely be 1-0 heading into this game, trying to start the year with a flawless record that gets them into Big Ten play with no scratches in the right column. While Penn State will be heavy favorites heading into the matchup, Temple has historically shown up and played the Nittany Lions tough for at least spurts of the game.
The all-time record in this series is tilted heavily in the Nittany Lions' favor, as they have a 40-4-1 record. However, in the last two matchups, both teams have had close wins, including Penn State's 34-27 victory all the way back in 2016.
It has been a full decade since these two teams matched up with each other, and it is a game that will be a sight for sore eyes for many in Eastern Pennsylvania. This is a game between two programs that should never go 10 years without happening. Maybe it doesn't have to happen every year, but 10 years in between is no good.
That ends this year in week two.
According to CBS's ranking of all 137 college football teams, the Owls come into next year as the 105th-ranked team after posting a tough 5-7 record last year. They, however, open the year against the Rhode Island Rams in a game that they should have no problem winning.
Owls' head coach KC Keeler is one of the great coaches in lower-division football. He has a great track record throughout his career of winning and competing at the top, whatever division he is in. What he is unfamiliar with is defending against back-to-back losing seasons, which he is trying to avoid this year.
On offense, Temple will definitely take a step forward. The leader in the clubhouse for the quarterback position has some ties to this game. Redshirt sophomore Jaxon Smolik comes to Temple as a transfer from Penn State.
He arrived at Penn State as a freshman in 2023 and fought through injuries and a redshirt before hitting the road this year. While he is listed as an RS Sophomore, he is in his fourth year of college football.
The offensive line will improve this year, and the wide receiver core is going to take a step up with improved quarterback play.
On the defensive side, it can only go up for the Owls on that side of the football. They struggled last season. If everyone takes a step forward, they will see an improvement at the linebacker core as Curly Ordonez is taking the next step in his development.
In the secondary, they too should also show significant improvement. Avery Powell is back for the Owls along with Pooh Lawton, who all cut their teeth in the backend last year. Two transfers join the mix: Jaeden Gould (UCF) and Saboor Karriem (Illinois) have the size to go along with a little bit of experience.
Temple's expectation this year is to get back to a bowl game. One of their required wins will likely not come against Penn State, as this is a lopsided matchup that Penn State should handle with ease.
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