Posted: Sunday, November 22, 2009, 9:22 PM | 14 comments |
 

Is Temple the 17th-best team in the nation?
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Temple is up to 32 points in this week's AP football poll. That's the equivalent of 29th place. They also got 17 points in the coaches' poll and 48 points in the Harris poll.

Breaking down the AP balloting, the Owls gained a vote from CBS College Sports play-by-play announcer Tom Hart (he called the Utah-TCU game this past Saturday), But they fell off the ballot of John Davis of the Oxford Eagle (Mississippi).

We've seen the growing consensus that the Owls are at least worth being near the Top 25, though they still haven't cracked it quite yet.

But I was still surprised to see Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette rank Temple 17th.

I also couldn't help noticing that Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle ranked the Owls 18th and Penn State 17th. So in the list below of who ranked the Owls on their ballots, I decided to also note where those voters ranked the Nittany Lions.

Mike Hlas of the Cedar Rapids Gazette rightly noted on his blog today that he was the first AP voter to rank Temple, and he says the bandwagon has a few more passengers now. Do you think the Owls can make it into the Top 25?

Of note, Ryan Finley of the Arizona Daily Star is the only writer who has MAC Western Division champions Central Michigan on his ballot, at No. 25.

Also of note, ESPN's Chris Fowler has Penn State ranked No. 22. What do you think of that?

Scott Wolf, Los Angeles Daily News: 20th / 6 points (Penn State 19th)
Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle: 19th / 7 points (Penn State 18th)
Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: 25th / 1 point (Penn State 23rd)
Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette (Iowa): 22nd / 4 points (Penn State 11th) 4 points
Keith Sargeant, Home News Tribune/Gannett (New Jersey): 25th / 1 point (Penn State 12th)
Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: 17th / 9 points (Penn State 11th)
Travis Haney, Charleston Post and Courier (South Carolina): 24th (Penn State 13th) 2 points
Eric Schmoldt, Casper Star-Tribune (Wyoming): 25th / 1 point (Penn State 15th)
Tom Hart, CBS College Sports: 25th / 1 point (Penn State 11th)
Posted by Jonathan Tannenwald @ 9:22 PM  Permalink | 14 comments
14
Comments   
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:18 AM, 11/23/2009
    We need to nuke this ridiculous system where the best teams don't play one another, and a vote by reporters is one of the key factors in seeding the bowl games. Replace it with tiered system where teams can play their way up or down over the course of years, and they only play teams at their own level, no more pretenders touting a record that was mostly beating up on creampuff opponents.
    — Pelti
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:23 AM, 11/23/2009
    Like Utah last year, Pelti?
    — tjc
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:34 AM, 11/23/2009
    If Boise State doesn't get a shot as a BCS game, I would consider it unacceptable. Just because another BCS school is ahead of them in the standings (TCU) doesn't mean they should be excluded. You really think the annual Big 10 victim's going to do anything in the Rose Bowl?
    — dpcoz
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:39 AM, 11/23/2009
    The nice thing is that Temple has finally made it's way to the football charts. It is always great when the cards that are stacked against the have nots fall and the little guy triumphs. You go Temple
    — Clifton
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:49 AM, 11/23/2009
    Temple is a very good team. Mainline girls can stop crying and look forward to their superbowl to start next season.
    — madkins7
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:03 AM, 11/23/2009
    It is amazing to track the progress of Temple's team. They get booted out of the Big East, play as an independent, then join the MAC. There was a lot of talk about dropping football. Now they are getting votes in the polls. Central Michigan should be getting more votes than them. They beat a BCS conference team.
    — HandNik
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:04 AM, 11/23/2009
    I'm not sure Temple merits 17th but it is nice seeing Temple football becoming a good program worthy of top-25 consideration. Go Owls!
    — xxx
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:32 AM, 11/23/2009
    Nick....you sound like a b**ch.........This is like a recording....next is "I'd rather be ranked second in 1AA than 29th in 1A" DON'T BE SO BITTER CLOWN.........Good news is after next yrs game this won't be an issue anymore with you clowns.......
    — ILUVPHILLYCITYOFLOSERS
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:34 AM, 11/23/2009
    Go Owls!!!
    — EXIT9RALF
  • Comment removed.
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:30 PM, 11/23/2009
    I'm an alum, and love Temple, but until they beat a quality team I don;t think so.
    — smfree31
  • Comment removed.


14 comments
About Jonathan Tannenwald
I fell in love with the Big 5 at first sight upon moving to Philadelphia in 2002. At various points in my journalistic career, I've covered all six of the region's Division I teams. During that time, I've eaten many soft pretzels from the Palestra's concession stands, which is how this blog got its name.

I write primarily about the University of Pennsylvania and the Ivy League, but I also cover the other basketball and football teams across the city from time to time. In the spring, you'll find coverage of the Penn Relays here.

In addition to all of that, I write Philly.com's soccer blog, The Goalkeeper.

You can contact me by email by clicking here.

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