For Temple's fans, win over Penn State is one to remember

In Lot K of the Lincoln Financial Field parking lot on Saturday, a group of former Temple football players chest-bumped and high-fived and let the delirium wash all over them, acting silly, ribbing somber Penn State folks walking by.

"I'm just a crazy Temple fan, they don't know me," said Lance Johnstone, who had starred for the Owls in the early '90s and then played 11 seasons in the NFL. "I can come up with jokes until infinity. I just want [Penn State fans] to feel it for five minutes."

Leaving a sold-out Linc, Temple fans and Penn State fans were all still trying to process the whole thing. It's true: Temple had beaten Penn State for the first time since 1941, a 27-10 final. The Owls had swarmed Penn State quarterback, Christian Hackenberg, sacking him 10 times. They had established a running game and a passing rhythm. They had been better, thoroughly.

They lived up to the words of their coach, Matt Rhule, who had said last week right after a practice, talking about playing Penn State and, on Oct. 31, Notre Dame at home this season: "I think it's a chance to blow people's minds."

For Temple's veteran fans, the ones who pretty much define the words long-suffering, who have seen things over the years no sports fans should ever have to see, this was like payback, confirmation their devotion was worth even the toughest of years.

"Everyone's saying, 'Best day ever,' " said Drew Golin, a former Temple basketball manager under Hall of Fame coach John Chaney.

"When we went up, 24-10, I took my sunglasses off and gave them to my son. My wife said, 'Are you crying?' " said Chris Squeri, another former Chaney manager, standing with Golin.

The celebration in Lot K spanned generations and included Wayne Hardin, now 88 years old. Hardin had a successful run as Temple's head coach from 1970 to 1982, winning much more than he lost. He is in the College Football Hall of Fame. Hardin said of this one, "They did something we didn't do."

Asked what it was like to watch it, Hardin said: "Very satisfying."

In an assisted-living facility in Lower Gwynedd, James Woodside, 93, the last living member of Temple's '41 team that beat Penn State, got within about three feet of his wide-screen television, watching the whole thing.

"After the first quarter, they just beat them. They annihilated them, to tell you the truth," Woodside said. "Especially Hackenberg. I felt sorry for him at the end."

Penn State coach James Franklin knows the blueprint for getting noticed in this sport and for getting your fans revved up. You have to beat some established powers. Franklin had done it at Vanderbilt. Now he was on the other side. This time, his fans will need answers.

"Our fans, the alumni, I know are disappointed," Franklin said. "There's nobody more disappointed than the men in that locker room right now."

Rhule explained how he had told his team, "It's not about Penn State, it is about us."

He meant that they had needed to focus on themselves and what they needed to do. "The players bought into that," Rhule said.

In the student section, they weren't as successful in avoiding thoughts of Penn State. They tried an "overrated" chant on for size, but it didn't feel right. Penn State isn't ranked. One student near a section of dejected Penn State fans kept asking, "How much did you pay for your tickets?"

In Lot K, they extolled the virtues of Temple's current group.

"Tyler Matakevich - they should take his jersey and retire it now," Golin said of Temple's star linebacker. "Put it on William Penn."

Temple's players may understand this euphoria could be short-lived. They have to visit American Athletic Conference favorite Cincinnati next weekend. But this day really wasn't about the future or even the past. The security staff successfully kept Temple's students off the field, saving the goalposts. But even the staffers seemed stunned by what they had just witnessed. They're here all the time.

"This is a big upset," a security guard said.

"You think?" said another.

"Can you see if they beat Notre Dame?"

"Oh, my God."

In Lower Gwynned, Woodside pointed out over the phone that he could no longer say he was the only living Temple player to beat Penn State. He was OK with that, he added. He felt great for all the players who had just joined his club. Woodside had watched this game alone, not wanting to be distracted.

"I hope I can hang on long enough to see them do it again," he said.

@jensenoffcampus