Temple closing in on football title

With two regular-season football games remaining, Temple would move a step closer to the Mid-American Conference's Eastern Division title - and perhaps win it - by defeating Kent State today at Lincoln Financial Field.

On the strength of the team's first eight-game winning streak since 1973, Temple enters the contest 8-2 overall and 6-0 in the division, where the Owls have sole possession of first place.

Kent State (5-5, 4-2) is still in the race, and Ohio (7-3, 5-1) and Bowling Green (5-5, 4-2) also enter the weekend very much alive. The Owls visit Ohio next week.

If Temple downs Kent State and Ohio falls at home to Northern Illinois (7-3, 5-1) of the Western Division, the Owls would clinch the division championship today.

While the Kent State game is important for Temple in the standings, it also is significant because it will mark Senior Day, and 16 Owls will be recognized for being the foundation of the massive rebuilding coach Al Golden began four years ago.

Temple, 0-11 the season before Golden took over, was 1-11 in the coach's first season before improving to 4-8 in 2007 and 5-7 last fall.

"It's going to be emotional," said Temple safety Dominique Harris, who leads the conference in passes defended against successfully. "This is our last time playing at the Linc as a Temple Owl. Our family and friends, and everybody, is going to be there. But we have to settle in like it's any other game."

No doubt the Owls will remember that they came home from Kent State last year with a 41-38 loss that eliminated them from the Eastern Division race with two games to play. The Owls, who trailed Kent State by 21-17 at intermission and 35-31 entering the fourth quarter, won the final two games of the season.

Kent State is coming off a bye week after falling at Akron, 28-20, on Nov. 7. Last week, Temple scored 49 straight points in routing Akron, 56-17.

"Yeah, it's an advantage, especially in November," Golden said of the Golden Flashes' being off last week. "But we have to play on Saturday, and that's the way it is. When the ball kicks off, no excuses."

Golden was more concerned by Kent State's 20-11 victory over Ohio at home.

Against a defense that is second in the conference in total defense, Kent State is expected to employ two quarterbacks in freshman Keith Spencer and redshirt sophomore Giorgio Morgan.

Spencer has 1,915 passing yards, with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Morgan has thrown for 279 yards, with four interceptions and no touchdowns.

Sophomore Jacquise Terry leads the Golden Flashes with 590 rushing yards and four scores. Wide receiver Tyshon Goode tops Kent State with 48 receptions for 685 yards and five touchdowns.

For Temple, freshman running back Bernard Pierce is the go-to player. He ranks fourth nationally with 130.8 yards per game, and owns school freshman records for rushing yards with 1,308 and touchdowns with 15.

The Golden Flashes are fourth in the conference in rushing defense, while the Owls are first.

"They can give you some looks, and you'd better be sharp and know how to handle them," Golden said of the Golden Flashes' offense. "This is a big-strike organization."

Notes. Starting defensive end Amara Kamara and backup linebacker Elijah Joseph, who did not travel with the Owls last week, are back in their usual spots, as is cornerback Kevin Kroboth, a regular who made the trip to Akron but did not dress. All three were nursing injuries that were not specified under Golden's policy. . . . Today's contest, Temple's final home game of the year, is the 1,000th football game in school history.