Happy New Year Owls Fans!

The Owl's Nest would like to wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy New Year!



We look forward to the start of 2010 and a new decade, as well as bringing you another tremendous 12 months of Temple Athletics coverage!

POLL: Would You Attend 2010 TUFB Games?

With the overall success of Temple Football's 2010 season, we were curious to see if your 2010 plans include Temple Football.

The Owls will return to the field in 2010 with even more of a vengeance and a hunger for rewriting Temple's football history. Will you be there?

Thanks for voting! Be sure to send this around to other Temple fans you know!

Temple Owls vs. Kansas Jayhawks

The #18 Temple Owls welcome the #1 Kansas Jayhawks to the Liacouras Center on January 2nd. We'll get you prepared by previewing this exciting matchup:

- Game Preview
- Q&A with a Kansas Blogger
- Temple vs. Kansas Live Blog
- Post Game Review

Stay updated with The Owl's Nest by following us on Twitter.

Temple Downs NIU, Awaits #1 Kansas

The #18 Temple Owls earned their 11th victory of the season with a hard earned win over the NIU Huskies.

Juan Fernandez tied co-lead all scorers with 26 points. Behind him, Ryan Brooks helped contribute to the win with 19 points of his own.

Lavoy Allen's help came from rebounding,

Despite having an 18 point, lead, the Owls struggled to maintain a solid lead throughout the game. Up just seven points at the halfway point, the Northern Illinois Huskies put all the fight they had on the floor and really caused problems.

However, Temple was able to compose themselves and keep Northern Illinois from having the lead at any point during the game. The Owls top ranked defense held the Huskies to 35.5% shooting from the field (a mere 25% during the first half), along with 27% from beyond the ark.

Here are Temple's leading performers in last night's outing:

Ryan Brooks (19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists)
Juan Fernandez (26 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists)
Lavoy Allen (6 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks)
Rahlir Jefferson (4 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block)

Every starting Owl was able to contribute under the scoring column in this game. Defensively, 4/5 players contributed either a steal or a block to the defensive outing.

Micheal Eric played several minutes for the Owls after re-injuring his knee against Villanova. The 6'11 sophomore scored four points and had two blocks in just 14 minutes of play. This is a good sign for the Owls, as they'll need all the rebounders they can get against this very talented Kansas team coming up on January 2nd.

As we mentioned, Temple's 18 point lead was trimmed to just one basket. Turnovers were an issue and a key factor in NIU's ability to shorten the deficit.

Northern Illinois (2-8)(0-0) will look to get back on track as they remain at home to play North Dakota next.

Temple (11-2)(0-0) will now prepare for Saturday's out-of conference when the Owls welcome the #1 Kansas to the Liacouras Center. This is arguably Temple's biggest game of the season thus far, and will be televised. The Owls Nest will get you prepared for the game.

UCLA's Second Half Surge Defeats Owls

UCLA shut out the Temple Owls in Tuesday's EagleBank Bowl through the entire second half to slowly come back at snatch the victory.

After the Bruins deferred the kickoff, the Owls drew first blood on a long drive that led to a Steve Maneri touchdown reception. The Bruins answered back with a touchdown pass of their own, catching the Owls by surprise.

The Owls continued to generate the offense, getting Bernard Pierce on the stat sheet with a touchdown run of his own. This made the score early on 14-7.

A Marquise Liverpool interception set the team up for their third score of the game, when runningback Matt Brown broke the plane for the score. It seemed like the Owls could not be stopped, with the momentum on their side. Owls led 21-7.

Nearing the end of the half, though, was when the tide turned.

Temple had built themselves an early 21-7 lead nearing the half, but allowed Kai Forbath to spark the momentum with a field goal heading into intermission. With under a minute remaining in the half, the Owls decided to try and generate some offense to possibly get into field goal range, but were unable to; thus gave the Bruins enough time to get into Forbath's range, which is almost infinite.

Losing freshman runningback again to injury did not help Temple out either. Pierce was a main contributor in both the rushing and passing game during this one until his early departure. Since Coach Golden does not like to disclose injury information, we are somewhat under the assumption that BP reinjured his shoulder. More news to come as soon as we find out.

Punt after punt from backup Jake Brownell (Jeff Wathne was sent home for breaking team rules) allowed the Bruins to creep back into the game. The Temple defense was getting worn down with the little time they had to catch their breath.

At 21-20 and 6:00 remaining in the final quarter, Temple had the ball with a crucial drive ahead of them. The tenacity of the UCLA defense stood out when Akeem Ayers, a Bruin defensive lineman, slipped on the field but quickly got up to intercept a Vaughn Charlton pass. Ayers took the pass two yards into the endzone to give UCLA their first lead of the game. The score was then 28-21 after the Bruins completed a two point conversion.

At this point, it seemed that the Owls would have just one last drive to try and tie this game up. The Bruins were able to stifle Temple and force them to punt, and this was the icing on the cake. The snap on fourth down sailed over Jake Brownell's head, and out the back of the endzone for the safety. The score was 30-21, and that would be the final.

Congratulations to the UCLA Bruins, the winners of the 2009 EagleBank Bowl.

Stay tuned for more updates on the end of the 2009 Temple Football season.

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 10)

We've completed Day Ten of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of fifteen bowl games thus far:

Humanitarian Bowl: Idaho 43, Bowling Green 42
Holiday Bowl: Nebraska 33, Arizona 0

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Darin B.	10/15 (66%)
	Kevin M.	10/15 (66%)
	The Owl's Nest	10/15 (66%)
	Chris R.	10/15 (66%)
2nd	Preston F.	9/15 (60%)
	Macy G.	9/15 (60%)
	Brandon F.	9/15 (60%)
3rd	Becca W.	8/15 (53%)
	Preston R.	8/15 (53%)
	Jordan L.	8/15 (53%)
	Steve C.	8/15 (53%)
4th	Siena Saints Blog	7/15 (46%)
	RyanRestivo.com	7/15 (46%)
	Temple Football Forever	7/15 (46%)
	Kevin Z.	7/15 (46%)
5th	Brian S.	7/15 (46%)
	Brent S.	6/15 (40%)
	Amy V.	6/15 (40%)
	Cap P.	6/15 (40%)
	Kyanite D.	6/15 (40%)
	Mark H.	6/15 (40%)
6th	Nick J.	5/15 (33%)
7th	Loren P.	3/15 (20%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

15 bowl games down, 19 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

Live Blog: Temple vs. Northern Illinois

Join us for 40 minutes of Temple basketball chat!

EagleBank Bowl 2009 (Photos)

Here's some of the shots of the field during Temple's game against UCLA in the EagleBank Bowl:

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 09)

We've completed Day Nine of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of thirteen bowl games thus far:

EagleBank Bowl: UCLA 30, Temple 21
Champs Sports Bowl: Wisconsin 20, Miami 14

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Darin B.	9/13 (69%)
	Kevin M.	9/13 (69%)
2nd	The Owl's Nest	8/13 (62%)
	Chris R.	8/13 (62%)
	Preston F.	8/13 (62%)
	Macy G.	8/13 (62%)
3rd	Preston R.	7/13 (54%)
	Becca W.	7/13 (54%)
	Brandon F.	7/13 (54%)
	Siena Saints Blog	7/13 (54%)
	RyanRestivo.com	7/13 (54%)
4th	Jordan L.	6/13 (46%)
	Brent S.	6/13 (46%)
	Steve C.	6/13 (46%)
	Kevin Z.	6/13 (46%)
5th	Temple Football Forever	5/13 (38%)
	Amy V.	5/13 (38%)
	Cap P.	5/13 (38%)
	Kyanite D.	5/13 (38%)
	Brian S.	5/13 (38%)
	Nick J.	5/13 (38%)
	Mark H.	5/13 (38%)
6th	Loren P.	2/13 (15%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

13 bowl games down, 21 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 08)

We've completed Day Eight of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of eleven bowl games thus far:

Independence Bowl:: Georgia 44, Texas A&M 20

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Chris R.	8/11 (72%)
	Darin B.	8/11 (72%)
	The Owl's Nest	8/11 (72%)
2nd	Preston F.	7/11 (63%)
	Kevin M.	7/11 (63%)
	Siena Saints Blog	7/11 (63%)
	RyanRestivo.com	7/11 (63%)
3rd	Macy G.	6/11 (54%)
	Becca W.	6/11 (54%)
	Brandon F.	6/11 (54%)
	Jordan L.	6/11 (54%)
4th	Amy V.	5/11 (45%)
	Cap P.	5/11 (45%)
	Kyanite D.	5/11 (45%)
	Brent S.	5/11 (45%)
	Brian S.	5/11 (45%)
	Nick J.	5/11 (45%)
	Steve C.	5/11 (45%)
5th	Kevin Z.	4/11 (36%)
	Mark H.	4/11 (36%)
6th	Loren P.	2/11 (18%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

11 bowl games down, 23 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

Live Blog: Temple vs. Bowling Green

Join us for 40 minutes of Temple Owls basketball!

Team Profile: Temple Owls (EagleBank Bowl)

It's bowl season, and we're going all out to keep you up to date and informed on Temple's game against UCLA in the EagleBank Bowl. In our "Team Profile", we're going to break down both teams performances through the entire 2009 season to give you an idea of who these teams truly are.

This will be Part II, on Temple.

Please click the follow link to be directed to our Team Profile of the UCLA Bruins: TEAM PROFILE: UCLA BRUINS (EagleBank Bowl)

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Here's a breakdown of the Temple Owls 2009 Schedule:

USA Today SOS Ranking: #144
RealtimeRPI RPI Ranking: 40.13

(Sep. 3, 2009) VILLANOVA

Final Score: [L] 27-24
O. Record: (0-1)(0-0)

Temple opened their season against D-IAA and future FCS Champion Villanova, only to be upset in the first anual Mayor's Cup. Costly turnovers allowed the Wildcats to slowly creep back from a 10 point deficit to claim the victory with time expiring. After a Vaughn Charlton interception, Villanova used enough close to put themselves in a position to kick the game winning field goal to claim the victory.

The Owls started off the season 0-1, going into their schedule's toughest opponent in #5 Penn State.

(Sep. 19, 2009) at #5 Penn State

Final Score: [L] 31-6
O. Record: (0-2)(0-0)

After losing to Villanova, Temple looked to regain it's confidence by giving the fifth ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. Temple's defense could only do so much, limiting PSU to just a four point lead through the first quarter. However, blue and white runningback Evan Royster found the holes and opportunities to pick up 134 yards on the ground. The Lions would go on to handily win this game.

Temple's record drops to 0-2, going into MAC Conference play.

(Sep. 26, 2009) BUFFALO

Final Score: [W] 37-13
O. Record: (1-2)(1-0)

The Owls saw breakout performances from several of their freshman play-makers, including runningback Bernard Pierce and kicker Brandon McManus. McManus finished for the day at 3/5, with his two misses being at 44 and 50 yards deep. He was also at a perfect 4/4 on XP attempts. This is another positive to know the Owls now have a dependable kicker they can rely on, rather than being forced to punt. Elijah Joseph's pick six was the game changing factor, and the beginning of Temple's hot streak.

Owls get their first win of the season.

(Oct. 3, 2009) at Eastern Michigan

Final Score: [W] 24-12
O. Record: (2-2)(2-0)

Temple's play on Saturday was extremely impressive after their dominating victory over Buffalo, and many adjustments were made during the week. The Owls had trouble returning punts, with one of the returns being muffed early in the game, but the defense separated the two teams and got TU the W.

Their record improves to .500, and remains undefeated in the conference.

(Oct. 10, 2009) BALL STATE

Final Score: [W] 24-19
O. Record: (3-2)(3-0)

The Owls move to undefeated 3-0 in the Mid-American Conference, maintaining the first place spot they earned last week. Along with this, Temple's record improves to over .500 for the first time in their 2009 campaign in this 3 game winning streak. Temple's offense came from both the running and passing games, but Bernard Pierce once again dominated the stat sheet. The freshman phenom finished the game with 25 carries, 126 yards, and 2 touchdowns.

Owls win three straight.

(Oct. 17, 2009) ARMY

Final Score: [W] 27-13
O. Record: (4-2)(3-0)

The Owls were somewhat stifled on the run after the early loss of Bernard Pierce. Pierce, Temple's running threat, left the game on a stretcher. From what we have been told, the freshman back left with a shoulder injury, and initial x-rays were positive. With this victory, the Owls continue their winning streak to 4 games.

Temple's overall record improves to over (4-2)(3-0). This is the first time the Owls have won 4 straight games since the 1985 season.

(Oct. 24, 2009) at Toledo

Final Score: [W] 40-24
O. Record: (5-2)(4-0)

Bernard Pierce dominated the running game once again, compiling 212 yards and 3 touchdowns in this outing. The Owls defeated the Toledo Rockets to claim sole possession of 1st place in the MAC East. Along with this, Temple continues their winning streak to 5 games. Owls runningback Matt Brown was key to giving Temple the success they had, averaging 36 yards per kick return to give the Owls excellent field position.

The victory solidified the most wins in a season under Coach Golden in his four years.

(Oct. 31, 2009) at Navy

Final Score: [W] 27-24
O. Record: (6-2)(4-0)

Temple countered Navy's dominating triple option with a running game of their own, which led the team to a victory and official bowl eligibilty. Bernard Pierce and Matt Brown dominating the stat sheet, and wideouts James Nixon and Delano Green contributed on special teams. Temple, despite doing the opposite last year, control the clock wisely to get out of Annapolis with the victory and seal the deal.

Temple's record improves to six wins, the most in over a decade.

(Nov. 5, 2009) MIAMI (OH)

Final Score: [W] 34-32
O. Record: (7-2)(5-0)

The Temple Owls were able to keep their in conference record perfect thanks to the help of kicker McManus in their win over the Miami (OH) RedHawks. The Owls jumped out to an early and dominating lead, but the defense could not hold on, and the game became scarier with less than three minutes remaining. The offense was able to move the ball into field goal position, and the freshman leg came in and got the team the win.

(Nov. 13, 2009) at Akron

Final Score: [W] 56-17
O. Record: (8-2)(6-0)

Bernard Pierce, the freshman human highlight reel, was not the center of attention on Friday. The highlight of Temple's 56-17 win over Akron on Friday comes from the play of quarterback Chester Stewart and the Temple Owls wideouts. Offensive coordinator Matt Rhule pulled the trigger several times with trick plays, utilizing the wide receiver reverse that seemed impossible for the Zips to stop. In addition, Chester Stewart showed a ton of play action which was very successful as well.

Temple's offense scored the most points of the season against the Akron Zips. Prior to this game, the Owls' maximum points scored came against Toledo where the team totaled 40.

(Nov. 21, 2009) KENT STATE

Final Score: [W] 47-13
O. Record: (9-2)(6-0)

The Owls struggled early in the game, unable to generate any offense through the first quarter. The team was without the nation's 4th best rusher in the country, Bernard Pierce, who suffered an injury that listed him as doubtful to return. Temple's defense also sparked during the second half, stalling the Golden Flashes several times, and putting pressure on the quarterback. Adrian Robinson celebrated his 20th birthday with an athletic tipped pass he intercepted, which later led to a Temple score.

Temple's overall record becomes (9-2)(7-0), and the Owls will head go out to Ohio for a game to decide the MAC East representative in the MAC Conference Championship.

(Nov. 28, 2009) at Ohio

Final Score: [L] 35-17
O. Record: (9-3)(7-1)

In arguably the third most crucial game of the football season, the Temple Owls 2009 MAC Championship dreams were crushed after their first loss in exactly two months. Temple's secondary could not find any answer nor make any adjustment to adapt to the successful Ohio air attack. The Bobcats were banged up early, losing star wideout LaVon Brazill. That didn't stop Scott and his variety of offensive weapons from getting the job done and returning to the MAC Championship game against Central Michigan.

The 9 game winning streak and undefeated conference record come to an end.

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Here's a look at Temple's statistical leaders this season:

Passing Yards: Vaughn Charlton (1231 yards)
Rushing Yards: Bernard Pierce (1308 yards)
Receiving Yards: Michael Campbell (404 yards)

Points Scored: 30 points per game
Points Given Up: 22 points per game

Total Tackles: Alex Joseph (73 tackles)
Interceptions: Jaiquawn Jarrett (3 interceptions)

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Summing up the Temple Owls:

UCLA is one of Temple's tougher opponents this season, alongside #5 Penn State. Freshman phenom Bernard Pierce returns to the Owls lineup after suffering an month long injury to his shoulder. Complimenting him on the ground is Matt Brown, who in his playing time average 6 yards a carry. This is very encouraging for this team, because the majority of their offense has been generated by the run. The Bruins are absolutely stacked in the secondary, and are very dangerous when you try to attack them in the air.

Defensively, the Owls need to establish themselves early. The Bruins are a team that either has a great game, or struggles when put in a bad groove. As Mike Gibson of Temple Football Forever says, the Owls need to start sending more than the front four on blitzes. They have enough talent to get to the backfield, and cause a number of problems for UCLA.

Tuesday will be a historic day for this program, and they are going to come out hungry to get their first bowl victory in 30 years. This is an accomplished team that has changed their worldwide perspective, and is looking for no less than a W. They will come out pumped up for this game.

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 07)

We've completed Day Seven of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of ten bowl games thus far:

Music City Bowl: Clemson 21, Kentucky 13

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Chris R.	7/10 (70%)
	Darin B.	7/10 (70%)
	The Owl's Nest	7/10 (70%)
	Preston F.	7/10 (70%)
2nd	Kevin M.	6/10 (60%)
	Macy G.	6/10 (60%)
	Preston R.	6/10 (60%)
	Siena Saints Blog	6/10 (60%)
	RyanRestivo.com	6/10 (60%)
3rd	Amy V.	5/10 (50%)
	Becca W.	5/10 (50%)
	Brandon F.	5/10 (50%)
	Cap P.	5/10 (50%)
	Jordan L.	5/10 (50%)
	Kyanite D.	5/10 (50%)
4th	Brent S.	4/10 (40%)
	Brian S.	4/10 (40%)
	Kevin Z.	4/10 (40%)
	Mark H.	4/10 (40%)
	Nick J.	4/10 (40%)
	Steve C.	4/10 (40%)
5th	Loren P.	2/10 (20%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

10 bowl games down, 24 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

Getting to Know UCLA (Q&A)

For every matchup, we like to give opposing blogger's a chance to tell us about their team and find out their input on that upcoming game.

Today, we had the opportunity to Ryan of the well known UCLA blog BruinsNation a few questions about his Bruins thus far in the season.

Team Profile: UCLA Bruins
Team Profile: Temple Owls

The Owl's Nest: Although their record was (6-6)(3-6), the Bruins played in an "as usual" tough and talented Pac-10 which features 7 bowl-bound teams. How does playing in such a talented conference prepare you for games like these?

BruinsNation: I think most of all, playing such a tough schedule forces you to raise your game and to improve over the course of a season. UCLA has been exposed, their weaknesses have been exploited and they've been forced to improve in those areas. Early in the season, UCLA struggled to get our offensive linemen out in front when they were asked to pull, but that has gotten much better and teams overwhelmed our offensive line with overload blitzes, but now our blocking schemes better protect against them. Only in the Bruins' opening game versus San Diego St. and versus Washington St. has UCLA been able to cruise on talent so execution has been at a premium all season and it raises the game of the entire team.

TON: With All-American runningback Bernard Pierce returning from injury, it seems more likely that the Owls main arsenal will be the running game. How will the Bruins prepare for Temple's style of play, and utilize their specialties to counter?

BN: The obvious answer is the Bruins will lean on Brian Price. The monster defensive tackle was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and for good reason as he had 22.5 tackles for a loss, good for third in the nation, in a category dominating by defensive ends and linebackers. Jerzy Siewerski, the Bruins' other starting defensive tackle, is healthy, which should allow UCLA to bottle up the interior a little better. The Bruins do a great job stopping the run, for the most part, but are killed by big plays in the running game, which are usually the result of overpersuit by the linebackers. I think the Bruins will look to move a safety into the box and spread the linebackers out wider to shut down the off-tackle run game and depend on Price and Sierwerski to handle the interior.

TON: We know that UCLA has a slew of talent on both sides of the ball. What would you say are the team's strengths and weaknesses?

BN: As mentioned above, Brian Price is an obvious strength for this team. In addition to his 22.5 tackles for a loss, he had seven sacks so he's not just a run stuffer. He forces teams to double team in the interior so in obvious pass situations, the Bruins will have linebacker Akeem Ayers play as an end. Ayers is a freak athlete, the biggest and fastest of the UCLA linebackers, and with teams double teaming Price in the middle, he gets one-on-one opportunities on the outside. When quarterbacks have to throw balls up for grabs because of pressure, safety Rahim Moore can thrive as a "centerfielder" and add to his nine interceptions, most in the country.

Offensively, the Bruins; lack any obvious strength and that in turn is their biggest weakness. At times, the running game has been effective, but UCLA's most effective runner, Jonathan Franklin, is a fumble machine and likely won't get much of a chance in Washington DC's cold weather. The passing game has been dynamic at times, but the receiving corps are inconsistent at best. Nelson Rosario has been sensational at times, but has also been prone to drops and poor routes. The biggest weakness this team has though is a lack of focus, which has resulted in poor starts before as well as penalty-heavy games.

TON: The furthest East this team has had to travel is Tennessee. How do you think the location (Washington, D.C.) and weather predicted around 36 degrees affect UCLA?

BN: I don't think location will matter at all. The distance isn't much of an issue for bowl games because teams arrive so early, unlike in regular season games. If the Bruins could handle the travel and play a day later in Tennessee, they'll be fine going to DC and playing several days later. As for the weather, the Bruins have already played in subfreezing temperatures this season, going to Washington St. where it was cold and has snowed the night prior. That experience will give the Bruins all they need to make sure the weather doesn't affect them in DC.


TON: Any thoughts or predictions on this game?

BN: I think that Temple will come out with fire and the goal of the Bruins will be to play the Owls to a first quarter draw. If they can do that then I think they will be able to push past Temple. UCLA's run defense should be good enough to neutralize Temple's rushing attack and force the Owls to throw the ball enough to give Rahim Moore and Alterraun Verner chance to play the ball, which is in the Bruins' advantage. UCLA should win the turnover battle, giving them a 27-20 win, but if Temple holds onto the ball better than the Bruins, look for a victory for the Owls.

Good luck on Tuesday...but not too much luck.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, Ryan. Please be sure to check out his blog, BruinsNation for all UCLA Bruins news.

Team Profile: UCLA Bruins (EagleBank Bowl)

It's bowl season, and we're going all out to keep you up to date and informed on Temple's game against UCLA in the EagleBank Bowl. In our "Team Profile", we're going to break down both teams performances through the entire 2009 season to give you an idea of who these teams truly are.

We'll start our Team Profile with the UCLA Bruins.

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Here's a breakdown of the UCLA Bruins 2009 Schedule:

USA Today SOS Ranking: #11
RealtimeRPI RPI Ranking: 33.41

(Sep. 5, 2009) SAN DIEGO STATE

Final Score: [W] 33-14
O. Record: (1-0)(0-0)

Both the offense and defense found ways to put points on the board to open the 2009 season with a victory. The tenacity found on the defensive side though was the story of this game, as the Bruins scored points off of a blocked field goal and three interceptions. On offense, Derrick Coleman and Johnathan Franklin found the endzone on the ground game, while Kevin Prince and the talented passing game got the ball rolling with a score of their own in his college football debut.

After the first quarter, the Bruins did not allow San Diego State to score again during the remainder of the game.

(Sep. 12, 2009) at Tennessee

Final Score: [W] 19-15
O. Record: (2-0)(0-0)

UCLA fell behind by a score in the first quarter of this game, but the defense absolutely shut down the Volunteers for a 33 minute period. During the second and third quarters, the Bruins offense put up 16 points (9 coming from kicker Kai Forbath) that gave the team a 9 point lead heading into the final quarter. After a field goal that cut the UCLA lead to 6, neither team was successful in creating any type of scoring opportunity. With 1:41 remaining, the Vols sacked quarterback Kevin Prince in the endzone for a safety.

UCLA was able to hold on in the final 100 second to get a much needed victory over Tennessee.

(Sep. 19, 2009) KANSAS STATE

Final Score: [W] 23-9
O. Record: (3-0)(0-0)

The Bruins continued their early season dominance with a solid victory over the Kansas State Wildcats. Kevin Craft received the start for UCLA in this game, and took advantage of his opportunity. The senior quarterback threw for 186 yards and a touchdown that sealed the deal late in the fourth quarter. Kai Forbath connected on three field goals for the second consecutive game that expanded the team's lead to a touchdown. The running game, led by Johnathan Franklin's 119 yards, was able to score as well early in the game to generate some offense.

The Bruins extended their winning streak and undefeated 2009 record to three games with the two touchdown win.

(Oct. 3, 2009) at Stanford

Final Score: [L] 24-16
O. Record: (3-1)(0-1)

The Stanford Cardinal handed the team their first loss of the season in what was a hard fought opener to UCLA's Pac 10 conference season opener. The Bruins were troubled early by Heisman candidate Toby Gerhart, who scored three rushing touchdowns in this game. Kai Forbath provided his team with the only scoring in the first half when he connected on two field goals. Quarterback Kevin Craft connected for 204 yards without a touchdown, and his team was only able to find the endzone one time in the game.

This game was UCLA's first loss this year, along with an 0-1 start in the conference.

(Oct. 10, 2009) #13 OREGON

Final Score: [L] 24-10
O. Record: (3-2)(0-2)

The UCLA Bruins dropped their second straight game that featured almost zero offensive scoring production against the #13 Oregon Ducks. Neither team was able to get things going during the first half, where the Bruins had their only lead of the game (3). Beginning the 3rd quarter, it was all Oregon special teams and defense that got the job done. Within just one minute of play, the Ducks took the kickoff to the house, as well as intercepted the following UCLA possession and took it the distance.

UCLA lost their second game in a row now, and their second straight conference game.

(Oct. 17, 2009) CALIFORNIA

Final Score: [L] 45-26
O. Record: (3-3)(0-3)

In a game that featured a combined score of 71 points, two high powered offenses took the field and produced what was an extremely productive first half. Cal runningback Jahvid Best stole the spotlight during the second quarter with a 51 yard touchdown reception, and a 93 yard touchdown run. The Bruins found themselves down at least a touchdown through the entire game, having no answer for the dominating production of the Golden Bears offense.

UCLA falls to .500 after this loss, as well as 0-3 in the Pac 10.

(Oct. 24, 2009) at #22 Arizona

Final Score: [L] 27-13
O. Record: (3-4)(0-4)

The UCLA Bruins dropped their fourth straight game after another struggling offensive showing by the team. The Wildcats took an early 13-0 lead after both a passing and rushing touchdown, and held UCLA to no offensive scores. Kai Forbath slowly brought his team back into the game, connecting on two field goals to cut the deficit to 7. The Bruins were able to force 5 Arizona turnovers, but had trouble capitalizing on those opportunities.

UCLA falls to under .500 for the first time this team, and remains winless inside the conference.

(Oct. 31, 2009) OREGON STATE

Final Score: [L] 26-19
O. Record: (3-5)(0-5)

The Bruins returned home after suffering four straight losses, only for more of the same. The team's hopes of ending the four game skid were crushed on a James Rodgers touchdown reception with :44 remaining in the final quarter of play. The Bruins crept back into the game after trailing early on 16-0, but the late surge by Kevin Prince's two consecutive passing touchdowns was not enough to get the victory.

UCLA drops it's fifth straight loss, and remains defeated within the conference.

(Nov. 7, 2009) WASHINGTON

Final Score: [W] 24-23
O. Record: (4-5)(1-5)

UCLA put an end to their five game skid, with a one point victory over the Washington Huskies. Kevin Prince left the game early with 212 passing yards due to injury, but Kevin Craft filled the void nicely and continued the Bruins momentum. Despite five turnovers of their own, Coach Rick Neuheisel put his team in a position to come back from trailing 21-13 to get the win.

The Bruins earned their first win inside the Pac 10 conference with the victory.

(Nov. 14, 2009) at Washington State

Final Score: [W] 43-7
O. Record: (5-5)(2-5)

UCLA continued it's turnaround by convincingly defeating Washington State, and returning to .500. Senior fullback Chane Moline scored three touchdown that helped a dominating effort by the Bruin offense. Quarterback Kevin Prince contributed himself on the ground with a nice 68 yard touchdown carry. The UCLA defense held WSU scoreless through 44 minutes of play and only surrendered one score through the entire outing.

The Bruins drop their losing record overall, and are still in contention for a bowl game bid.

(Nov. 21, 2009) ARIZONA STATE

Final Score: [W] 23-13
O. Record: (6-5)(3-5)

The UCLA Bruins defense was the story of this game, leading the team to their third straight victory. The Bruins got momentum started early with Alterraun Verner's 68 yard pick six. Following a Kai Forbath field goal, the defense once again came up big with a fumble recovery by Akeem Ayers that he took to the end zone. Forbath connected on two more field goals that sealed the deal for the Bruins, earning the team it's sixth win.

UCLA becomes bowl eligible with the victory, and their conference record improves to 3-5.

(Nov. 28, 2009) at #20 USC

Final Score: [L] 28-7
O. Record: (6-6)(3-6)
Finishing the season with hopes of knocking off the #20 USC Trojans, the Bruins struggled to capitalize when the team had possession, and instead dug themselves a hole through four turnovers. USC did the exact opposite, and capitalized on every opportunity that the Bruins had given to them. While the game was still in hand, Chane Moline scored on a 2 yard rush, cutting the deficit to a touchdown. The Trojans countered with two more scores, and solidified the victory.

The Bruins finished off the season .500, with an invitation to the EagleBank Bowl against Temple.

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Here's a look at UCLA's statistical leaders this season:

Passing Yards: Kevin Prince (1829 yards)
Rushing Yards: Johnathan Franklin (560 yards)
Receiving Yards: Nelson Rosario (657 yards)

Points Scored: 21 points per game
Points Given Up: 19 points per game

Total Tackles: Reggie Carter (72 tackles)
Interceptions: Rahim Moore (9 interceptions)

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Summing up the UCLA Bruins:

The Bruins have talents on both sides of the field. Offensively, you're either going to shut them down, or they'll stomp all over you. Norm Chow is one of the best offensive minds in all of college football. Judging by their weekly performances, they are an unpredictable team as far as which UCLA is going to show up. They have a tendency to throw the ball a little better than their ground game, but have ground threats in both Kevin Price (QB) and their running backs.

The defense is able to create opportunities of their own when the O can't get rolling, so this makes them a real deadly team. They have a tough, stifling linebacker core that is complimented by a lockdown pass defense. The UCLA Bruins do tend to give up more on the ground game, which has been the major area of production for Temple.

Kai Forbath, UCLA's kicker, is one of the most accurate kickers in the game. The 2009 Lou Groza Award Winner had an accurate percentage of 89% this season, scoring 100 points for his team. His season long kick was 53 yards, proving that the Bruins are not afraid to send out their kicker on fourth downs rather to punt.

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Stay tuned for Part II of our Team Profiles, as we breakdown Temple's season tomorrow in preparation for the team's EagleBank Bowl matchup!

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 06)

We've completed Day Six of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of nine bowl games thus far:

Little Caesars Bowl: Marshall 21, Ohio 17
Meineke Car Bowl: Pittsburgh 19, North Carolina 17
Emerald Bowl: USC 24, Boston College 13

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	The Owl's Nest	6/9 (66%)
	Chris R.	6/9 (66%)
	Darin B.	6/9 (66%)
	Preston F.	6/9 (66%)
	Preston R.	6/9 (66%)
2nd	Siena Saints Blog	5/9 (55%)
	RyanRestivo.com	5/9 (55%)
	Amy V.	5/9 (55%)
	Macy G.	5/9 (55%)
	Becca W.	5/9 (55%)
	Kevin M.	5/9 (55%)
3rd	Brandon F.	4/9 (44%)
	Cap P.	4/9 (44%)
	Kyanite D.	4/9 (44%)
	Jordan L.	4/9 (44%)
4th	Brian S.	3/9 (33%)
	Kevin Z.	3/9 (33%)
	Mark H.	3/9 (33%)
	Nick J.	3/9 (33%)
	Brent S.	3/9 (33%)
	Steve C.	3/9 (33%)
5th	Temple Football Forever	2/9 (22%)
	Loren P.	2/9 (22%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

- 0 out of 23 participants (0%) have just one incorrectly picked game
- 0 out of 23 participants (0%) have just two incorrectly picked games
- 5 out of 23 participants (22%) have just three incorrectly picked games
- 6 out of 23 participants (26%) have just four incorrectly picked games
- 4 out of 23 participants (17%) have five incorrectly picked games
- 6 out of 23 participants (26%) have six incorrectly picked games
- 2 out of 23 participants (9%) have seven incorrectly picked games

9 bowl games down, 25 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

Getting to Know BGSU (Q&A)

For every matchup, we like to give opposing blogger's a chance to tell us about their team and find out their input on that upcoming game.

Today, we had the opportunity to as BJ of the well known Bowling Green blog FalconBlog a few questions about his Falcons thus far in the season.

Temple will take on BGSU on Monday. (PREVIEW)

You can click here to see my answers to his questions: Temple Blogswap.

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The Owl's Nest: Although BGSU started off sluggish this season, the team has had a very successful December (3-1 thus far). What has been able to spark the team?

FalconBlog: To start with, rather than playing Xavier and Iowa, the December schedule featured Fordham, Canisius and Savannah State. That's a nice way to get healthy right there. The team has been playing better. Bowling Green has been playing much better defense since December, which is the single key to the team's success. The team has been sparked at times by Sophomore Guard Dee Brown showing some signs of breaking out. This team graduated three of its top players and scorers as well as losing another to transfer, and the team has been learning its roles and establishing its identity. Note..since the middle of last season, BG has been a very solid road team. In general, the adjectives for our team would be gritty and grinding.

TON: The Falcons have playmakers both on the perimeter and inside the paint. How would you describe the team's style of play on offense?

FB: Bowling Green's overall style of play is to play a down-tempo, defensive-style of play. On offense, that translates to a very deliberate offense. Our preferred style is to work inside out---to get the ball to Otis Polk, Marc Larson, or Erik Marschall down in the paint, and have them kick the ball out to a guard for penetration or a shot. The Falcons don't feature any single big scorer (our three leading scorers are each only averaging 10 points per game). A couple times this season, they have been susceptible to defensive pressure, and the Falcons can go long periods of time without scoring. Finally, BG is 341st in the nation in FT%.

TON: For Temple, Juan Fernandez has picked up his game tremendously in the last few games. Along with him, Ryan Brooks and Lavoy Allen carry the majority of the Owls scoring. How do you think the Falcons plan on defending Temple?

FB: BG builds everything it does on defense. Coach Orr's general statement is that your "shooting percentage should never determine your winning percentage." Defensive stops are the identity of our program. While we claim to want to play a 2-3 equally with a man to man, our best success has been in the Syracuse 2-3 that Coach Orr learned in his college days. We have been very effective in that set up over the past few games. Along with shooting percentage, we also need to control the defensive boards to win.

TON: Bowling Green by the numbers is a very diverse and athletic program. Could you give us an idea as to some of the team's strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the ball?

FB: On offense, I would say our strengths are good shot selection and a team that is completely bought in to its system. Weaknesses are lack of a consistent playmaker and poor free throw shooting.

On defense, our strengths are a very solid base defense that the team is committed to and knows how to play. Our weeakness is that we are not terribly athletic and we have been susceptible to dribble penetration.

TON: Any predictions or thoughts on Monday's game?

FB: I think Temple is the best team we've played and will play this year. This will be a terrific challenge for our team. We struggle to score, and the Temple FG% defense will only make that more difficult. If Bowling Green is going to compete, we're going to need to play exemplary defense, have players convert the open shots we do get, and control the boards.

Thanks BJ for giving us the opportunity. Be sure to check out his blog, FalconBlog!

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@luvmuffinnn TEMPLE FOOTBALL is everywhere in D.C.

@thapplzchamp GOODLUCK TEMPLE FOOTBALL

@ESPN_MobileNews Sounds like you guys are sick of the Tiger story but could use a little more Temple football news. We're taking notes for 2010.

@Briggormley Espn America showing temple university vs ucla in eaglebank bowl live on Tuesday 21.30gmt! Go on temple u!

@ChristinaBeans A little slow on the alumni news, but Temple is ranked?! Woohoo! #21/#25 Proud of TU this year - a bowl game & national bball rankings :)

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Ranked Owls Fly Home to Welcome Falcons

Coming off Saturday's victory over Seton Hall the #21 ranked Temple Owls will back home on Monday to welcome the Bowling Green Falcons.

The Owl's Nest will give you an in-depth look at Monday's outing against BGSU for the Temple Men's Basketball team.

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#21 Temple Owls vs. Bowling Green Falcons
McGonigle Hall (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Television: (TV) N/A | (RADIO) 1210 WPHT
Tip-off: 7:00 PM

The head to head matchup has Temple listed with an overall winning series record of 2-0. The teams last played in 2007 where Temple won in Ohio, 72-55.

Bowling Green Falcons

Overall Record: (5-4)(0-0)
2008 Record: (18-12)(11-5)
Last Game: (73-69 loss to Detroit)

Key Losses: (G) Brian Moten, (G) Darryl Clements
Key Returns: (C) Otis Polk, (F) Scott Thomas (G) Dee Brown

The Bowling Green Falcons had a shaky start to their 2009 season, but have had a lot of success in the month of December. In their last four games, BGSU has been able to get the ball rolling with three consecutive wins prior to the Detroit game. After 9 days off from taking the floor, the Falcons will come to North Broad Street with hopes of knocking off the #21 Temple Owls.

The team has a number of scorers from all three areas of the court. Center Otis Polk leads Bowling Green in scoring and rebounds (10.3 ppg and 7.4 rpg). From the forward position, Scott Thomas has contributed similar numbers as Polk with a few more assists. Finally, at the guard position, Dee Brown puts up double digit scoring of his own.

Here's an idea of Bowling Green's scoring, as we refer to their statistics from their previous game against Detroit:

Joe Jakubowski - 17 points
Jordon Crawford - 15 points
Otis Polk - 11 points
Scott Thomas - 11 points
Erik Marschall - 10 points

After taking a look at their performance back on December 19th, all three of BGSU's main scorers contributed. In this game, though, the Falcons saw at least three other players step in and score. Players who don't see as many minutes like Jordon Crawford came into the game and was the team's second leading scorer. The Falcons are a team that can surprise you with guys that come off the bench and score in double digits.

Bowling Green does a nice job on offense of protecting the ball, with around 13 turnovers per game. They make up for this by creating roughly seven against the opposition off of steals. A lot of the team's depth off the bench does a nice job creating turnovers and problems on the defensive side of the ball.

Please be sure to visit the following Bowling Green sites for more on the Falcons:

BGSUFalcons.com | FalconBlog | BGSUInsider.com
Temple Owls

Overall Record: (10-2)(0-0)
2008 Record (20-12)(11-5)
Last Game: (71-65 win over Seton Hall)

Key Losses: (G) Dionte Christmas, (G) Semaj Inge, (C) Sergio Olmos
Key Returns: (G) Ryan Brooks, (F) Lavoy Allen, (G) Juan Fernandez

With their win over Seton Hall, Temple achieved something they have not accomplished since the 2001 season: a national ranking. The AP and USA Today Polls placed Temple in the Top 25 at 21st (AP) and 25 (USA Today).

The Owls have talent similar to BGSU, getting contributions from all areas of the floor. The guard play, led by Ryan Brooks and Juan Fernandez, has created the most production recently. In the paint, the Owls have the threat of junior forward Lavoy Allen who controls the most of the team's rebounding.

Here's Temple's last top performers:

Juan Fernandez (21 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists)
Ryan Brooks (24 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists)
Lavoy Allen (9 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist)
Scootie Randall (9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist)
Rahlir Jefferson (4 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists)

The Owls have seen a lot more production from Juan Fernandez, who has scored 10-20 points more than his average in the past two games. Ryan Brooks has also picked up his end of the scoring as well. Lavoy Allen, although he has gotten in foul trouble, has held up his end with scoring, and has continued to be a dominant force with rebounding.

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Predicted Starting 5

Here's our prediction of Saturday's starting five for the Temple Owls:

(G) Juan Fernandez
(G) Ryan Brooks
(G) Luis Guzman
(F) Lavoy Allen
(F) Craig Williams

Key Players (TEM): Against Seton Hall, Temple's post play had some trouble guarding Herb Pope. This week, the team will have to figure out ways to stop Otis Polk of Bowling Green. The Owls will be in good condition if they can limit the play of BGSU in the post.

Key Players (BGSU): Juan Fernandez has picked up his game tremendously in Temple's past two outings, and has played a key role in the team's success. The guard play of the Falcons needs to keep ahold of Fernandez and Ryan Brooks, as well as counter with scoring of their own.

Stay tuned for our upcoming Q&A with FalconBlog!

Feel free to join us for a Live Chat during the game (TBD)! Temple vs. Bowling Green Live Blog!

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 05)

We've completed Day Five of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of six bowl games thus far:

Hawaii Bowl: Southern Methodist 45, Nevada 10

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Macy G.	5/6 (83%)
2nd	The Owl's Nest	4/6 (66%)
	Chris R.	4/6 (66%)
	Darin B.	4/6 (66%)
	Preston F.	4/6 (66%)
3rd	RyanRestivo.com	3/6 (50%)
	Siena Saints Blog	3/6 (50%)
	Amy V.	3/6 (50%)
	Becca W.	3/6 (50%)
	Brandon F.	3/6 (50%)
	Cap P.	3/6 (50%)
	Kevin M.	3/6 (50%)
	Kyanite D.	3/6 (50%)
	Preston R.	3/6 (50%)
4th	Brian S.	2/6 (33%)
	Nick J.	2/6 (33%)
	Jordan L.	2/6 (33%)
	Kevin Z.	2/6 (33%)
	Loren P.	2/6 (33%)
	Mark H.	2/6 (33%)
5th	Temple Football Forever	1/6 (17%)
	Brent S.	1/6 (17%)
	Steve C.	1/6 (33%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

- 1 out of 23 participants (4%) have just one incorrectly picked game
- 4 out of 23 participants (17%) have just two incorrectly picked games
- 9 out of 23 participants (39%) have just three incorrectly picked games
- 6 out of 23 participants (27%) have just four incorrectly picked games
- 3 out of 23 participants (13%) have just five incorrectly picked games

6 bowl games down, 28 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 04)

We've completed Day Four of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of five bowl games thus far:

Poinsettia Bowl Utah 37, California 27

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Darin B.	4/5 (80%)
	Chris R.	4/5 (80%)
	Macy G.	4/5 (80%)
2nd	Kevin M.	3/5 (60%)
	The Owl's Nest	3/5 (60%)
	Brandon F.	3/5 (60%)
	RyanRestivo.com	3/5 (60%)
	Siena Saints Blog	3/5 (60%)
	Preston F.	3/5 (60%)
	Preston R.	3/5 (60%)
	Cap P.	3/5 (60%)
	Kyanite D.	3/5 (60%)
	Kevin Z.	3/5 (60%)
3rd	Jordan L.	2/5 (40%)
	Mark H.	2/5 (40%)
	Amy V.	2/5 (40%)
	Becca W.	2/5 (40%)
	Brian S.	2/5 (40%)
	Loren P.	2/5 (40%)
4th	Brent S.	1/5 (20%)
	Nick J.	1/5 (20%)
	Temple Football Forever	1/5 (20%)
	Steve C.	1/5 (20%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

- 3 out of 23 participants (13%) have just one incorrectly picked game
- 10 out of 23 participants (43%) have just two incorrectly picked games
- 6 out of 23 participants (27%) have just three incorrectly picked games
- 4 out 23 participants (17%) have just four incorrectly picked games

5 bowl games down, 29 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

BOWL GAME: Temple Owls vs. UCLA Bruins

We're officially under a week away from Temple's first bowl game in 30 years. It's time to get you prepared for the Owls' date with the UCLA Bruins. Here's what we have in store:

- Temple Owls Scouting Report
- UCLA Bruins Scouting Report
- Q&A with UCLA Blogger Bruins Nation
.. and much more!

Be sure to stay updated on The Owl's Nest, and be sure to follow us on Twitter!

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 03)

We've completed Day Three of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of four bowl games thus far:

MAACO Bowl: Brigham Young 44, Oregon St. 20

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Darin B.	3/4 (75%)
	Chris R.	3/4 (75%)
	Macy G.	3/4 (66%)
2nd	The Owl's Nest	2/4 (50%)
	RyanRestivo.com	2/4 (50%)
	Siena Saints Blog	2/4 (50%)
	Kevin M.	2/4 (50%)
	Kevin Z.	2/4 (50%)
	Brandon F.	2/4 (50%)
	Preston R.	2/4 (50%)
	Cap P.	2/4 (50%)
	Preston F.	2/4 (50%)
	Kyanite D.	2/4 (50%)
	Amy V.	2/4 (50%)
	Brent S.	2/4 (50%)
3rd	Temple Football Forever	1/4 (25%)
	Jordan L.	1/4 (25%)
	Mark H.	1/4 (25%)
	Becca W.	1/4 (25%)
	Brian S.	1/4 (25%)
	Nick J.	1/4 (25%)
	Loren P.	1/4 (25%)
4th	Steve C.	0/4 (0%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

- 0 out of 23 participants (0%) have 0 incorrectly picked games
- 3 out of 23 participants (14%) have 1 incorrectly picked game
- 12 out of 23 participants (52%) have 2 incorrectly picked games
- 7 out of 23 participants (30%) have 3 incorrectly picked games
- 1 out of 23 participants (4%) have 4 incorrectly picked games

4 bowl games down, 30 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

Upcoming Matchup: Temple vs. BGSU

The Temple Men's Basketball team will be taking on their next opponent shortly, that being the Bowling Green Falcons! The Owl's Nest will keep you covered on this upcoming game:

- Temple vs. BGSU Preview
- Q&A with FalconBlog (BGSU Blogger)
- Gameday Live blog

Be sure to follow us on twitter for more updates!

AP and USA Today Polls Love the Owls..

The Temple Owls have achieved something they have not done in a long time.

UPDATE (12/28): Temple's ranking has moved to 18th (AP Poll) and 19th (USA Today) as a result of several higher ranked teams losing. We'll keep you updated on the Owls' ranking as the season continues.

After Monday's voting, the Owls have earned themselves a spot in the Top 25 in both the AP Poll (21) as well as the ESPN/USA Today Poll (25).

Temple has built up a nice resume thus far in the season:

- Wins over #3 Villanova, Seton Hall, Siena, Penn State, Virginia Tech
- 1 point loss to #14 Georgetown, 7 point loss to St. John's
- Strength of Schedule ranked 3rd in the country *
- RPI Rating ranked 2nd in the country *

Temple has played teams from the Big East, Big Ten, ACC, and more. Coming up, the Owls will play a Big 12 opponent in #1 Kansas.

So far, Temple has put together a nice resume for the 2010 Dance. However, there is plenty of time for the Owls to even better themselves more, and continue pushing upward in the rankings.

Congratulations, Owls.

* Rankings from RealTimeRPI.com

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 02)

We've completed Day Two of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of three bowl games thus far:

New Orleans Bowl: Middle Tennessee State 42, Southern Mississippi 32

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Darin B.	2/3 (66%)
	Brandon F.	2/3 (66%)
	Preston R.	2/3 (66%)
	Kyanite D.	2/3 (66%)
	Chris R.	2/3 (66%)
	Macy G.	2/3 (66%)
2nd	The Owl's Nest	1/3 (33%)
	Temple Football Forever	1/3 (33%)
	Ryan Restivo	1/3 (33%)
	Siena Saints Blog	1/3 (33%)
	Kevin M.	1/3 (33%)
	Kevin Z.	1/3 (33%)
	Jordan L.	1/3 (33%)
	Cap P.	1/3 (33%)
	Mark H.	1/3 (33%)
	Becca W.	1/3 (33%)
	Preston F.	1/3 (33%)
	Brent S.	1/3 (33%)
	Brian S.	1/3 (33%)
	Loren P.	1/3 (33%)
	Amy V.	1/3 (33%)
3rd	Steve C.	0/3 (0%)
	Nick J.	0/3 (0%)

*Temporary not included: The Road 2 the Gold

- 0 out of 23 participants (0%) have 0 incorrectly picked games
- 6 out of 23 participants (26%) have 1 incorrectly picked game
- 15 out of 23 participants (65%) have 2 incorrectly picked games
- 2 out of 23 participants (9%) have 3 incorrectly picked games

3 bowl games down, 31 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

Owls Battle to Sink the Pirates

The Temple Owls earned themselves another important win for their NCAA tournament resume, taking out another Big East opponent in the Seton Hall Pirates.

The Owls were able to pull out a 71-65 victory, but the score was not representative of the overall play. At one point, Temple found themselves down 16 with absolutely no momentum.

Seton Hall's fast pace caused a number of problems for the Owls on offense and defense. The Pirates capitalized on every early turnover, converting them to points. Temple's carelessness of handling the basketball led to a number of opportunities for SHU as well as a double digit lead.

The multi-talented Pirate offense found multiple ways to score on Temple. For the most part, Eugene Harvey and Jeremy Hazzell were able to earn most of their combined 27 points on their ability to force turnovers. The tandem tallied 5 steals in Saturday's game. The Owls also had trouble stopping Herb Pope, who collected a double double (13 points, 11 rebounds) during his time on the floor.

Coach Fran Dunphy assembled his squad, and got the players focused and determined. The Owls tightened up on the defensive side of the ball, took care of the rock on offense, and capitalized to come out on top.

Temple saw a number of contributors, from both the leaders and newcomers. Each of these scorers played a significant role that allowed the Owls to come out with this key victory.

Here are Temple's leading performers:

Ryan Brooks (24 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists)
Juan Fernandez (21 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists)
Lavoy Allen (9 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist)
Scootie Randall (9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist)
Rahlir Jefferson (4 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists)

Ryan Brooks led all scorers with 24 points, and with him was Juan Fernandez with 21 of his own. Both players scoring efforts were crucial when the Owls were at their biggest deficit. Many of their points were part of the run that brought that game back to close ending.

Scootie Randall came off the bench and surprised the Owls, going 3-4 from beyond the arc in just 15 minutes of play. His 9 points were very important to build up the team's momentum and get back into the game.

Temple's record improves to (9-2)(0-0), and the Owls will travel back home to play Bowling Green.

Seton Hall's record goes to (8-1)(0-0), and will play Navy for their seventh home game in a row.

The Owl's Nest will keep you updated and informed on Temple's upcoming game against the Bowling Green Falcons. Be sure to follow us on twitter as well!

2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em Standings (Day 01)

We've completed Day One of our 2010 Blogger Pick 'Em, with the results of two bowl games thus far:

New Mexico Bowl: Wyoming 35, Fresno St. 28
St. Petersburg Bowl: Rutgers 45, UCF 28

Here's where we stand thus far in the standings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR EACH PARTICIPANTS PICKS

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RANK	NAME	SCORE
1st	Darin B.	2/2 (100%)
2nd	The Owl's Nest	1/2 (50%)
	RyanRestivo.com	1/2 (50%)
	Siena Saints Blog	1/2 (50%)
	The Road 2 the Gold	1/2 (50%)
	Kevin M.	1/2 (50%)
	Kevin Z.	1/2 (50%)
	Jordan L.	1/2 (50%)
	Brandon F.	1/2 (50%)
	Preston R.	1/2 (50%)
	Cap P.	1/2 (50%)
	Kyanite D.	1/2 (50%)
	Chris R.	1/2 (50%)
	Macy G.	1/2 (50%)
	Brent S.	1/2 (50%)
	Brian S.	1/2 (50%)
	Loren P.	1/2 (50%)
3rd	Temple Football Forever	0/2 (0%)
	Steve C.	0/2 (0%)
	Mark H.	0/2 (0%)
	Amy V.	0/2 (0%)
	Becca W.	0/2 (0%)
	Nick J.	0/2 (0%)

- 1 out of 23 participants (4%) have 0 incorrectly picked games
- 16 out of 23 participants (70%) have 1 incorrectly picked game
- 6 out of 23 participants (26%) have 2 incorrectly picked games

2 bowl games down, 32 left to go. Check in here for updated standings on the 2010 Bowl Game Pick 'Em!

Live Blog: Temple vs. Seton Hall

Join us for our live blog on Temple's game against Seton Hall.

Bowl Game Pick 'Em 2010: The Participants

Here's a list of this year's participants in the Bowl Game Pick 'Em 2010:

Sports Bloggers

The Owl's Nest
Temple Football Forever
RyanRestivo.com
The Road 2 the Gold
Siena Saints Blog

Readers

Steve C.
Loren P.
Jordan L.
Kevin Z.
Mark H.
Becca W.
Amy V.
Chris R.
Kyanite D.
Brandon F.
Preston R.
Brent S.
Darin B.
Nicholas J.
Macy G.
Cap P.
Brian S.
Kevin M.

Standings will be updated ASAP following the day's games.

You can click on anyone's name to download the .pdf of their picks.