TEMPLE at NOTRE DAME
Saturday, Sept. 2 • 3:30 p.m. • NBC
Notre Dame Stadium (80,795/FieldTurf)
Notre Dame, Indiana
Television
NBC
Mike Tirico, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen
Radio
WPEN-FM 97.5 (Temple flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the third meeting between Temple and Notre Dame as the Owls look for their first win in the series … Notre Dame was a 28-6 winner in South Bend in 2013 and the Irish rallied for a 24-20 decision in Philadelphia in 2015 … The 2015 matchup was a battle of top-25 teams (Temple was No. 21 and Notre Dame was No. 9).
TEMPLE
0-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Geoff Collins (Western Carolina ’94)
0-0, first season
Notes
Geoff Collins makes his head coaching debut against Notre Dame as the former Florida and Mississippi State defensive coordinator looks to continue Temple’s recent run of success … The Owls won the 2016 American Athletic Conference title — their first conference championship since 1967 — as Temple finished 10-4 overall and 7-1 in The American … Eleven starters return from last year, though the Owls will have to replace veteran starters at quarterback and running back … Temple will go with a first-time starter at QB against Notre Dame, but had as many as four candidates for that spot late into training camp … RB Ryquell Armstead rushed for 919 yards and 14 touchdowns as the No. 2 back last season … S Sean Chandler, a two-time all-conference pick, leads a defense that ranked third nationally in total defense (282.5 ypg).
rv/rv NOTRE DAME
0-0
Head Coach
Brian Kelly (Assumption ’83)
59-31, eighth season at Notre Dame
230-88-2, 27th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Notre Dame looks to bounce back from a 4-8 season as the Irish dropped three of their last four in 2016 … Notre Dame was ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation in 2015 and had a shot at reaching the College Football Playoff heading into the final weekend, and Notre Dame played in the BCS National Championship as recently as 2012 … Notre Dame has won 17 of its last 21 home openers … OG Quinton Nelson was an AP Preseason All-America first team choice, while OT Mike McGlinchey was a second-team selection … They lead a group of four senior starters on the offensive line … QB Brandon Wimbush takes over as the starter after he redshirted last season … WR Equanimeous St. Brown had 58 catches for 961 yards and nine touchdowns … LB Nyles Morgan led the defense with 94 tackles.