VILLANOVA at TEMPLE
Saturday, Sept. 9 • 3:30 p.m. • ESPN3
Lincoln Financial Field (69,596/Natural Grass)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Television
ESPN3
Greg Mescall and Tyoka Jackson
Radio
WPEN-FM 97.5 (Temple flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 33rd meeting between Temple and Villanova, whose campus are located 15 miles apart in the Philadelphia area … Villanova holds a 16-15-1 series lead, but Temple has taken the last three games, including a 41-10 decision in 2012 … Saturday’s game will be the first in the series between two first-time head coaches.
VILLANOVA
1-0, 0-0 CAA
Head Coach
Mark Ferrante (St. Lawrence ’83)
1-0, first season
Notes
Villanova made a winner of first-year head coach Mark Ferrante as the Wildcats took a 38-35 decision against Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in Week 1 … Though new to the head coaching ranks, Ferrante is no stranger to Villanova … Ferrante served as an assistant to former coach Andy Talley for 30 years, including the last 18 as assistant head coach … The win for Villanova was the Wildcats’ first in a season-opener since 2009 … Last week’s game was Villanova’s first against an NCAA FCS opponent since 2004 … RB Matt Gudzak rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries against Lehigh … QB Zach Bednarczyk had 281 yards of total offense, completing 17 of 23 passes for 209 yards and rushing for 72 yards on nine carries ….LB Ed Shockley registered 14 tackles and two pass breakups against the Mountain Hawks.
-/rv TEMPLE
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Geoff Collins (Western Carolina ’94)
0-1, first season
Notes
Temple dropped its season-opener for the second straight year after the Owls fell 49-16 at Notre Dame in Geoff Collins’ head coaching debut … The Owls are looking to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2013 … Temple has won its last six home games and has gone 11-2 at Lincoln Financial Field in the last two seasons … Temple went with QB Logan Marchi in the opener against Notre Dame as the Owls had four players battling to replace four-year starter Phillip Walker … Marchi, a redshirt freshman, completed 19 of 35 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns against Notre Dame … RB Ryquell Armstead rushed for 67 yards on 19 carries, while WR Isaiah Wright had four receptions for 79 yards … LB Delvon Randall had 11 tackles and a sack … S Sean Chandler was named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player.