Having already clinched a winning season, Al Golden’s team is bowl eligible for the first time since 1990. The last time Temple was in a bowl was in 1979 for the Garden State Bowl.
The Owls (6-0 MAC, 8-2) have won eight straight after besting Akron, 56-17, last Friday. They caught the eye of a few pollsters who handed them 23 votes in the AP’s Top 25 poll.
Leading the way is freshman tailback Bernard Pierce. He’s ranked fourth in the country in rushing behind Ryan Mathews of Fresno State, Donald Buckram of UTEP and Toby Gerhart of Stanford.
“I don’t think we could’ve had a tailback that could’ve come in at a more opportune time then now,” said Golden. “He’s a tremendous athlete and makes everyone on the team’s job easier.”
The Owls host Kent State (4-2, 5-5) at 1 p.m. Saturday in their final home game.
