Did ESPN make the right choice bringing College GameDay to Independence Hall?

ESPN’s College GameDayis most often seen right in the heart of college campuses, like it was in Week 2(in East Lansing at Michigan State) or Week 3 (in Tuscaloosa at Alabama).

Thousands of fans line up behind Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit,Rece Davis and others each week to highlight the top game of the college football calendar — and also toshowcase one of the nation’s top colleges.

When GameDay makes its way to Philly this coming Saturday, prior to the college football preview show’s 9 a.m. airtime, they are giving a back-handed insult to the 7-0 Temple Owls.

Off to the best start in university history, Temple deserves to show off LiacorousWalk, the Bell Tower, or even the Lincoln Financial Field parking lot — which is sure to be packed to the brim with enthused tailgaters in advance of TU’s 8 p.m. battle against No. 9 Notre Dame (to be televised on ABC).

But the Owls have been relegated to Independence Hall, a site in Philly with a huge historical and cultural value to be sure, but one that has little (if anything) to do with Temple University.

“Having ESPN College GameDay come to Philadelphia is tremendous not only for Temple Football, but for the University as a whole as well as the city of Philadelphia,”TempleAthletic DirectorDr. Patrick Kraft said. “The exposure will shine a light on all of the great things happening at Temple, not just the success of our nationally-ranked football program. People around the country will get to learn why Temple is one of the hottest universities in the nation, and that Philadelphia is one of the greatest cities in the country.”

Though the three-hour program will likely include some small package or inclusion of the actual university itself, the show sounds to be more interested in the city, not the school.

With a No. 21 ranking and a huge sell-out crowd expected to pack the Lincon Halloween night, the Owls exposure will speak for itself, as it has in virtually every nationally televised game this season.

But instead –with GameDay bringing its crew to a site located 2.9 miles from Temple’s campus –ESPN will be highlighting Philadelphia — not Temple.

GameDay was in Philly once previously, on the campus of UPenn in advance of the Quakers 2002 Franklin Field battle against Harvard.