So what would it mean if this is the year? What if Temple, not that longago the cupcake on every team’s schedule, could knock off cross-staterival Penn State for the first time in 29 meetings?Maybe not as much as you’d think.“Obviouslyany time you go against team with such a storied tradition, if you’refortunate enough to win, it would have great meaning for your program,”said first-year Owls coach Steve Addazio. “But it doesn’t make or breakyour season. It’s one football game and you want to be careful one game doesn’t define your team. But if you win those things, it can catapult you.”Canthey win? Listening to Joe Paterno, this Temple team presents morechallenges than ever before for his squad. Then again, Paterno wouldtell you the proverbial “Little Sisters of the Poor” are much tougherthan their record really indicates.“We had our hands full with themlast year,” said Paterno of a 22-13 win where the Nittany Lions trailed13-9 at halftime. “And this is the best Temple team I’ve seen in all theyears we’ve played. They have size, speed, excellent quarterbacking andtwo good running backs.”So far thisseason, Temple (2-0) has outscored the opposition, 83-10. Meanwhile,Penn State (1-1) is coming off a 27-11 home thrashing by No. 2 Alabama —and with an imposing Big Ten schedule looming, many think the NittanyLions might be ripe for an upset.“Your approach doesn’t change ingames like this,” said Addazio. “Just have a normal work week ofpractice and preparation, and the emotions of the game will take care ofitself. Give yourselves a chance and let the chips fall.”
