Syracuse was a gracious Homecoming date for the Temple football team.
They showed up on time, looked real good for most of the day, and when it came to the end of the affair they gave it up.
A missed extra point attempt that could have flip-flopped the outcome of the game ended the contest and sent the host Owls home happy and hungry.
Next up on the menu: the Connecticut Huskies; a team ripe in experience, yet rather bland.
And the Owls will be the first team in the Big East to sample the Huskies before anyone else can get their pickings.
Connecticut, a Divsion I-A Independent team, is slated to enter the Big East in 2005 and possibly take the place of the Owls.
The last time these teams did battle was in the regular season finale last year.
Temple skinned, stuffed and beheaded the Huskies in a 56-7 embarrasment of the program.
But in my opinion, the embarassment was more of the Huskies inability to beat last year’s sixth best team in the conference as they are expected to compete, but probably not contend, in the Big East in three years.
But in three years, who’s going to want to play for UConn football, a lowly marketed team?
How many people besides their student body, opponents and fans know they even have a team?
My guess is probably not many.
Isn’t UConn a hoops institution, like Temple?
Yes, but the football teams competitiveness is similar to that of the hoops squads’, considering that basketball practice only started this week.
Like last season, the Owls are heading into their matchup against the Huskies coming off a win.
Last season the game was supposed to be played the week of Sept. 11 but was bumped to the end of the schedule.
Had Temple played UConn when the game was originally scheduled last season and the outcome had still been the same, then the Owls could have been carrying momentum into the rest of the season instead of the offseason and spring drills.
Now the Owls are in a perfect situation to make this season meaningful and interesting.
Let’s just hope that Saturday’s brunch with the Huskies don’t make the Owls lose their appetite.
Chris Silva can be reached at cbsrican@aol.com.
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