Temple University Athletics
Temple Accepts Invitation to EagleBank Bowl
12.6.09 | Football, Owl Bowl
Owls to Make First Bowl Appearance in 30 Years
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PHILADELPHIA – The Temple Owls are bowl-bound!
Temple (9-3 overall, 7-1 MAC) has accepted an invitation to play in the 2009 EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 29. Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. at RFK Stadium. ESPN will televise the game live.
The Owls will take on either Army (5-6 independent) or UCLA (6-6 overall, 3-6 PAC-10). Temple's opponent will be based on the outcome of the Dec. 12 matchup between Army and Navy. An Army win will secure a bowl date with Temple. If Navy wins, UCLA will face the Owls.
Tickets will go on sale Monday morning at 10 a.m.
Tickets may be purchased in-person at the Temple Athletics Ticket Office at the Liacouras Center (1776 North Broad Street), via phone at 215-204-8499 or visit the website for an order form.
All of Temple's bowl information will be available at www. OwlBowl.com, beginning on Monday.
Under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Al Golden, the 2009 MAC Coach of the Year, Temple will be making its first bowl appearance in 30 years. The Owls' last bowl game came in 1979 in the Garden State Bowl. Temple defeated California, 28-17.
Temple's 30-year gap between bowl games is the third longest drought in NCAA Division I-A history. New Mexico State sports the longest gap at 49 years. Louisiana-Monroe, which became D-I in 1994, has the longest drought overall at 62 years.
The Owls' 2009 bowl appearance is just the third in school history. Temple also played in the inaugural Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1935.
QUOTES
Al Golden
On playing in the EagleBank Bowl:
I think it's the best place for us to go this year. I really believe that. I think it's really important the first year. We have to learn how to do this. When you can go close to home, you eliminate a lot of travel, a lot of excuses, passports. The International Bowl was on the same day as our Kansas basketball game. We don't want to split our (fan) base. I think it's great. Either way, we're going to have a national opponent.
What does this mean to go to a bowl game:
I remember when we had a one-game win streak, and that was the longest in two years. Then we won five games and that was the most in 18 years. This year we won nine games, and here we are going to a bowl game. I think it's great for our team, and obviously the next step is to become a program and do this every year. That's our goal.
How do you prepare without knowing your opponent:
The first five practices we were just going to improve our team anyway. The seniors didn't practice this weekend. So the seniors are off right now, and we're just working with the younger guys, trying to improve our team. Even if we knew who our opponent was, we wouldn't touch them. You can't hold their attention for three weeks. We'll just focus on improving our team.
Senior DB Dominique Harris (Washington, D.C.)
This is an awesome feeling. It's crazy. It's going to be good to go home. All my family and friends can come to the bowl game and see us play. It's amazing. I didn't expect this at all.
Senior LB Alex Joseph (Stamford, Conn.)
It's a great feeling for the seniors especially who came from the very bottom to one of the top programs in our conference. We're just very blessed to be in this position.
Senior TE Steve Maneri (Saddle Brook, N.J.)
It feels great. It's an opportunity to play close to home and have our fan base come see us and enjoy the game. We're looking forward to playing UCLA or Army. Either one is a good match up.
