Chris Masse’s Temple game breakdown
Chris Masse analyzes the matchups at Temple
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Offense
Penn State: Iowa State 2.0 offense looked good. Statistics aside, it was nice seeing this unit come out with purpose and intensity -- qualities so often lacking against cupcake opponents during the James Franklin era. Amazing what some good offensive coaching can do for a guy like Koby Howard, too. A concern, though, could be running game averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
Temple: Former Penn State quarterback Jaxon Smolik started against Rhode Island, splitting time with Ajani Sheppard. He was banged up (just as he was at PSU), so it's not a guarantee he sees a lot of time. Temple relied on its ground game in its 38-14 win with Keveun Mason running for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Colin Chase has 1,047 yards and 10 touchdowns past two seasons. O-line is suspect.
Advantage: Penn State
Defense
Penn State: Penn State fans should enjoy D'Anton Lynn while they can because he has future head coach written all over him. Yes, Chad Pennington and Randy Moss were not walking through that door for Marshall Saturday, but 147 yards on 54 plays is pretty impressive. Two sacks is deceiving, too, because Carlos Del Rio-Wilson was running for his life.
Temple: Based on PSU's struggles running last week, this could be the type of matchup Temple prefers. It went 5-1 when allowing fewer than 200 yards rushing last season. The biggest concern is up front where Temple generated just 16 sacks a year ago. They feature some physical ball hawks, however, and Jamarcus Pierre and Tyree Alualu produced pick 6s last Saturday.
Advantage: Penn State
Special teams
Penn State: Through all the turmoil last year, Ryan Barker was a rock of consistency, missing just two kicks. It remains that way with the reliable junior drilling a 38-yard field goal and going 6-for-6 on PATs. Zay Robinson could be a special teams difference-maker. Punter Nathan Tiyce needs to be better after averaging 39.3 yards on three of his four kicks.
Temple: Carl Hardin is 11-of-13 from inside 50 the past two seasons and one of those misses came from 61 yards. He also is 45-of-45 on PATs. Punter Dante Atton averaged 47 yards on three kicks last week, dropping one inside the 20. His average has improved in each of the past two seasons. JoJo Bermudez ripped off a 47-yard punt return last week.
Advantage: Penn State
Coaching/intangibles
Penn State: Matt Campbell could not have asked for a better start. No drama, no contest. He was hired for much more than beating the Marshalls of the world, but the coach who made Iowa State a consistent winner seems to be laying down a strong foundation. Through one game anyway, PSU seems further along than at this point last year.
Temple: Keeler is one of the best coaches in NCAA Division I Football Championship subdivision playoff history, winning national championships with Delaware and Sam Houston. Keeler was honored by ESPN in 2019, being selected among the top 150 coaches in college history. In his first season at Temple, Keeler helped the Owls make a two-win improvement, and things are looking up there for the first time since 2019.
Advantage: Penn State
Prediction: When I wrote at the Daily Collegian in the '90s, we loved how Joe Paterno could make it feel like Penn State was playing the 1980s Miami Hurricanes when it was Temple week. I really like what Keeler is doing at Temple and think the Owls will play in a bowl game, but they are overmatched here. Penn State 38, Temple 10
Prediction record: 1-0
Chris Masse is a sports writer for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, a sister paper of the Mirror and part of Ogden Newspapers.