Temple may have not had the inaugural season that they were hoping for under KC Keeler. The Owls finished the season 5–7 but were in contention for a Bowl bid in November. Now — with Anthony Chiccitt, Evan Simon and Gevani McCoy are all gone. But it appears that that Temple has another option at quarterback.
Last week — Temple got more depth at the quarterback position when former Penn State signal caller Jaxon Smolik entered the Transfer Portal and joined the Owls. Smolik joined Penn State in 2023. After being injured in 2024 — Smolik played as the third quarterback behind Ethan Grunkemeyer this season.
Players from Wake Forest and Temple shake hands before the Coin Toss during the 2016 Military Bowl at the Navy – Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., Dec. 27, 2016. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons defeated the Temple Owls 34-26. (DoD Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. James K. McCann)
Just half of a season into the K.C. Keeler era — the Temple Owls already looks like a different program. On Saturday — the program won in dramatic fashion as Temple won 38–37 in dramatic fashion in Overtime. It’s Temple’s first five win season since 2019.
Photo Courtesy of Philadelphia College Nation on X.
Owls quarterback Evan Simon tossed five touchdown passes in the win. The Temple signal caller has yet to throw a pick this season. Kajiya Hollawayne hauled in three scores while Jay Ducker had two touchdowns.
While Simon dominated in the air — he got good support from his rushing game. Temple’s running game torched Tulsa for 180 yards on the ground — 92 of them from Hunter Smith — including a seventy-two yard scamper with 5:01 to go in the second quarter.
The game was a back and forth scoring affair all day with Temple holding a 31–24 lead late in the 4th quarter. A road win seemed secure — and then Tulsa tied the game with just under four minutes remaining.
In overtime — Simon rose to the occasion again — connecting with Kajiya Hollawayne for the go-ahead score. Once again — Tulsa answered but failed to convert the two-point try. Temple will host East Carolina Pirates to Lincoln Financial Field next Saturday.
If you love Philly college football — then you no doubt loved this weekend. The offenses of Temple, Villanova, and Penn were on full display — each capturing a marvelous part of Saturday afternoon in their own respective games.
The afternoon began with Villanova giving Hampton all that they could handle with a 56–14 outcome. Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide threw five touchdown passes and the Wildcats extended their first half lead to 49–0. David Avit — Sophomore running back became only the 25th running back in school history to reach the 1,500 yard mark while Villanova extended its home game winning streak to nineteen games.
Then we’re off to one of the oldest college football rivalries in the US (first played in 1878) between Penn and Columbia. And this one certainly didn’t disappoint. A second-half explosion in New York saw the Quaker offense get three touchdowns to defeat Columbia 35–21 and improve to 4–1. Quarterback Liam O’Brien accounted for five touchdowns — four in the air and one on the ground. His rushing touchdown put Penn up 21–14. O’Brien then found Jared Richardson for a thirty-one yard score. Another seventy-five yard O’Brien to Richardson connection put Penn up 35–21.
And just to round out the scoring was a 49–14 rout of Charlotte by our Temple Owls. Amid the scoring — Temple returned both a fumble and also an interception for a touchdown to accompany Evan Simon’s three touchdown passes to improve to 4–3.
All three schools combined for more than 130 points on Saturday.
Saturdays matchup at Lincoln Financial Field was historic for all kinds of reasons. Let’s start with a quick request. Number 13 Oklahoma’s band was not able to travel to Philadelphia for budget reasons — so they reached out to St Joseph’s Band (who doesn’t normally play during football season) for a little help. The result between the two was a competing musical background delight that was almost so good that for a moment you even forgot that a football game was being played.
Earlier this week — several Oklahoma reporters were caught on hot microphones categorizing the matchup with the 2–0 Owls as a “high school game.” And while it was evident on Saturday that being in the top 15 as a 2–0 and being 2–0 in the American Athletic Conference are quite different — there is sure a lot to like about KC Keelers team this season. Last weekend — the Owls improved to 2–0 with a 55–7 rout of visiting Howard.
Two weeks ago — Philly college’s season began on another high-note. Temple Football began the K.C. Keeler opened his chapter as Head Coach with a 42–10 win over UMass including a 128-yard performance from Jay Ducker and 467 total yards of offense and six touchdowns from quarterback Eric Simon.
Under former Temple Head Coach Matt Rhule — Temple started 7–0 in 2015. Twice during the World War II era — the Owls started 6–0 (1945) and a 6–1 start in 1941. Even the ejection of Oklahoma star and sack leader R Mason Thomas couldn’t stop Temple lost surrendering 515 total yards to the #13 team in the country — all is not lost for the 2025 season.
It’s Another Fresh Start for All of Philly’s College Football Programs.
Sure, Labor Day weekend is the unofficial start of the college football around our region. But it’s the following weekend (September 6th, this year) that all of Philly’s collegiate football teams will be in action — the first time since the end of 2024.
For Philadelphia — whose city is rooted deep the history of the very beginnings of our great country — college football greatness runs equally as deep in our history. So far — we’ve only got one true football dynasty — the Penn Quakers football team who won the national championship in 1894, 1895, 1897, and again in 1904, and 1907–1908 (unless the present-day Eagles make it happen of course.)
Last weekend — Philly college’s season began on a high-note. Temple Football began the K.C. Keeler opened his chapter as Head Coach with a 42–10 win over UMass including a 128-yard performance from Jay Ducker and 467 total yards of offense and six touchdowns from quarterback Eric Simon.
Just over 145 miles away in Happy Valley — Penn State kicked off its season where they left off for most of 2024 with Imhotep Charter’s Mylachi Williams, Jabree Coleman, and Tyseer Denmark among other Philly connections who helped to routed the Nevada Wolfpack and quarterback Chubba Purdy by a final score of 46–11 — including three takeaways and 438 yards of total offense. Fans enjoyed frozen treats on campus from the legendary Penn State Berkey Creamery — whose research program started as far back as as 160 years ago during the American Civil War with over 200 cows still on campus.
It will be a tough act to follow — with both ABC and ESPN recording a record-setting over ten million viewers for just three games. But for all of Philadelphia’s collegiate programs in action this Saturday for the first time in 2025 — the best is yet to come.
