1. Play like a champion
Considering the season they had, the Owls found themselves in an unlikely, if not difficult, position Saturday night. Win and accomplish one of their goals, which was to represent the American Athletic East Division in the inaugural conference championship game. Lose and see that goal, and possibly others, just disappear into thin air, almost erasing everything else they had achieved in this breakout season. Oh, they put themselves in that position, having been embarrassed and exposed two weeks prior in Tampa, where South Florida blitzed them by 21 points. But, the Owls responded with their best performance of the season last week in beating then-No. 21 Memphis, and this time out, they played like champions, getting it done however possible, which meant grinding the overmatched and injury-riddled Huskies into submission. Very few in hometown Philly may realize it, as only 28,000 showed up at the Linc to watch the proceedings, but the city has a true winner in town, and it’s covered in Cherry & White.

2. Defense does it ... again
No shutout, but, wow, it may as well have been. Led by, who else, LB Tyler Matakevich, the Owls totally shut down UConn’s offense, to the point where it only had 65 total yards through three quarters. Frankly, it seemed kinda silly that the Huskies would opt for a FG in the fourth quarter after driving to the Temple 28. Even on fourth-and-16, not sure what the point was with kicking there, except, obviously, to get on the board. But, so what? Though they didn’t have double-digit sacks as they did in the opener against Penn State, the Owls did rack up 12 tackles for loss in this one in arguably their best defensive effort of the season. T-Mat had 11 tackles and half a sack while CB Sean Chandler made his fourth INT of the season. This latest effort puts Temple back where it belongs, ranked among the top 20 nationally in total defense at No. 19. It’s even better in scoring, rating 16th at 18.8 ppg, sandwiched in between unbeaten Iowa and Clemson.

3. Even in victory, offense still a concern
The final numbers are mediocre, and, possibly, deceiving. For instance, we got RB Jahad Thomas with 20 carries for 119 yards, but without that 60-yard scoring jaunt to cap the Owls’ scoring in the final frame, the junior was looking at a 19-carry, 59-yard effort – not so hot. QB P.J. Walker completed 19 of 29 passes, but only for 160 yards. Amazingly, he did connect with nine different receivers and managed to get vastly underutilized TE talent Colin Thompson somewhat involved for the second week in a row. Posting three TDs, three PATs and two FGs against a team ranked 19th nationally in points allowed (19.8) isn’t awful, either. But the Owls still had to punt five times and they really have too much ability across the board to be posting just 321 yards of total offense. Or, put it this way, that output ain’t going to cut it against Houston in the upcoming conference title tilt, nor likely in a bowl game after that, if the Owls have any intention of winning out to truly complete the best season in Temple football history.

4. Let the Matt Rhule rumors commence
It’s hardly a surprise. You win, especially at a perennial loser like Temple, and you’re going to become a hot commodity in the annual college football coaching carousel. Teams want Rhule for what he’s done here, and how he’s done it. Not for nothing, but this guy oozes an understated confidence. He is old school in his beliefs and work ethic, and new school in how he relates to people. Truth be told, it’s not Xs and Os where this guy shines, it is how he motivates, how he communicates, how he gets people to believe in him by believing in themselves. For anyone who thinks Al Golden, or even Steve Addazio after him, could have taken this program to the level it is now, you are sadly mistaken. That being said, Golden and Addazio both set the stage for a charismatic character such as Rhule to take the Owls to another level, the former salvaging the program from the scrap heap and pumping it with some life and the latter showing that, you know what, you can recruit at the most diverse university on the planet by selling everything it has to offer, football and beyond, realistically and potentially. Rhule was a limited-talent bit player for Joe Paterno at Penn State, but he soaked up every ounce of genius the old man still had to share, and he has imparted that wisdom in his own way while showing an emotion and passion that is refreshing. He loves his players and his program. That shows. He should be the “best” name on the market today, bar none. No one has done more. So, let the suitors come. If he’s meant to stay, and wants to stay, he will. If not, he won’t. That’s life, either way.

5. Maybe not trendy, but tough
Not sure what Temple and Under Armour had in mind when they reinvented the wheel, so to speak, with, essentially, the best uniform in the game prior to this season – but, you know, whatever. The Owls still look good, even with the goofy diamonds on their helmet stripes, pant legs and jersey sleeves (already replete with a completely unnecessary Temple '][' and contrasting school color to the rest of the jersey), they just don’t look “totally awesome” anymore … in the getup department. That being said, the toughness and tenaciousness they show on the field offsets any real negative vibes toward their style. Besides, their play, mostly, is bad-ass, big time, and they’re an especially exciting team to watch when the defense is on the field, with multiple Cherry & White individuals flying around to the ball … so how “ugly” could they ever look anyway? For those keeping track, the Owls wore the classic cherry helmet, cherry jersey and white pants combo against UConn, marking the third time they did so this season at home – Penn State and Notre Dame being the others. All impressive performances.

- Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]​

1. Interim tags comes off
A couple hours before Saturday’s kickoff at Soldier Field in Chicago, word came out that the University of Illinois administration had extended Bill Cubit, a three-month, emergency fill-in for Tim Beckman once the latter was dismissed a week before the season, another two seasons, thus eliminating any “interim” shroud of mystery concerning who is, and will be, the Illini’s head coach. For many, the move marks a commitment to stability, to keeping some sense of what has been going on intact. However, what exactly has been going on? Prior to the game, the Illini had lost five of their previous six games, with their offense averaging a barely pedestrian 17.8 points per game under the guidance of someone whose strength is reputed to be offensive Xs and Os. Of course, they couldn’t even match that output against Northwestern, and, in fact, needed a touchdown courtesy of the defense to even reach double figures. Unless the administration changes, or changes its mind, Orange & Blue fans can expect much of the same through 2017 as a byproduct of a never-ending series of three-and-outs capped by 1- to 3-yard passes to the sideline with the first-down marker exponentially further away.

2. Nothing like wasting Wes Lunt​'s arm
He can’t run, and he can’t adapt. Frankly, there are many limitations to what the Illini QB can do on the football field. One thing he can do, though, is throw. Long. Short. Accurate. With zip. With touch. You name it, he can throw it – and even make it look pretty while doing so. Without reading. Without reacting. OK, so then why in the HELL would you ever you limit an already limited QB by taking away just about all he does well, and instead force him to do dump-off passes or quick-strike outs that require him to read and react? That’s exactly what Cubit and right-hand man/son Ryan Cubit do with Lunt running the offense. You know who works well in that offense? Reilly O’​Toole. Unfortunately, last year’s season-ending savior already has used up his eligibility and is currently an assistant coach. So, either scrap that offense and go with the pro-set one Lunt was born to play, or switch QBs, because the player and the system do NOT mesh. At all. Never have, never will, and with Lunt expected back next fall this is a critical decision to make – for both the program and the individual, who may opt to put his name in the NFL draft if he’s not going to start next season.

3. Mason Monheim makes a play
He never became the player he seemed destined to become after a breakout freshman season, which seems a very odd thing to say for a guy who amassed almost 400 career tackles (385), including 98 in 2015, and started for four seasons. Even looked the part. Stout, scruffy, muscled up, you kinda figured M2 would be a rock in the middle who would just mash opponents with the ball in their hands. But it never really happened. He wasn’t exactly an impact player, or a physical one – a role, oddly, filled more by FS Clayton Fejedelem, a former walk-on who was brilliant yet again with 16 tackles to complete a senior campaign with a team-leading 140, an average of 11.7 per game that placed him fifth in the country. If anything, Monheim was the king of “second on the scene,” always good for an assisted tackle, not necessarily a solo one, or the initial hitter on one. That being said, gotta say, it was kinda nice to see him intercept a Clayton Thorson pass late in the third quarter and return it 58 yards for a score (his second pick-six in the last 12 months against the Wildcats), pumping a little life into the Illini and maybe a push to get the forever-in-quicksand offense going. Alas, the latter of those two never materialized.

4. Ke'Shawn Vaughn is a keeper
It seemed to take until senior RB Josh Ferguson’s annual injury bug kicked in before Cubit realized the weapon he had in the freshman, who had been THE FIND of the latest recruiting class. Once that happened, Vaughn proved to be as reliable as he was potent. In his final six games of the regular season, the 5-10, 205-pounder averaged 13 carries for 66 yards and two catches for 16 yards per outing. He also scored four TDs in that stretch. Earth-shattering, no. But in an offense totally imbalanced in favor of the pass, he was a shining light for what could be in the future … if Cubit, or his ultimate replacement, opts to utilize Vaughn and his Big Ten-level talent. In this one he played a supporting role to the electric Ferguson, who led the Illini with 14 carries (40 yards) and everyone with seven catches for 100 yards, but he still was productive, averaging better than five yards per carry (12-62).

5. Bad result, but they looked good
So, soooo many things wrong with this season in general and this game in particular, which included a 19-yard TD reception by Northwestern’s Dan Vitale in which the Wildcats’ ultra-back CLEARLY stepped out of bounds at the 4 – right in front of an official – before diving into the end zone, but one thing ya gotta give the Illini … they dress sharp. For all the mixed reviews and half-hearted compliments given when Nike and Illinois revealed the school’s rebrand 20 months ago, the reality is they combined to make a pretty sweet look. The Illini, as the home team, went with something new for this one, going with an orange helmet, blue jersey and blue pants ensemble that, frankly, embarrassed Northwestern’s all-white, Storm Trooper silliness. Now, if they could just get their performance to match their appearance.

- Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]​

The roller-coaster ride is insane.

Eagles win, the fan base in Philly goes berserk, making crazy proclamations about playoffs and Super Bowls and what have you. Eagles lose, the fan base in Philly goes berserk, making crazy proclamations about discarding the head coach and dismantling the team.

If this weren’t so blatantly basic and true it might be hilarious to think about the absurdity of it all, about how such hyperbole only needed a drum roll and punchline to accompany it.

But really, truly, this is what 55 years without an NFL championship has wrought in this town.

Sanity … what the hell is that?

Patience … you’re kidding, right?

It’s a knee-jerk overreaction to the slightest positive or negative anymore, things being blown way out of proportion, to the utmost extreme with no room for shades of gray … you know, until the next week, when they all jump into the car and start riding the roller coaster again.

Down-down. Up-down. Up-up. Down-up. Down-down.

So it has gone thus far in 2015, with a 4-6 start largely erasing the misguided hopes and dreams that had fairytale storylines that included 12, 13 or even 14 wins for this third edition of Chip Kelly’s Eagles.

The reality is, no one in their right mind should have been imagining such grandiose things for this squad. Wishing for them, sure. But believing that they’d happen, and actually stating they would, almost as a mean’s of convincing one’s self … sorry, just silly and, frankly, unhealthy.

Gotta imagine there has been a serious surge in blood-pressure and depression meds in the region lately, not to mention alcohol consumption.

Failing to face the facts, or injury reports, is never a wise thing to do. It’s disregarding the evidence available to draw an informed conclusion as to what you can, if not should, expect.

In short, with banged-up entities taking the reins at such key spots as quarterback, running back and inside linebacker, an overpaid fourth wheel being the secondary addition, and a still relatively “newbie” NFL coach increasing his workload to ruler of the Eagles’ universe, umm, what the hell were any of you nutjobs thinking?

A big part of the problem was going all-in on the Kelly investment in the first place. As far as hyped-up individuals go, he had few peers in the coaching ranks. Call it the Joe Paterno Factor. Once the saintly one arrived in State College, he built a program from scratch and erected a stadium in his spare time – or so the fantasy goes. The reality is, Penn State football was a regional power already, not to mention a regular in the national power – courtesy of Rip Engle, Paterno’s former coach at Brown.

But you’d never know that with the narrative that was forever spewed out there as fans and media types alike wanted, needed a hero to ever embellish their belief in the program. Whatever, it wasn’t true. Paterno took a very good program and made it a great one.

Kelly’s tale goes something along the same lines. That Oregon didn’t even exist until younger Chipper made his way out West. Suddenly, the Ducks were playing for championships and sporting funky new uniforms. Sorry to shed some truth to the situation, but Oregon was burning the national-program and trendy-attire trails well before Kelly got there. The guy who brought him in, Mike Bellotti, had a runner-up finish in the polls, too – just six years prior. Heck, even the guy who followed him, Mark Helfrich, did the same thing – two years after Kelly’s departure.

Thing is, Kelly was never the godsend he was made out to be. It was foolish to place that much faith in him, or anyone.

Then again, it’s just as foolish to go on an extreme roller-coaster ride every damn week going off what his Eagles do right now.

It’s a transitional year, people. The guy came into the season with a 20-12 mark in the NFL through two seasons. Even after a godawful-looking first three months this season, that mark only has slipped to 24-18. Get a grip.

If you ask me, fans are jumping the gun on his firing too fast. Then again, if you asked me, hiring his overrated, arrogant, egomaniacal behind was a mistake in the first place.

- Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]​