K.C. Keeler tells it like it is, a field of dwindled dreams for Penn State, and take a bow, David Avit

Is shaming the secret sauce to success at Temple?

It’s the method that K.C. Keeler chose to use during the halftime break that fueled the Owls’ 27-21 win against Texas-San Antonio last week. Now Temple is on the verge of matching the same amount of wins from the last two seasons if it can earn a win against Navy at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday (4 p.m., ESPN2).

“I did something unique at halftime, where I had a very honest conversation with our boys,” Keeler said after the game. “I said, ‘This is the first time in 10 months [that] I’ve been embarrassed to be a coach.’ We’re walking on the field. It was like all the work we had put into this thing over the last nine months hadn’t mattered. That’s not how you are going to do it here. We’re Temple made.”

Keeler’s not at Temple to coddle anyone. He’s under what is essentially a directive by the university to right the ship of a program that has fallen into obscurity over the last several seasons. A proven winner at multiple stops, Keeler is resorting to old-school tactics that could be effective with this unit.

Statistically, the Owls rank within the top 10 in offense (sixth) and defense (eighth) in the American Conference, and before Terrez Worthy departed the team for unspecified reasons, Temple boasted the best all-purpose player in the conference statistically in Worthy, who still ranks first in scoring (12 touchdowns) and receiving yards (403), and second in rushing yards with 455.

» READ MORE: Temple’s coming off a major first conference win. Can it keep it up against unbeaten Navy?

They’re hoping a number of others can pick up where Worthy left off, specifically running back Hunter Smith. Navy, however, is not UTSA. The Midshipmen are 5-0 and coming off a three-point nail-biter against Air Force last Saturday.

The stage is big for both teams as Navy will continue to be feted as part of a 250th anniversary celebration, while for Temple, this game falls on homecoming weekend.

“This is a town where if you win, they support you,” Keeler said. “It’s not easy to beat an academy because they’re so disciplined, but having this win [against UTSA] now gives a belief that if you do things the right way, we can have [celebrations] in the locker room, like the one we just had.”

Nothing says how much the mighty have fallen like the big news coming out of Penn State this week. A team that fell out of the top 25 for the first time since the 2022 season hosts Northwestern on Saturday (3:30 p.m., FS1).

This is hardly a game anyone is paying much attention to — a win shouldn’t rattle the Associated Press rankings much. The Nittany Lions elected to drum up excitement with the announcement that they painted the end zones on Home Shore Field at Beaver Stadium in a throwback design from 1993, reintroduced for the first time since the 2004 season.

The Lions introduced the decision on social media. It’s needless to relay the sentiments in the comments, as your assumptions probably would be correct.

If there ever was a team whose resolve is being tested at the moment, it’s Villanova, particularly on the road. Mark Ferrante’s Wildcats will play in unfamiliar confines for the fourth time in five weeks when they travel to face Elon on Saturday (2 p.m., FloSports).

Two words, four syllables to remember: David Avit. The sophomore running back has been that guy in the backfield, coming off three straight games of 100-plus yards, a first since Villanova’s TD Ayo-Durojaiye during the 2022 season.

After this game, the Wildcats should be able to improve on their record as they return to Villanova Stadium for games against Hampton on Oct. 18 (1 p.m., FloSports) and Albany on Oct. 25 (3:30 p.m., FloSports). Villanova is enjoying an 18-game home winning streak, the second-best mark in the Football Championship Subdivision.

» READ MORE: No. 17 Villanova looks to lean on its run game in matchup with Elon: ‘It all starts up front’

233.67: The number of passing yards Penn quarterback Liam O’Brien is averaging after three games this season, coupled with six passing touchdowns. After a win in their Ivy League opener against defending champion Dartmouth, the Quakers are at it again Friday when they host Marist at Franklin Field (7 p.m., ESPN+).

“Fear nothing and attack everything.”

No. 7 Indiana at No. 3 Oregon, (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., 6abc)

While it might not scream must watch per se, keeping an eye on what Indiana is capable of is important considering that it is the third in a stretch of tough games for Penn State that include Iowa (Oct. 18) and No. 1 Ohio State (Nov. 1). Nittany Lions fans know what the Ducks can do, but scouting Indiana isn’t a bad thing for PSU fans with a vested interest in seeing a revival. Extra motivation for the Hoosiers is their 7.5-point road underdog status.

If you’re flipping channels, consider keeping an eye on what Deion Sanders’ Colorado does at home against No. 22 Iowa State at the same time. That one is on ESPN. Sanders is expected to man the sidelines after being out earlier this week for a surgery he had to remove blood clots in his knee.

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