Temple focusing on first conference game of season

TEMPLE'S OPENING 28-6 loss at Notre Dame was the first of 12 games, or maybe/hopefully even 13. Now it's in the past. So bring on Houston, at the Linc Saturday afternoon, in the inaugural game of the new 10-team American Athletic Conference, where the Owls were picked to finish ninth.

They were four-touchdown underdogs in South Bend. This time the point spread is a field goal.

"I don't think it's OK to lose," said first-year coach Matt Rhule. "I can live with losing when we play a team I just think is so much better than us and we play our best game and couldn't handle it. I don't think that was the case. I think [ND's] a very good team. We didn't play our best. There's a lot to build on.

"We're not going to sit here and be happy with a good showing. I've taken that loss personally. I hope our team has. We have to play better, go win this game at home, in front of our crowd. We played a lot of young guys. The moment wasn't too big for them. We found out who blinked. I like the direction we're going. It was a great environment. But that's how exciting this week should be for us as a team."

When Rhule got the job in December he talked about winning championships because that was the one thing missing from the trophy case. Like all those billboards are proclaiming, this is where that quest starts. If not for 2013, then for the years to come.

"At the end of the year, when we look back at the conference rankings, this is a much more important game," Rhule said. "We haven't played any conference games so we're [still] ninth. I hope we don't have to get them re-focused. When we didn't hurt ourselves, we played good football. We have to continue to learn that.

"I told them, 'If you guys can't see what you can be, then that's on you.' I'm unbelievably positive. But I'm also realistic. Winning is a process everyone has to buy into. I'm proud of the fact that we hung in there and fought. On 55 plays we gave up 258 yards. That's as good as anyone in the country. But on seven plays we gave up 281. That's as bad as anyone. So what are we going to be? That's up to the players. Here's what we have to do. You make the decision.

"We should leave that game being excited [that] we can be what we want to be. I want it to be, 'Hey, we didn't win. Back to work so we do.' I don't want there to be a crutch [like] 'Attaway, Temple, now run along.' "

It wasn't the same as starting with big wins over an overmatched Villanova, as was the case the last 2 years under Steve Addazio, who's now at Boston College. But in the long run, which do you gain more from?

Houston just clocked FCS Southern, 62-13. The Cougars went 5-7 last year for new coach Tony Levine, the guy who took over for Kevin Sumlin, who's now getting dissed by Johnny Football at Texas A&M. Anyway, the Cougars have 10 offensive starters back, and are only 2 years removed from 13-1 and a bowl win over Penn State. They rushed for 372 yards last week. But they like to throw the ball, and they will run a lot of plays. They'll also give up some points. So it's going to be a different kind of test for the folks on North Broad. And if they're not ready, it could be another uphill tussle. Only this time it might not be quite as painless to rationalize.

"Bad things are going to happen all the time," said senior safety Abdul Smith. "You just have to move on. There's always room for improvement. That's what we're striving to do.

"We felt like we were right there with Notre Dame. We gave them 14 points in the first four minutes [on two long passes]. We did OK, but we can do better. We have to get our first win, right here."

If becoming bowl eligible is the goal, and it's never too early to project, then this one could turn out to be a difference-maker. After this, the Owls should be favored against FCS Fordham and Idaho. They won't be against Louisville and Cincinnati. There's Army at home before going to SMU, which could be another swing game. Both at Rutgers and here with Central Florida figure to be tough. The last two - vs. Connecticut and at Memphis - look gettable. Add it up. Of course a whole lot can change between now and Turkey Day. Or even mid-October. But 1-1 is a much better place than 0-2.

"You never forget what happened [at ND], but you have to grow from it," said junior cornerback Anthony Roby, who got burned deep a couple of times. "We're not satisfied with losing. It's disappointing. We expect better from ourselves. The next game is always the most important."

A year ago, in their first season back in what used to be the Big East, the Owls won their first two conference games. They wouldn't win another. Three might be enough to get them to 6-6. That wouldn't be disappointing.

"This is a chance for us to prove some people wrong," said sophomore center Kyle Friend, who more than held his own against one of the best defensive fronts in the land. "We were picked to finish last. I don't think we should be. That's definitely something to shoot for. We can't wait to get started."

They already have. Only now it's going to count in the standings. In reality it's their pertinent measurement.