Central Michigan University Athletics
Temple University Joins Mid-American Conference
5/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
May 17, 2005
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Mid-American Conference and Temple University officially announced today that the Philadelphia-based institution will become a football member of the MAC effective for the 2007 season.
As part of the agreement, Temple will be an affiliate football member of the MAC in 2005-06. The Owls will have four MAC opponents on their schedule in 2005 with six MAC opponents in 2006 and a full eight-game conference schedule, with eligibility to compete for the MAC Championship, beginning in 2007. The Owls will be eligible for one of the conference's two bowl affiliations in 2005-06 and also participate in the MAC television package.
In addition to the football membership, the MAC and Temple have agreed to develop scheduling opportunities in men's basketball, women's basketball and Olympic sports.
"This is an important day in the history of the Mid-American Conference," said John Peters, President of Northern Illinois University and Chair of the MAC Council of Presidents. "The recent volatility within Division I-A athletics has been significant and this association matches compatible institutions with a shared value system toward intercollegiate athletics. This expansion is consistent with our membership standards plan and we look forward to building a mutually beneficial relationship with Temple University."
The MAC, headquartered in Cleveland, is sponsoring its 59th season of football in 2005 and is the fourth oldest of the 11 I-A conferences. Since 1999 the MAC owns the best bowl record among the I-A conferences with a .692 winning percentage (9-4). The league has tie-ins with the Motor City Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit (Dec. 26) and GMAC Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. (Dec. 21). Last year, the league sent a record five teams to bowls - Motor City Bowl, GMAC Bowl, Independence Bowl, Silicon Valley Football Classic and PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl.
Temple, in its 107th season of football and a sponsor a football since 1894, was previously a member of the Big East (1991-2004). The Temple program had 11 former players on NFL rosters heading into the 2004 season and had alum Dan Klecko help the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl win this year.
"On behalf of the Mid-American Conference Council of Presidents, I am honored to extend this invitation for football membership in the MAC to Temple University," stated MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst. "We are a proud and historic football conference, one that is presently enjoying unprecedented competitive success, and we are thrilled that time and circumstance has created this opportunity for Temple and the MAC."
"Temple University is honored and excited to have been invited to join the Mid-American Conference," said Temple President David Adamany. "The MAC is a perfect fit for Temple University, both on and off the field of competition. Besides fielding quality football teams, as evidenced by last year's record number of bowl bids, the MAC is the leader among Division I-A conferences in terms of graduating its student-athletes in the sport of football.
"That combination of academic and athletic excellence is also part of Temple's mission."
"It has been a long time since all of the ingredients were in place for Temple football to be successful," said Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw. "We have the best home field in the nation with Lincoln Financial Field, a state-of-the-art practice facility in Edberg-Olson Hall and Chodoff Field, and now we finally have a true home for our team in the MAC."
Temple plays its home games at Lincoln Financial Field, a natural grass field with a capacity of 68,532.
Head coach Bobby Wallace (Mississippi State 1976) is in his eighth season at Temple. In 1998, Wallace's first year at Temple, he directed the Owls to a 28-24 win over No. 10 ranked Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, and in his tenure he has notched victories over every Big East opponent other than Miami (Fla.). Wallace has 101 career victories as a head coach, ranking him tied for 18th in the nation with Mike Bellotti of Oregon and Joe Tiller of Purdue.
Further information on Temple athletics can be found at www.owlsports.com.
