American college football season
The 2015 Temple Owls football team represented Temple University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Owls were led by third-year head coach Matt Rhule and played their home games at Lincoln Financial Field . They were members of the East Division of the American Athletic Conference . They finished the season 10–4, 7–1 in American Athletic play to finish as champions of the East Division. They represented the East Division in the American Athletic Championship Game where they lost to Houston . They were invited to the Boca Raton Bowl where they lost to Toledo .
The season was highlighted by the first win against Penn State since 1941, their first ever 7–0 start, and their first AP Poll and Coaches Poll ranking since 1979, and is widely considered the greatest season in program history.
Game summaries
Penn State
1
2
3
4
Total
Nittany Lions
10
0
0
0
10
Owls
0
7
10
10
27
This was the Owls' first victory over Penn State since 1941.[3] Lincoln Financial Field was 69,176 Saturday, a record for a Temple home game.[4] Christian Hackenberg was sacked 10 times, with Temple linebacker Tyler Matakevich recording three sacks.[5] Wisconsin Badgers , as the Owls snapped a 31-game losing streak in the series to the Nittany Lions.[6]
At Cincinnati
1
2
3
4
Total
Owls
3
7
21
3
34
Bearcats
0
6
6
14
26
This was the Owls' first victory over Cincinnati since 1985.[7]
At UMass
1
2
3
4
Total
Owls
7
10
3
5
25
Minutemen
0
17
0
6
23
At Charlotte
1
2
3
4
Total
Owls
3
7
20
7
37
49ers
0
3
0
0
3
Tulane
1
2
3
4
Total
Green Wave
3
7
0
0
10
Owls
7
14
21
7
49
UCF
1
2
3
4
Total
Knights
3
10
3
0
16
Owls
7
7
0
16
30
At East Carolina
1
2
3
4
Total
#22 Owls
3
7
0
14
24
Pirates
0
14
0
0
14
This was the first game, and win, for a nationally ranked Owls team since 1979.
Notre Dame
1
2
3
4
Total
#9 Fighting Irish
7
7
3
7
24
#21 Owls
7
3
0
10
20
This was the first time ESPN's College GameDay Independence Mall , the broadcast attracted more than 10,000 fans.
At SMU
1
2
3
4
Total
#23 Owls
14
7
17
22
60
Mustangs
0
17
7
16
40
At South Florida
1
2
3
4
Total
#21 Owls
7
3
10
3
23
Bulls
7
24
3
10
44
Memphis
1
2
3
4
Total
Tigers
3
6
3
0
12
Owls
0
14
0
17
31
UConn
1
2
3
4
Total
Huskies
0
0
0
3
3
#25 Owls
7
3
10
7
27
This win sealed the Owl's berth in the inaugural AAC Championship , their second division title in team history.
The American Championship vs. Houston
1
2
3
4
Total
#20 Owls
0
3
7
3
13
#17 Cougars
7
10
7
0
24
Boca Raton Bowl vs. Toledo
1
2
3
4
Total
#24 Owls
3
0
6
8
17
Rockets
0
12
0
20
32
Awards and honors
National awards
Tyler Matakevich [8]
All Americans
Tyler Matakevich
Phil Steele All American Team Dion Dawkins
Conference awards
Tyler Matakevich
American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year - Winner
American Athletic Conference All-Conference Team
Kyle Friend , CMatt Ioannidis , DLEric Lofton , OLTyler Matakevich , LBJahad Thomas , RB
Dion Dawkins , OLSean Chandler , DB
[9]
Other notable NFL players Haason Reddick , DLP. J. Walker , QB
NFL Players
NFL Draft Combine
Three Temple players were invited to participate in the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine .
#
Name
POS
HT
WT
Arms
Hands
40
Bench Press
Vert Jump
Broad Jump
3 Cone Drill
20-yd Shuttle
Ref
#1
Tavon Young CB 5-9
183 lbs
30 5/8
9 1/8
4.46
9
34.5 in
118 in
6.80
3.93
[10]
#8
Tyler Matakevich LB 6-0
238 lbs
31 1/4
9 1/2
4.81
22
31.0 in
112 in
7.19
4.50
[10]
#9
Matt Ioannidis DL 6-3
299 lbs
5.03
32
28.0 in
108.0 in
7.78
4.71
[10]
† Top performer
2016 NFL Draft
Following the season, the following members of the Temple football team were selected in the 2016 NFL Draft .
[11]
Undrafted Free Agents
In addition to the draft selections above, the following Temple players signed NFL contracts after the draft.
