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Big East Football Power Rankings: Temple comes in at #6

The Temple Owls won their first game in Big East play since 2004 on their first try, and now can try to compete for relevance in a conference where they were expected to be among the worst teams.

By Rodger Sherman
Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire

The Temple Owls can safely say they aren't the worst team in the Big East in their first year back in the conference, as a win in their first conference game makes it clear they aren't the league's cellar-dwellers.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer had been ranking the Owls at the bottom of the league in his power rankings up until this past week. But after the team's 37-24 win over South Florida, he moved them to sixth, ahead of Pittsburgh and the team they just beat.

There’s a lot of pride on North Broad after the Owls made a statement by winning their first Big East game since being kicked out after the 2004 season. Can Temple avoid a letdown against UConn?

The Owls are only .500 and still don't have a shot at the top of anybody's Big East rankings --the league's three undefeated squads, Rutgers, Louisville, and Cincinnati should have those locked down -- but they can battle for relevance and bowl eligibility.

Pompey has the Owls' next opponent, UConn, ranked one spot ahead of them at No. 5.