Is This the Most Important Week in Temple Football History?

Morning headlines: The Owls are ranked and they're facing Notre Dame. America will be watching.

Good morning Philadelphia, and happy National Pumpkin Day. Here’s what you need to know today.

This might be the biggest, most important — or, at least, most-hyped — week in the history of Temple University football.

“After ranking 22nd in the AP Poll and 24th in the Coaches Poll last week, Temple has moved to 21st in the AP and 22nd in the Coaches Poll after its 24-14 win at East Carolina this past Thursday,” the university reports. Which is a big deal, but then add this to the mix: The Owls this weekend host Notre Dame at the Linc; ESPN’s GameDay show might even be there.

The campus is taking notice. “I feel like a lot of people on campus are more interested in football than they would be before,” student Amanda Roth told 6ABC. “Watching it and going to the games – there’s a lot more people going to the games now which is awesome because we are finally filling the Linc.”

The Eagles, on the other hand, look increasingly like they’re in the middle of a lost season.

They lost to the Panthers on Sunday night, 27-16. “Drops continue to be a big problem for this offense,” Philly Mag’s Tim McManus reports. “Jordan Matthews had a pair. Darren Sproles let a red zone pass hit the turf in the second quarter. Josh Huff had one go through his hands in the back of the end zone in the third quarter. Zach Ertz and Miles Austin each dropped one on the Eagles’ final drive.”

He adds: “Jeremy Maclin’s price tag may have been too steep, but there is no denying that his presence on this team has been missed.”

Chris Christie dissed the “Black Lives Matter” movement on Sunday, then got kicked off Amtrak’s quiet car.

The New Jersey governor — who is running for president — went on “Face the Nation” and castigated President Obama for supporting the “Black Lives Matter” movement, which Christie said encourages crime against police officers. “”They’ve been chanting in the streets for the murder of police officers,” Christie asserted. (Available reporting suggests this has been one of the safest years ever for law enforcement, nationally.)

The same day, Gawker says, Christie got kicked off Amtrak’s quiet car for making cell phone calls. He apologized through a spokesman: “After breaking the cardinal rule of the quiet car, the Governor promptly left once he realized the serious nature of his mistake and enjoyed the rest of his time on the train from the cafe car. Sincere apologies to all the patrons of the quiet car that were offended.”

The campaign for Pennsylvania Supreme Court is getting really expensive.

PennLive reports that fundraising for this election — which features an unprecedented three open seats, has exceeded $10 million. The old record was 7 million. This year’s leading fund-raiser? Kevin Dougherty, who has raised at least $3.6 million.

Ed Rendell keeps endorsing anti-establishment candidates, bucking Philly’s Democratic machine.

Philly Mag’s Holly Otterbein reports that Rendell probably isn’t attempting an official rebellion against the machine — he’s just doing his own thing. “I don’t think he’s trying to challenge the Democratic party,” said Mustafa Rashed, former manager of Doug Oliver’s mayoral campaign. “When people present themselves as new and fresh candidates, it’s something he can relate to.”

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