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threat QB – he also rushed for 332 yards and three TDs – Walker gives Temple something to build upon in its second season under head coach Matt Ruhl. The Owls also welcome back senior running back Kenneth Harper, who rushed for 613 yards and nine touchdowns last year. DEFENSE Tyler Matakevich, a junior inside linebacker from Stratford, Conn., is the centerpiece of Temple's defense. Last year, the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder led the nation with a remarkable 105 solo tackles. While that stat speaks well of Matakevich's productivity, it also hints at a larger problem. Outside of their star, the Owls didn't have a lot going for them last year, which is why they ranked 108th nationally in total defense (474.2 yards per game). Will this year be any better? Seven starters return, so there's cause for optimism. But except for senior corner- back Anthony Robey, the secondary is green, and that's a big vulnerability. OUTLOOK The Owls were more com- petitive than their record let on in their first season under Ruhl, a former Penn State linebacker. Six of their losses were by nine points or fewer, including a 39-36 shootout against UCF in which the Knights scored 10 points in the final 66 seconds. In the past, Temple has often seemed on the verge of a breakthrough only to slip back into mediocrity; it's only had six winning seasons since 1980. Still, this year's nonconference schedule does- n't feature any unwinnable games, and while the Owls will likely run into trouble against American Athletic Conference powers UCF and Cincinnati, their offense figures to give them a puncher's chance against most of their upcoming oppo- nents, including Ruhl's alma mater. 2013 RECORD 4-8 (1-7 Big Ten) SERIES RECORD The Lions lead, 17-4 MOST RECENT MEETING Kyle Carter caught a 15-yard touchdown pass in overtime, and Ryan Keiser inter- cepted Nathan Scheelhaase in the end zone moments later as the host Nittany Lions defeated Illinois, 24-17, on Nov. 2, 2013. OFFENSE Senior Reilly O'Toole and Oklahoma State transfer Wes Lunt are doing battle for the starting quarterback spot now that Scheelhaase has graduat- ed. O'Toole has seen sporadic action the past three seasons, but he attempted only 16 passes as a junior. Lunt looked ragged in the spring game, going 6 of 16 for 99 yards, but he has that Cowboy pedigree and is expected to win the job. In the backfield, Josh Ferguson and Donovonn Young return after combining for 1,155 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. With four starters back on the line, Illinois should have some success run- ning the ball. DEFENSE Illinois has an outstanding linebacker in Mason Monheim. He fin- ished with 97 stops as a sophomore and will help make up for the loss of Jonathan Brown and Houston Bates, the latter having transferred to Louisiana Tech. Up front, the Illini needed a makeover after allowing opponents to average 5.6 yards per carry last year, so they recruited a couple of juco standouts in tackle Jihad Ward and end Paul James III. The secondary, spearheaded by jun- ior safety Zane Perry, could use some help, too, after Illinois intercepted only three passes last year. That help could come in the form of an improved pass rush courtesy of the juco talent infusion on the line. OUTLOOK Tim Beckman is entering his third season in Champaign, which means expectations are on the rise and patience is on the decline. Under the former Toldeo coach, Illinois has gone a dismal 1-15 in the Big Ten. He and his program may have caught a break when they were dispatched to the league's less-stacked West Division, but their in- terdivisional games this year are against Ohio State and Penn State. Ouch. What's more, they've got road trips coming up against divisional opponents Nebraska, Wisconsin and Northwestern, and their biggest nonconference game, a Sept. 13 matchup with Washington, will be in Seattle. Even with nonconference W E E K 1 1 ILLINOIS T I M E T BA , N OV. 2 2 M E M O R I A L STA D I U M FIGHTING BACK Young, Illinois' second-leading rusher last sea- son, is looking to help get the Illini back on track after two seasons in which they posted only one Big Ten victory. Steve Manuel

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