Blue White Illustrated

PHILADELPHIA - To think, it had all started so well. Beginning the 2015 season in front of a record crowd of 69,176 fans at Lincoln Financial Field, the Penn State football program quickly jumped in front of what appeared to be an overmatched Temple squad. A ho-hum three-and-out for the Owls led to a 34-yard Joey Julius field goal and a 3-0 Nittany Lion lead. Another Temple three-and-out prompted a six-play, 75-yard Penn State scoring drive, capped by a 42-yard Akeel Lynch touch- down run. Ballgame? Not exactly. P O S T G A M E R E P O R T W E E K 1 T E M P L E 2 7 , P E N N S T A T E 1 0 S E P t E m B E R 5 , 2 0 1 5 B l U E w h i t E o N l i N E . c o m THE GAME AT A GLANCE GOOD NEWSPenn State looked like it had resolved last year's offensive prob- lems during a 10- point first quarter. BAD NEWS The last three quarters were a complete disaster, a deluge of sacks, in- completions, three- and-outs and a season-ending leg in- jury to one of PSU's key defensive players, middle linebacker Nyeem Wartman- White. THE TAKEAWAY In losing to Temple for the first time since 1941, the Nittany Lions turned in one of their all-time worst performances. That they gave up an in- credible 10 sacks and managed only four first downs in the final three quarters was bad enough. That they did so at a time when they are re- stocking a sanction- depleted roster and trying to build some momentum and ex- citement around the program only makes matters worse. 1 N A T E   B A U E R | N B A U E R @ B l U E w h i t E o N l i N E . c o m False start Lions endure a dispiriting opener at Temple SACKED Hacken- berg can't escape from Matakevich, who finished with three of Temple's 10 sacks. Photo by Steve Manuel

• Cover