Historic Week 0 Showdown
The Temple Owls will open the 2026 college football season with a historic Week 0 contest against the Rhode Island Rams on Saturday, September 5, kicking off at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+, marking the first time the Rams have appeared in a Week 0 matchup since 2000.
Leading the Owls is head coach K.C. Keeler, whose 276 career victories make him the winningest active coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision. In his second year at Temple, Keeler already boasts a 32‑8 record and has guided the program to its best start in decades.
Rhode Island arrived in Philadelphia with momentum from a 34‑7 triumph over Merrimack in their own Week 0 opener, a game that highlighted a defense that forced four turnovers. The Rams’ recent surge adds a competitive edge to the matchup, even as they prepare for their first-ever appearance in the early‑season slot.
The contest will be notable not only for its timing but also for its historical context. Temple has never before contested a Week 0 game, and the Owls’ last back‑to‑back Week 1 victories came in 2014 and 2015. The program holds a perfect 11‑0 edge in the all‑time series against Rhode Island, last meeting in 1975 with a 45‑6 win.
Looking ahead, the Owls will travel to face Penn State on September 12, a 12:00 p.m. showdown that will also air on ESPN2, continuing a schedule that blends new challenges with familiar rivalries.