Yeah, Temple had a list of problems. The lack of leadership and commitment to that level of football was the unforgivable one. I’m pretty sure that if Temple gave even a little more, much (like the venue and attendance) could be forgiven. Probably because committing more to the sport would have improved stuff like attendance. I know Philly gets this “pro town” label, but I suspect success would have gotten them good press and coverage in the region. It wouldn’t perhaps cringe as much when a Miami came to town.

Case in point with Rutgers. Irrelevant in football, maybe even more so than Temple, but investing in on-campus facilities earned them a pass, if not respect. Even if the product on the field took time to improve, and never consistently, they did what major programs do: spend and build. That initiative and commitment earned their permanence in the Big East (unlike Temple) and probably got them their Big Ten spot.