Despite growing up in or around Philadelphia, Bernard Pierce and Quinten White, Jr. never paid much attention to the citys college football scene.
Pierce, a star running back on Temple who went to Glen Mills School in Delaware County, preferred the NFL Network to local games. White, an Owls linebacker who played for Phillys Cardinal Dougherty High, knew local college basketball players but not football players.
For both Pierce and White, however, it didnt take long to understand that their home city was capable of producing special college football moments.
Playing in the Mayors Cup can do that to a person.
On Thursday, Pierce, White and many others will take part in the third annual Mayors Cup at Lincoln Financial Field (7 pm, ESPN3), a local showdown, pitting Philly rivals Temple against Villanova, that has delivered excitement and intrigue to the citys college football scene over the past couple of years.
It actually means a lot to me, said White, one of eight Philadelphia natives on Temple. A whole lot of family members and friends that are still local come to see the gameand they love Temple. You want to perform for your hometown.
I would say its the most nervewracking game honestly, added Pierce. Your first time running into the Linc, your first time playing on that field, your first opponent, your first real gamethats the one that gets the bumps off the road.
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The Mayors Cup has certainly lived up to the hype through its first two installments with Villanova winning the inaugural 2009 contest on a field goal as time expired and Temple returning the favor in 2010 with a game-winning field goal of their own in the final seconds.
Who has the edge in Round 3?
Based on those wild first two games, it would certainly seem futile to try to predict the outcome. Besides, both squads are dealing with serious changes as Villanova graduated a historically good senior class while Temple brought in a new head coach in Steve Addazio.
I dont know what theyre going to do and they dont know what were going to do, Addazio said. Its like the first game in a lot of places. Someones got to find a way to win. The growth for your football team from Week 1 to Week 3 is phenomenal.
Yes, there will be first-game jitters. And no, neither team will likely be at their best Thursday. But heres one thing that is certain: the hits will be fierce and the stadium loud. Thats the way it goes for the Mayors Cup.
I feel like this is developing into a really good rivalry, Villanova senior defensive back Jimmy Pitts said. The atmosphere is crazy because of how big the stadium is and how much Temple fans and Villanova fans get into their teams.
I feel like its great for college football. It really brings the city into it.
As with all rivalry games, bragging rights will be at stake when the two teams collide.
Temple is the bigger Division I program, but Villanova has become a national powerhouse under veteran head coach Andy Talley at the Football Championship Subdivision level.
And both teams expect to win.
I want to look at the trophy for one more year, Pitts said. I want to look at it every day and know we accomplished a goal we set before the season.
Were the Philadelphia team and theyre coming from outside the city, countered White. They call it a city game but were the team in the city.We feel like we should win this game because were Temple football and we want to win every game.
What about Penn?
Penn senior safety Jason Schmucker said he enjoys the Mayors Cup because, at least in the past, its meant that practice is cut a bit short so the Quakers can get down to Lincoln Financial Field in time to watch the game.
Still, a few Penn players admitted it would be nice to be included in the Mayors Cup, considering the Quakers, also of the Football Championship Subdivision, reside within the city limits while Villanova does not.
Were definitely always up for the idea of playing a Division 1-A school, Penn tight end Luke Nawrocki said of getting a crack at Temple. Hopefully one day we get to play them and show what the program is.
At the same time, the Quakers have gotten a chance to make their mark by playing Villanova every year over the past decade. And while they usually come close to winning, they havent pulled off a victory over the Wildcats in their last 10 meetings, or 100 years.
This years Penn-Villanova game is set for Sept. 24 at Franklin Field.
Unfortunately, we dont get to play Temple but Villanova is a pretty good test for us, Penn senior captain Erik Rask said. Thats gonna be a fun one for sure.
Added Schmucker, After we beat Villanova this year, maybe well get more respect in the city. We havent beaten them yet, so weve gotta earn that respect.
CSN contributor Dave Zeitlin writes a weekly college football notebook focusing on Temple, Villanova and Penn. Email him at djzeitlin@gmail.com.