ATHENS, Ohio - How big is today's Mid American Conference game between Ohio University and Temple at Peden Stadium?

Big enough to be nationally televised. ESPN requested kickoff be moved to 11 a.m. so that the game can be televised on ESPNU.

The stakes are high. Temple is 7-0 in Mid-American Conference play, while Ohio University is 6-1. The winner will claim the MAC East Division championship and advance to the league's championship game on Dec. 4 at Ford Field in Detroit against Central Michigan, which already has clinched the West Division title. The Bobcats only previous appearance in the MAC title game came in 2006, when OU lost to Central Michigan, 31-10.

That's not the only history Ohio can make today. A win would be the 28th by the 2009 senior class and allow them an opportunity in the MAC title game to tie the 1963 class, which recorded 29 wins. It would be the 32nd win for coach Frank Solich, and would place him fifth in all-time wins among OU coaches. Solich, in his fifth season at the Bobcat helm, is 31-29 entering today's game. Solich is tied with Brian Burke and is just two behind No. 4 Jim Grobe. A victory today also would inch the OU football program ever-so-close to a historical milestone. The Bobcats enter today's game with 497 all-time victories. With wins over Temple, Central Michigan and a bowl victory, the Cats could reach the coveted 500th win this season.

OU (8-3 overall) enters the game on a three-game winning streak, including last week's exciting 38-31 home win over Northern Illinois. The only blemishes on the Bobcats' record came Big East member Connecticut in the season opener, 23-16; at Tennessee on Sept. 26, 34-23; and OU's only MAC loss, a 20-11 setback inflicted by Kent State on Oct. 24.

But Ohio isn't the only team entering the game with a winning streak. After getting off to an 0-2 start - losing to city rival Villanova and state rival Penn State - Temple has won nine straight, including an impressive 27-24 triumph at Navy on Oct. 31. Since its 31-6 loss at Penn State, Temple has scored at least 24 points in each of its nine wins.

Ohio's defense will face a major challenge as Temple freshman running back Bernard Pierce has rushed for 1,308 yards on 224 carries and scored 15 touchdowns. Pierce was unable to start in last week's 47-14 pounding of Kent State, but his replacement, freshman Matt Brown, rushed for 156 yards on 18 carries and scored a pair of Owl touchdowns.

While Temple primarily is a running team, junior quarterback Vaughn Charlton can and will throw as he has completed 90 of 178 passes for 1,200 yards. Both junior wideout Michael Campbell and sophomore tight end Evan Rodriguez have three touchdown catches.

The star of Temple's defense is junior defensive back Jaiquawn Jarrett, who not only has accounted for a team-high 64 tackles, but also has three interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries.

Special teams could decide this game as Temple is 14th nationally in returning kickoffs and 27th in punt returns, OU, meanwhile, possesses the threat of LaVon Brazill, who has returned four punts per TDs in his career, an OU record. Last week, Brazill set a school record with a 99-yard punt return for a TD against Northern Illinois.

Another Bobcat who could write his name into the record book is wideout Taylor Price, who needs both four receptions and two TD catches to become the school's all-time leader in those categories.