​STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 17: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions in action during the game against the Temple Owls on September 17, 2016 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images Saturday will mark the 46th time that Penn State has played Temple with the Lions having lost just once since prior to World War II.That game, you’ll infamously remember, was in 2015 and it was the last time that Penn State visited Lincoln Financial Field.A lot has changed with the two programs since then. Penn State has emerged once again as a top tier program, while Temple has had several coaching changes since Matt Rhule led the Owls on that day.But the last meeting between the two teams came back in 2016 and it’s the focus of today’s Lions Tales.Let’s rewind to September 2016. Things were not great in Happy Valley. The Lions were 1-1 after a rally at Pitt fell short, though Joe Moorhead’s offense did show some explosiveness with sophomore quarterback Trace McSorley at the helm.Into Beaver Stadium came the Owls, who were also 1-1 after a disappointing season-opening loss to Army.Rhule was still the coach and had a lot of his roster still intact from the group that knocked off the Nittany Lions the previous year.Penn State’s offense began to show the form that would help the Lions ultimately win the Big Ten title.McSorley passed for 287 yards and a score. Chris Godwin was establishing himself as one of the great pass catchers in program history, grabbing seven receptions for 117 yards and a score.Oh, there was that Barkley guy – but we will get there in a moment.Despite leading 21-10 at the half, Penn State struggled to put Temple away. The defense, which benefited from a big John Reid interception, had started to give up big plays to Phillip Walker and the Temple offense.The Owls had closed to within 27-24 late in the fourth and Rhule’s defense had bottled up the Penn State running game. That changed on one play – clinging to that three-point lead, Saquon Barkley broke his only big run of the day. He burst 55 yards for a touchdown to give the Lions a two-score lead. He finished the day with a modest number of carries (nine) and modest yardage (68), but his big play helped Penn State stay safe.Temple kicked a late field goal ahead of trying an onside kick, but Penn State recovered and survived. It would have been the first time since 1931 and 1932 that Temple had beaten Penn State in back-to-back meetings. Those were also the first two meetings of the teams.Penn State was 2-1, but was trounced a week later in Ann Arbor. That set up the famous Minnesota comeback, then the greatest blocked kick in history against Ohio State, and, of course, the Big Ten Championship game rally against Wisconsin.Temple, meanwhile, went on to late season success of its own. The Owls rolled off seven straight wins to ultimately win the American Conference title. Rhule left in December to go