The owl has been the symbol and mascot for Temple University since its founding in the 1880s . Temple was the first school in the United States to adopt the owl as its symbol or mascot . The owl , a nocturnal hunter , was initially adopted as a symbol because Temple University began as a night school for young people of limited means . Russell Conwell , Temple 's founder , encouraged these students with the remark : " The owl of the night makes the eagle of the day . " The Owls are primarily members of the American Athletic Conference ( The American ) . Since their football team participates in the NCAA 's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision . The football program was a member of the Big East Conference until its expulsion after the 2004 season due to a variety of program shortcomings . Temple played a limited MAC schedule in 2005 and 2006 before becoming an affiliated football-only member and playing a full 8-game league schedule in 2007 . The school 's men 's basketball team is part of the Big Five , the traditional designation for the rivalries between the Owls and their Philadelphia rivals : Penn , Saint Joseph 's , Villanova , and La Salle . Temple considers the rivalry with St. Joe 's to be the most intense , especially in basketball . St. Joe 's , however , considers this rivalry to be secondary to their rivalry with Villanova
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
Temple Owls