That assessment of this Thursday night's nationally televised rivalry game at Wildcat Stadium came from Temple senior fullback/linebacker Derrick Davis after he helped lead the Wildcats to a must-have 17-14 victory at Bryan on Friday night.
His point is valid; the Temple-Belton game is hugely important and highly anticipated for both schools regardless of how they're faring in a given season.
Take 2002. Both teams entered their Week 10 meeting knowing they were out of the playoff hunt, then proceeded to play a triple-overtime classic in which Ramonce Taylor scored all four Belton touchdowns as the Tigers claimed a 27-24 win to kick off the squads' current eight-year series.
Take 2004. After dueling with a share of the District 13-5A championship at stake a year earlier (Belton won 13-3 at Temple), the Wildcats were on their way to a 2-8 record and the Tigers were on their way to a winless season. But that lack of success didn't make their clash any less memorable, as Weston Gooch's 41-yard field goal in OT and Derrick Williams' final-play interception a few minutes after midnight lifted Temple to a lightning-delayed 17-14 victory.
Take 2005. Again, neither was a playoff team. In fact, Temple didn't win a game. But in a matchup dominated by the defenses, Brandon Wilde's late interception return and Quincy Daniels' 1-yard touchdown run with 20 seconds left lifted Belton to a 14-7 conquest.
And take 2006. It was destined to be another 2-8 season for the Wildcats and another 0-10 year for the Tigers, yet their annual meeting packed plenty of fireworks. Terrell Jackson had a hand in every Temple touchdown, passing for two and running for two to carry the Wildcats to a 28-21 overtime victory.
So as you can see, it's not imperative that the Temple-Belton tilt have district-title or playoff-berth implications to go down as a close, memorable game.
With all of that said, Temple-Belton certainly takes on a different feeling - even greater anticipation and intensity - when both teams really are playing for something beyond pride and community bragging rights.
gwille@temple-telegram.com
