PREMIUM
Rogers' *10* Friday Night TOP TICKET >> 8-2 College Football Run!
(NCAAF) Temple vs. UCONN,
Point Spread: 10.00 | -104.00 UCONN (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 10.00 | -104.00 UCONN (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: Temple's Matt Rhule led the Owls to a 10-4 season last year and pleased all in Philly when he decided to not seek greener pastures in the offseason. There was a time last month when Temple had to question if it would even gain bowl eligibility this season but three straight wins have the Owls flying high heading into Friday's road game with UConn (Owls are 6-3 , 4-1 in the AAC East). Down 25-7 in the first half at UCF on Oct. 15, Temple shut out the Knights in the second half and won 26-25, with the game-winning TD pass coming with one second remaining. Temple followed with a 46-30 pasting of USF last Saturday, rushing for 319 yards. Then last Saturday, Temple ‘pitched' another second-half shutout against Cincy, turning a 20-13 halftime lead into a 34-13 victory. UConn limps in (3-6, 1-5 in the AAC East), after getting embarrassed 41-3 by an East Carolina team that entered with a 2-5 record.
Temple: QB Phillip Walker had 199 passing yards (2 TDs / 0 INTs) but the running game was again the team's strength, as the Owls ran for 275 yards. Ryquell Armstead ran ran for a career-best 210 yards against USF but last week it was his RB partner, Jahad Thomas, who was the star with 151 yards. Walker is limited as a passer (57.6% / 13-10 ratio) but the running game averages 181.0 YPG (4.5 YPC), with Armstead contributing 674 yards (6.2 YPC / 11 TDs) and Thomas 564 yards (4.8 YPC / 9 TDs). Temple's defense has continued its fine play from last year, coming into this contest allowing 22.7 PPG (32nd) on 306.4 YPG (11th).
UConn: Huskies QB Bryant Shirreffs has not thrown a TD pass in his last two games and hasn't completed more than 60 percent of his passes in a game since Week 2. He enters the game having completed 58.7% on the season with only seven TD passes (also just six INTs). The running game produces only 126.6 YPG (113th), so it's no surprise that UConn's 18.3 PPG ranks 126th out of 128 FBS schools.
The pick: "To be able to be bowl eligible is a credit to our players and our players alone," Temple coach Matt Rhule said to the media after last week's win. "They have battled and overcome adversity, they fought back. They have some quality wins this year (but) we have higher expectations than that." Temple is tied at 4-1 with USF but having beaten the Bulls, owns the tiebreaker. The last-place Huskies have lost three straight games by a total of 61 points and have dropped four of the last five matchups in the series, getting outscored the last two years 63-13! That said, there is a letdown potential for Temple in this one and the Owls are double-digit road favorites. UConn is 4-2 ATS as a home dog since the start of 2015 and I'll make UConn a 10* play.
Temple: QB Phillip Walker had 199 passing yards (2 TDs / 0 INTs) but the running game was again the team's strength, as the Owls ran for 275 yards. Ryquell Armstead ran ran for a career-best 210 yards against USF but last week it was his RB partner, Jahad Thomas, who was the star with 151 yards. Walker is limited as a passer (57.6% / 13-10 ratio) but the running game averages 181.0 YPG (4.5 YPC), with Armstead contributing 674 yards (6.2 YPC / 11 TDs) and Thomas 564 yards (4.8 YPC / 9 TDs). Temple's defense has continued its fine play from last year, coming into this contest allowing 22.7 PPG (32nd) on 306.4 YPG (11th).
UConn: Huskies QB Bryant Shirreffs has not thrown a TD pass in his last two games and hasn't completed more than 60 percent of his passes in a game since Week 2. He enters the game having completed 58.7% on the season with only seven TD passes (also just six INTs). The running game produces only 126.6 YPG (113th), so it's no surprise that UConn's 18.3 PPG ranks 126th out of 128 FBS schools.
The pick: "To be able to be bowl eligible is a credit to our players and our players alone," Temple coach Matt Rhule said to the media after last week's win. "They have battled and overcome adversity, they fought back. They have some quality wins this year (but) we have higher expectations than that." Temple is tied at 4-1 with USF but having beaten the Bulls, owns the tiebreaker. The last-place Huskies have lost three straight games by a total of 61 points and have dropped four of the last five matchups in the series, getting outscored the last two years 63-13! That said, there is a letdown potential for Temple in this one and the Owls are double-digit road favorites. UConn is 4-2 ATS as a home dog since the start of 2015 and I'll make UConn a 10* play.
