AAC : Temple vs. Houston
Time: 9 PM ET
Spread: HOU -8
M/L: HOU -320; TEM +260
Total: 52
Betting odds courtesy of Bovada
The Temple Owls are 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in Mountain West play, but the team hasn’t really been tested much this season. In its lone contest against a decent team, it lost 31-24 to Navy. Since that loss, the Owls have reeled off three straight victories against Delaware State, UConn and Tulsa, but the Owls will find itself 8-point underdogs in college football odds to the University of Houston this week.
The Owls have been effective offensively despite not getting a lot of yardage. Temple averages 38.2 points per game despite its mediocre per-yard averages (70th in passing, 91st in rushing). Additionally, the Owls have taken care of things defensively, holding its opponents to just 14.4 points per game (4th in NCAA). While a lot of this is due to the lack of quality competition, the team will get a better idea of how good its defense is this week against Houston.
QB P.J. Walker has been very good. He’s thrown for 1,099 yards with a 61.8 percent completion ratio. He also has been good about not throwing picks, with just four interceptions to his nine TDs. His QB rating of 134.4 reflects his strong passing, but no Owls receiver has broke the 400 yard mark yet. Leading receiver Jalen Fitzpatrick has five TDs on the season including a 42-yard TD pass, and he’s also boasting a 16.5 yard per reception average.
In the backfield, Jahad Thomas has been the primary ball carrier, with 39 rushes for 258 yards. However, Thomas has yet to score a TD, with the short yardage runs going to QB Walker or Kenneth Harper. Harper, along with No. 2 back Jamie Gilmore have combined for 300 yards behind Thomas, and Harper has two TDs on the season; Gilmore one.
Houston has got by this year due to its strong defense. The Cougars are allowing just 19.2 points per game this season, while scoring 27.7 itself. The Cougars have yet to allow more than 27 points in a game, and held two opponents to 14 points or less (Grambling State and UNLV). The offense hasn’t racked up mass yardage, but it’s been adequate to help Houston remain competitive. In its only matchup against a ranked opponent, the Cougars lost 33-25 to then- No. 25 BYU.
QB John O’Korn has been fairly horrible, throwing 8 INTs to just 6 TDs, and he only averages 5.4 yards per reception. His QB rating of 100.1 is pretty bad, but the team has been able to get by on the strength of its ball carriers. Houston has scored 11 rushing TDs, six of which came from its top two backs, Kenneth Farrow and Ryan Jackson. Both average over six yards per carry and both have long-rushes of 55 yards.
Greg Ward, Jr. is right behind them with 33 rushes and a 64-yard TD this season, one of his two TDs. QB O’Korn has rushed for one TD, but he averages under one yard per carry.
