Temple Owls at Ohio Bobcats
Peden Stadium – Athens, Ohio
Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Temple -3 1/2
Current Line: Temple -3 1/2
Opening Total: 44 1/2
Current Total: 47 1/2
Opening Money Line: Temple -165 / Ohio +145
Current Money Line: Temple -165 / Ohio +145
Parity has hit the MAC this season with no team having a better record than 5-3. It should make for some exciting football in November as at least 7 teams have a realistic shot of playing in the conference championship game in December. The 5-3 Temple Owls have a half game lead over the 5-3 Ohio Bobcats in the Eastern Division as the two teams meet Wednesday night in Athens. Temple is 3-2 in conference and Ohio is 2-2. The Owls are coached by Steve Addazio in his first year. Temple has home wins over Villanova 42-7, and Buffalo 34-0 along with road wins over Akron 41-3, Maryland 38-7, and Ball St 42-0. The Owls have home losses to Penn St 14-10, Toledo 36-13, and last week at Bowling Green 13-10. Ohio, coached by Frank Solich has home wins over Gardner-Webb 30-3, Marshall 44-7, and Kent St 17-10, along with road wins at New Mexico St 44-24, and last week at Akron 37-20. Ohio has losses at Rutgers 38-26 and Buffalo 38-37 and at home to Ball St 23-20. Ohio leads the all-time series 3-1 against Temple, including 31-23 last season in Philadelphia.
Temple was a 12 point favorite on the college football betting line last week at Bowling Green. The Falcons were up 3-0 at halftime, and both teams scored 10 points in the second half, as Bowling Green pulled off the upset 13-10. Temple had 284 total yards, including 218 rushing yards, and 13 first downs. Running back Matt Brown had 22 carries for 119 yards for the Owls. Bernard Pierce had 17 carries, 107 yards, and a touchdown. There were no turnovers by either team but Temple did have 12 penalties. Temple also missed a 41 yard field goal attempt in the third quarter. Bowling Green had 318 total yards and 14 total yards.
Temple averages 385.4 yards a game, including a national top ten rushing attack 252.1 yards a game. The passing game averages only 133.2 yards a game. Only 8 other teams in college football pass for less yards a game than the Owls. Temple scores 28.8 points a game. Temple has 9 turnovers and has allowed 14 sacks this season. The Owls are 61/130 on third and fourth down conversions, and 23/28 scoring in the red zone with 16 touchdowns. Temple has a top ten ranked defense allowing 263.2 yards and just 10 points a game. Besides the Toledo game, Temple hasn’t allowed more than 14 points in any game. Temple allows 172.8 passing yards and 90.5 rushing yards a game. The Owls have forced 13 turnovers and 23 sacks. Temple opponents are 41/131 on third and fourth down conversions, and 10/14 scoring in the red zone with 8 touchdowns.
Temple quarterback Chester Stewart platooned with Mije Gerardi for the first 3 games but Gerardi hasn’t played in 5 games. Stewart is 47/74 passing with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, along with 55 carries for 148 yards. Gerardi is 30/59 passing for 423 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Pierce has 181 carries, 951 yards, and 18 touchdowns, and 3 catches for 52 yards. Brown has 94 carries, 562 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Receiver Evan Rodriguez, has 21 catches, 285 yards, and a touchdown. Rod Streater has 12 catches, 223 yards, and a touchdown. Joe Jones has 22 catches, 219 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Deon Miller has 13 catches, 181 yards, and a touchdown. Kicker Brandon McManus is 29/29 on extra points and 9/14 on field goals with a long of 41 yards. Offensive lineman Pat Boyle is questionable with a leg injury.
Last week, Ohio traveled to one win Akron, Ohio was up 13-3 at halftime and at one point were up by 24 points in the fourth quarter. Akron scored a late touchdown to make the final 37-20 Bobcats. Ohio covered the 14.5 point spread. Ohio rolled up 556 total yards against the hapless Zips, including 212 rushing yards. Ohio overcame 8 penalties and 3 turnovers in the win. Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton threw for 328 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception, along with a rushing touchdown. Running back Donte Harden had 22 carries and 123 yards. Beau Blankenship also had a rushing touchdown. LaVon Brazill had 3 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. Riley Dunlop had 3 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. Akron had 249 total yards, including 81 rushing yards. Akron had 6 penalties and a turnover.
Ohio is averaging 451 yards a game including 262.8 passing yards and 188.2 rushing yards. The Bobcats score 31.9 points a game. Ohio has 19 turnovers and has allowed 13 sacks this season. The Bobcats are 62/125 on third and fourth down conversions, and 31/37 scoring in the red zone with 19 touchdowns. Ohio gives up 320.5 total yards, including 203.1 passing yards and 117.4 rushing yards a game. The Bobcats are allowing 20.4 points a game. Ohio has forced 17 turnovers and 14 sacks this season. Bobcat opponents are 53/142 on third and fourth down conversions, and 18/22 scoring in the red zone with 11 touchdowns. Ohio has 2 defensive touchdowns this season.
Tettleton is 164/256 for 1,983 yards, 17 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, along with 72 carries, 258 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Harden has 91 carries, 514 yards, and a touchdown, along with 14 catches, 115 yards, and a touchdown. Ryan Boykin has 85 carries, 340 yards and a touchdown, along with 13 catches, 88 yards, and a touchdown. Blankenship has only 33 carries, but has 2 touchdowns. Brazill has 37 catches, 575 yards, and 8 touchdown catches, plus a rushing touchdown. Dunlop has 25 catches, 367 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Donte Foster has 18 catches, 224 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Kicker Matt Weller is 28/29 on extra points and 15/19 on field goals with a long of 46 yards. Ohio has 7 players listed as questionable or out for the season, including 3 tight ends and 3 defensive players.
Ohio is 3-5 against the spread this season and the total is 5-3 in those games. Temple is 6-2 ATS this season and 7 of the 8 games have gone under the total. Ohio has won and covered 2 in a row against Temple and both games have gone over. Temple is 10-4-1 ATS as a favorite of between 3.5 and 10 points including 6-1 on the road, 19-6-1 after scoring 20 points or less the previous game, 12-4 in road games, 20-7 after allowing 20 points or less, 8-3 as a road favorite, and 1-3-1 after a bye week. Ohio is 5-0-1 ATS after a bye week, 7-1 in November, 10-4 against teams with winning records, 5-2 as an underdog of between 3.5 and ten points, 7-3 at home against teams with winning road records, and as an underdog, 1-4 in conference games, following a straight up win and a cover, overall, and on turf.
Though Ohio isn’t quite as good on defense as Temple, they still rank in the top 30 in most major categories. There shouldn’t be a lot of points in this game, though Ohio has more offensive firepower than Temple. I look for Temple to control the clock with their running game, and win a close game to expand their lead in the division.
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