Memphis vs. Temple preview, predictions, betting odds, live stream info
Memphis Tigers vs. Temple Owls
The No. 21 Memphis Tigers will look to get back on track when they visit the Temple Owls on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in a game with AAC title and potentially New Years Six implications.
Memphis climbed all the way up to No. 13 in the College Football Playoff rankings before suffering back-to-back defeats against Navy and Houston. Neither is exactly a bad loss, but the Tigers have to be very disappointed after blowing a 20 point lead in the fourth quarter against Houston last Saturday.
Still, quarterback Paxton Lynch leads a dangerous Memphis offense that can challenge anybody. The Tigers rank seventh in the nation with an average of 543.4 yards per game according to TeamRankings.com.
Temple raced out to a 7-0 start and played Notre Dame very close on Halloween night, but a loss to South Florida last Saturday put a damper on its season. While the Owls still control their own destiny in the AAC East, another loss could put South Florida in the title game.
The Owls’ defense had performed very well all season until giving up 44 points to the Bulls last week. Linebacker Tyler Matakevich will hope to lead a quick turnaround against one of the most prolific offenses in the nation.
Memphis is eliminated from AAC West contention, but can improve bowl positioning with a win on Saturday. Either team could potentially get back in the picture for a New Year’s Six Bowl, although it would require major chaos elsewhere over the next three weeks.
The game begins at Noon eastern on ESPNU and can be streamed on the WatchESPN app. Further details for Saturday’s game are below:
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2015
Start Time: Noon eastern
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field
TV Info: ESPNU
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Memphis Tiger Sports Network, WPEN-FM, Sirius XM 108
Ticket Information: For Memphis ticket information click here. For Temple ticket information click here.
Keys to Victory
Both teams are coming off of difficult losses, so the two coaches will face the challenge of getting their respective squads motivated again. Other than that, this looks like a very even matchup and an intriguing battle of strength on strength. Saturday’s contest will come down to which previously excellent unit can bounce back quicker and execute to its full ability.
Temple’s defense returned every starter from a solid unit a year ago a dominated through the first seven weeks of the season, including against Penn State. However, the squad hasn’t looked the same since the Notre Dame game, giving up 84 points combined over the past two weeks against SMU and South Florida.
The South Florida game was disappointing in particular, as the Bulls racked up 556 yards of total offense, including 326 on the ground. If Temple struggles like that again, Memphis will score at will and run away with the game.
Memphis isn’t the easiest team to get back on track defensively against, but the Tigers haven’t been quite as efficient over the past two weeks. The Tigers had difficulty taking care of the ball against Navy, and Lynch has thrown two of his three interceptions this season during the current losing streak.
Running back Doroland Dorceus will be a key player for the Tigers given Temple’s recent issues in run defense. Dorceus has’t been a huge factor in Memphis’ offense for most of the year, but did total 126 yards against Houston.
The Owls will also need a better performance from quarterback P.J. Walker to have a chance to win on Saturday. Walker completed just 41.7 percent of his passes against South Florida, in part because the Owls’ receivers could get little separation.
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Memphis -1.5
Moneyline: Memphis -125, Temple +105
O/U: 58.5
Memphis is 5-4-1 against the spread this season and covered as a five-point underdog last week at Houston. Temple is 7-3 against the spread this year and has won three of its four games as an underdog straight up.
Prediction
With both teams reeling, Saturday’s game figures to be close and competitive the whole way through.
In the end, the experienced Temple defense will find a way to get things turned around after an ugly showing last week. Lynch and the Memphis offense have been more prone to mistakes recently, and the strong Owls front seven could cause some problems
Walker is coming off his worst game of the season, but should be much better this week against a defense that has been suspect at times this season. The Owls have also been very tough at home this season, with a dominating win over Penn State and narrow loss to Notre Dame.
With the AAC title potentially on the line, Temple will be motivated and come away with a tough home victory.
Final Score: Temple 31, Memphis 28