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CFB : ATS Matchup
Saturday 12/5/2015Line$ LineOU LineScore
TEMPLE
 
HOUSTON
+5  

-5  
+180

-220

53
 
13
Final
24

TEMPLE (10 - 2) at HOUSTON (11 - 1)
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Week 14 Saturday, 12/5/2015 12:00 PM
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - TDECU Stadium - Houston, TX
Board OpenLatest
321TEMPLE5753.5
322HOUSTON-6.5-5
ADVANCED TEAM STATS
TEMPLE - Current Season Performance
 Straight UpAgainst SpreadTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsW-LO-UScoreHalfYardsYPPTOScoreHalfYardsYPPTO
All Games10-2+10.19-35-732.212.8367.8(5.4)1.318.712.0328.4(4.9)1.8
Road Games5-1+4.64-23-333.813.0385.7(5.6)1.025.014.7446.7(5.8)2.2
Last 3 Games2-1+12-11-227.011.3387.3(5.3)1.019.713.3308.7(5)1.0
Turf Games4-0+4.83-12-239.014.5403.0(5.9)1.223.010.7436.5(5.8)2.5
Conference Games7-1+7.26-25-334.713.7377.7(5.7)1.220.612.5312.7(4.6)2.0
TEMPLE - Current Season Statistics
 RushingPassingTotal
 PPGHalfFDTOPATT-YDSYPRCMP-ATTPCTYDSPYAATT-YDSYPPYPPT
Offense (All Games)32.212.819.333:0138-158(4.1)17-2956.8%209(7.1)67-368(5.4)(11.4)
Opponents Defensive Avg.29.614.320.731:4141-179(4.4)18-3158.3%227(7.3)72-406(5.7)(13.7)
Offense Road Games33.813.019.232:1035-158(4.5)18-3354.2%227(6.8)69-386(5.6)(11.4)
Defense (All Games)18.712.017.126:5933-117(3.6)20-3557.0%211(6.1)68-328(4.9)(17.5)
Opponents Offensive Avg.26.414.820.529:2038-158(4.2)19-3358.5%238(7.2)71-396(5.6)(15)
Defense Road Games25.014.722.727:4937-167(4.6)23-4057.7%279(7)76-447(5.8)(17.9)

HOUSTON - Current Season Performance
 Straight UpAgainst SpreadTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsW-LO-UScoreHalfYardsYPPTOScoreHalfYardsYPPTO
All Games11-1+7.47-55-742.020.4499.7(6.4)1.121.111.4381.0(5.5)2.3
Home Games7-0+53-43-444.922.7502.6(6.5)0.923.012.3409.1(5.9)2.6
Last 3 Games2-1-1.41-21-234.711.3421.7(5.8)1.328.314.7421.3(6)1.0
Turf Games10-0+9.86-44-642.821.8507.9(6.3)0.922.311.7397.7(5.6)2.4
Conference Games7-1+1.64-43-540.618.6481.0(6.3)1.123.013.2406.2(5.8)1.9
HOUSTON - Current Season Statistics
 RushingPassingTotal
 PPGHalfFDTOPATT-YDSYPRCMP-ATTPCTYDSPYAATT-YDSYPPYPPT
Offense (All Games)42.020.424.131:2548-241(5)20-3067.0%259(8.5)78-500(6.4)(11.9)
Opponents Defensive Avg.32.716.321.530:5641-191(4.7)19-3261.2%248(7.9)72-439(6.1)(13.5)
Offense Home Games44.922.724.131:2648-226(4.7)21-3070.0%277(9.4)77-503(6.5)(11.2)
Defense (All Games)21.111.418.128:3536-117(3.3)19-3456.1%263(7.7)70-381(5.5)(18.1)
Opponents Offensive Avg.27.314.620.130:0240-158(3.9)18-3157.7%240(7.6)71-398(5.6)(14.6)
Defense Home Games23.012.318.728:3437-121(3.3)19-3357.8%288(8.7)70-409(5.9)(17.8)
Average power rating of opponents played: TEMPLE 28.4,  HOUSTON 26
SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
TEMPLE - Season Results
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateOpponentScoreSULineATSTot.O/URushingPassingTORushingPassingTO
10/10/2015TULANE49-10W-14W44.5O46-12214-18-223227-817-30-1022
10/17/2015UCF30-16W-20L42.5O41-21215-27-149429-6710-31-672
10/22/2015@ E CAROLINA24-14W3W48U25-7219-36-250035-9533-53-2832
10/31/2015NOTRE DAME20-24L12W52.5U32-10713-30-188131-16823-36-2992
11/6/2015@ SMU60-40W-12.5W50O37-26818-25-268038-18518-30-2122
11/14/2015@ S FLORIDA23-44L-3L44.5O31-12120-48-259148-32615-22-2301
11/21/2015MEMPHIS31-12W3.5W57U46-20014-26-261235-7625-34-1560
11/28/2015CONNECTICUT27-3W-13W38U39-16119-29-160026-913-21-1292
12/5/2015@ HOUSTON            

HOUSTON - Season Results
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateOpponentScoreSULineATSTot.O/URushingPassingTORushingPassingTO
10/8/2015SMU49-28W-24L70O48-21416-18-243139-15121-35-2483
10/16/2015@ TULANE42-7W-21W57.5U47-23917-25-222132-11214-33-1500
10/24/2015@ UCF59-10W-20W53O48-36620-28-234030-9714-29-1834
10/31/2015VANDERBILT34-0W-11.5W50U51-15015-23-221242-1415-20-444
11/7/2015CINCINNATI33-30W-7.5L70.5U63-26616-24-161218-6628-51-5233
11/14/2015MEMPHIS35-34W-5L70U31-9626-44-296054-21220-32-2782
11/21/2015@ CONNECTICUT17-20L-8L50.5U33-11017-31-208443-15614-24-1590
11/27/2015NAVY52-31W1W59O44-21827-36-337038-14713-18-3121
12/5/2015TEMPLE            
KEY GAME INFORMATION
TEMPLE: If defense really does win championships, Temple will win the AAC with ease. But the Owls are not the most complete team in the conference because they are so inept on offense. They also play the top four teams in the American (vs. Memphis, at Cincinnati, vs. UCF and at East Carolina) plus non-conference clashes with Penn State and Notre Dame, both at home. However, there's no reason Temple can't steal a couple of those games and wind up 6-2 in the American. With almost certain wins at UMass and Charlotte, the Owls look to be a great bet for eight victories.
HOUSTON: There is certainly enough talent to reach a bowl game for the ninth time in 11 seasons. The schedule is also favorable, as three of the four AAC road games are at Tulsa, Tulane and Connecticut, who were a combined 5-19 in conference play last season. Houston does have to take on all three teams with 7-1 records in the American, but faces both Cincinnati and Memphis at home in November.
PREVIEW
Temple-Houston Preview
By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

In three seasons under coach Matt Rhule, Temple has gone from the American Athletic Conference cellar to playing for its first championship in 48 years.

That's put Rhule in the spotlight.

With Rhule reportedly breaking off talks for another job, the No. 20 Owls visit 17th-ranked Houston in the first AAC title game Saturday.

After going 8-16 over its first two seasons under Rhule, Temple (10-2, 7-1) tied the program record for wins set in 1979 when it was 10-2.

The Owls only other league title was a Middle Atlantic Conference championship in 1967. They're in position to add another after beating Connecticut 27-3 last Saturday.

"We kept buying in, buying in," senior linebacker Tyler Matakevich said. "We didn't want to lose anymore. We just said, 'No more. Enough is enough.' That's what's happening right now. This team is something special.

"It's such an amazing feeling. Give credit to all the seniors who stuck it out."

Rhule is also getting credit and was linked to the opening at Missouri. However, recent reports say the sides are no longer talking.

"Our team is way too strong to be distracted by anything with me," said Rhule, who signed a four-year extension over the summer. "This is a unique, wonderful week in Temple football history. Don't waste it thinking about me. This is awesome. This is championship week. I'm right here, man."

The Owls will spend most of their time thinking about Houston (11-1, 7-1) and dynamic quarterback Greg Ward Jr.

Ward has completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 2,502 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. He's also a major threat on the ground, gaining 5.5 yards per carry while his 893 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns rank second in the nation among QBs.

"You have to contain him," Rhule said. "You have to keep him in the pocket, but you also have to rush him or else he'll sit there and pick you apart."

Temple experienced that in a 31-10 loss at Houston last year. Ward was held to 44 yards on 13 carries and was sacked three times, but he hit 29 of 33 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns.

He did practically everything in a 52-31 win over then-No. 16 Navy on Nov. 27. Ward connected on 26 of 35 passes for a season-high 308 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another score and 83 yards on 14 carries.

The performance came after an injured ankle limited him to 15 passes over the previous two weeks.

"We are all going for one goal," Ward said. "We told each other that we are going to give each other all that we have, and that we are going to play for our brothers."

Ward, though, will have to solve a Temple defense that's allowed 370 total yards over the last two games after surrendering 556 - 326 rushing - in a 44-23 loss to South Florida on Nov. 14.

Demarcus Ayers is Ward's go-to target, ranking second in the conference with 89 catches for 1,140 yards and six touchdowns. He's hauled in 28 passes for 371 yards with one TD over the last three games.

"He was a quarterback in high school and transitioned to wide receiver and has really worked the entire offseason on honing his craft," first-year coach Tom Herman said. "He's becoming a much better blocker. He's becoming a much better open field runner and most importantly a better route runner. Beyond that he's become a better teammate."

The Owls are looking for a better effort from P.J. Walker, who completed 12 of 29 passes for 259 yards with one score and three picks against the Cougars last year.

Temple turned the ball over four times in that meeting after doing it three times in a 22-13 home loss the previous season.

"Our history against Houston in the last couple years has just been that we've just always turned the ball over quite a great deal," Rhule said. "If we can eliminate that, but that's just our plan to win."

Walker has tossed six INTs compared to 18 touchdowns. He has eight scoring passes and two interceptions over the past four games.

Temple's Jahad Thomas has reached the end zone 18 times - 17 on the ground. The running back's 1,188 yards rank second in the AAC, and he's gained 4.8 per carry.

The winner Saturday should play in a New Year's Six bowl game, probably the Peach Bowl.


Last Updated: 3/18/2024 11:14:39 PM EST.


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