Who’s Playing
No. 17 Houston @ Temple
Current Records: Houston 8-1; Temple 3-6
What to Know
This Saturday, the Temple Owls are hoping to patch up the holes in a defense that has allowed an average of 36.78 points per game. The Owls and the Houston Cougars will face off in an American Athletic battle at noon ET Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field. If the contest is anything like Temple’s 59-49 victory from their previous meeting in November of 2018, the scorekeeper will be kept real busy.
Temple took a serious blow against the East Carolina Pirates last week, falling 45-3. Temple was in a tough position by the half, with the score already sitting at 21 to nothing.
Meanwhile, Houston ran circles around the South Florida Bulls last week, and the extra yardage (646 yards vs. 399 yards) paid off. Houston beat South Florida 54-42. The Cougars’ RB Alton McCaskill was on fire, rushing for three TDs and 125 yards on 22 carries. McCaskill had some trouble finding his footing against the SMU Mustangs two weeks ago, so this was a step in the right direction.
The Owls are the clear underdogs, so they’re hoping it’s the size of the fight that determines this one. They have failed bettors playing the spread in their past four games, so buyers beware.
Houston’s win lifted them to 8-1 while Temple’s loss dropped them down to 3-6. We’ll find out if the Cougars can add another positive mark to their record or if Temple can shake off the defeat and take the spring out of Houston’s step.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 12 p.m. ET
- Where: Lincoln Financial Field — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $20.00
Odds
The Cougars are a big 24.5-point favorite against the Owls, according to the latest college football odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Cougars as a 25-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
Houston have won two out of their last three games against Temple.
- Nov 10, 2018 – Temple 59 vs. Houston 49
- Sep 30, 2017 – Houston 20 vs. Temple 13
- Dec 05, 2015 – Houston 24 vs. Temple 13
