The Temple Owls will look to finish their season on a high note as they host the Memphis Tigers at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon.
Memphis will be headed to a bowl game and still has hopes of notching its first 10-win season since 2019. The Tigers are a significant favorite over Temple in the college football odds for Friday’s game, as the Owls have lost seven of their last eight games.
While Memphis is clearly the better team here, the Owls have shown some surprising toughness against quality teams at times this year. I’ll discuss whether they can keep this one close in my free college football picks for Memphis vs. Temple on November 24.
Memphis vs Temple best odds
Memphis vs Temple picks and predictions
Memphis lost any hope of reaching the AAC championship game last week when the Tigers lost to the SMU Mustangs 38-34 at home. It was a disappointing loss for Memphis, but not one that completely takes the shine off a fine season for the team.
The Tigers have been one of the best offensive teams in the nation this year, scoring an average of 39.2 points per game. While they’ve sometimes been let down by their defense, junior quarterback Seth Henigan has been excellent — throwing 24 touchdown passes against eight interceptions.
Henigan could be in for a field day against Temple, as the Owls rank 132nd in the nation in yards against per passing attempt (8.9), and 133rd in opposing quarterback rating (163.2). They rarely force interceptions or generate a substantial pass rush, and the only reason their numbers aren’t even worse is because teams don’t have to throw much against them once Temple falls far behind. Instead, teams just turn to punishing Temple on the ground, where it's hardly any better defensively.
The Owls are pretty poor on offense as well, averaging just 21.1 points per game. Yet despite these ugly numbers, it hasn’t been easy for many of its conference opponents to blow them out. Temple upset the Navy Midshipmen earlier this month and only lost by four to the South Florida Bulls and by 10 to the UAB Blazers in their last two games — both on the road.
But while the Owls have hung in some games lately, a closer look at their performance shows deeper issues when dealing with higher-level competition.
Temple has lost six games this year by at least 15 points, with five of those losses coming by at least three touchdowns. SMU beat the Owls 55-0 in Philadelphia, while the UTSA Roadrunners scored a 49-34 road win as well. Those teams — as well as the Miami Hurricanes and Rutgers Scarlet Knights — are the best comps for Memphis on the Temple schedule.
In those four games, Temple lost by an average of over 33 points per game. Worse still, three of those four games were played at home. The Tigers should be able to run (and pass) all over the Owls' defense to an extent that Temple just can’t keep up with.
My best bet: Memphis -13 (-110 at Caesars)
Picks made at time of writing may not reflect live odds.
Memphis vs Temple same-game parlay
Memphis -13
Over 64
Memphis first half -6.5
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I like Memphis to win this game going away, and that’s where I’m starting my same-game parlay. I also think in a game where the offenses clearly outshine the defenses, the Over is a smart play. While 64 is a big number, the Tigers have surpassed that total in each of their last five games.
I’m also going to throw in a bet on Memphis to cover a 6.5-point first-half spread. This is an excellent number for us to get, as it's below the key touchdown mark. The Tigers are clearly the better team, and this bet correlates well with them covering the full game line, making it a nice value add for our SGP.
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Memphis vs Temple spread and Over/Under analysis
Memphis opened this game as an 11.5-point favorite with most sites having since moved to Memphis -13. Though some are offering a 12.5-point spread with -118 or worse on the Tigers. Neither of these teams has been particularly good against the spread this year. Memphis is just 3-7-1 ATS on the season, while Temple is an even worse 3-8.
The total for Friday’s contest opened at 65 points. That number has come down a bit, with a flat 64 being the most common Over/Under on the market as of Wednesday night. You can find 63.5 or 64.5 if you want to, and the 63.5 number is a great one for the Over, as it's available with -110 odds.
The Memphis offense has been pushing the Tigers above the number all year long, and the Over has gone 9-2 in their games. Temple has played closer to the total, with the Under holding a 6-5 edge when the Owls play.
Memphis vs Temple betting trend to know
Temple is 2-6 against the spread in its last eight games overall. Find more college football betting trends for Memphis vs Temple.
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Memphis vs Temple game info
| Location: | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA |
| Date: | Friday, November 24, 2023 |
| Kickoff: | 12:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
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