Temple @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2018 ) Buffalo 36, Temple 29

After back-to-back home wins to begin the season, Temple takes its show on the road Saturday as it faces Buffalo in non-league action. The Owls trounced Bucknell in their season opener before upending a ranked Maryland team last weekend.

Temple used a late goal-line stand to defeat Maryland, helping to overcome a 3-of-17 showing on third and fourth downs - as well as three turnovers - in the 20-17 triumph. "Everything you're supposed to do to lose a game, we did," Owls coach Rod Carey told reporters, "yet we still executed well enough to overcome that." Anthony Russo threw three touchdown passes for the Owls while Jadan Blue continued his strong start to the season with 132 receiving yards and a score. Temple's dynamic duo hopes for another strong performance against a Buffalo team that has given up 80 points in losing its last two games.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Temple -13.5

ABOUT TEMPLE (2-0): Russo has thrown for seven touchdowns while completing two-thirds of his passes through two games, and Blue has racked up team highs of 15 catches and 249 receiving yards. Re'Mahn Davis and Jager Gardner essentially have split the workload out of the backfield, combining for three rushing touchdowns and nearly 300 yards between them. Harrison Hand has made a team-high 12 tackles and recorded the Owls' only interception on the young season.

ABOUT BUFFALO (1-2): The Bulls rolled over FCS foe Robert Morris in their opener before suffering lopsided setbacks against Penn State (45-13) and Liberty (35-17). Kevin Marks has been solid through the first three games, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, although he has yet to find the end zone after scoring 13 rushing touchdowns as a freshman. Matt Myers is completing under 50 percent of his passes, although he does have a 5-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio thus far.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Buffalo won at Temple 36-29 last September as Tyree Jackson passed for 275 yards and three touchdowns while Marks ran for 138 yards and two scores.

2. Among Temple running backs, Davis and Gardner have combined for 50 of the team's 52 rushing attempts.

3. Owls DT Ifeanyi Maijeh has recorded as many sacks as the rest of the team combined (three).

PREDICTION: Temple 44, Buffalo 19