Navy @ Temple preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 3, 2016 ) Temple 34, Navy 10

Navy will have its starting quarterback under center for Friday's date at Temple, while the Owls will not have their signal-caller for the American Athletic Conference affair. The Midshipmen have lost back-to-back games since a 5-0 start, while the Owls have dropped four of five since beginning 2-1.

Temple's last outing was a 31-28 overtime loss against Army in which starting quarterback Logan Marchi missed the game with an unspecified injury. Frank Nutile got the start and went 20-of-29 for 290 yards with a touchdown and no turnovers, and he may find more success against a Navy squad that gives up 28.4 points per game. The Midshipmen got a scare when quarterback Zach Abey suffered a head injury in their last game on Oct. 21, but he is "ready to go" according to coach Ken Niumatalolo. Navy boasts the nation's top rushing attack with an average of 376.1 yards per game, led by Abey's 1,142 yards and 13 scores.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Navy -8

ABOUT NAVY (5-2, 3-2 AAC): The Midshipmen fell to Central Florida 31-21 in their last contest despite Abey's eighth consecutive 100-yard rushing game -- a school record. Navy committed three turnovers against the Knights, one week after committing five turnovers in a loss to Memphis, and the coaching staff knows that problems needs to be corrected immediately. Obviously a team that has only completed 34.9 percent of its pass attempts on the season cannot afford to be sloppy with the ball and certainly cannot afford to fall behind against a Temple team that "beat the crap out of us," according to Niumatalolo after last year's 34-10 setback.

ABOUT TEMPLE (3-5, 1-3): The Owls finally got a big effort out of Ryquell Armstead in the defeat to Army as the junior tailback rushed for season highs of 151 yards and two touchdowns. Armstead, who ran for 14 touchdowns in 2016, has totaled three TDs this season -- all in the last two games -- and is averaging 4.1 yards per carry, way down from his mark of 5.9 a season ago. Temple's run defense allowed 248 yards and three TDs last week against the nation's No. 2 rushing offense, which doesn't bode particularly well for its matchup with high-powered Navy.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Temple WR Isaiah Wright has scored a touchdown in three straight games, including a 50-yard TD run versus Army.

2. The Owls' last three defeats have come by a total of 14 points.

3. Abey's 19 completions on the season have gone for a average of 31.9 yards per attempt.

PREDICTION: Navy 37, Temple 23