Temple @ Tulsa preview
Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2014 ) Tulsa 24, Temple 35
Temple needs a win to lock up a bowl berth when it visits Tulsa in the regular-season finale for both teams Saturday. The Owls will start Frank Nutile at quarterback despite his subpar game last week, when he threw four interceptions in a 45-19 loss against No. 12 Central Florida.
Even though Tulsa is 2-9, the Golden Hurricane played well last week battling No. 19 South Florida before eventually falling 27-20. “We are trying to go 1-0 and finish strong, and being senior day, it is a chance for us to go out with a win,” Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery said on a conference call. “That is our motivation, not trying to keep them from being bowl-eligible.” Temple has earned a bowl bid for the past three seasons, but was not selected to play in one in 2014.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN News. LINE: Temple -3
ABOUT TEMPLE (5-6, 3-4 AAC): Quarterback Logan Marchi has sat out the last three games with a lower-body injury and his availability against Tulsa remains in question. Nutile spelled Marchi and directed victories over Navy and Cincinnati, throwing for a combined 513 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. The Owls could be without wide receiver Ventell Bryant (shoulder) and top running back Ryquell Armstead (undisclosed), who continues to struggle as he gained only 72 yards on the ground in the past three games.
ABOUT TULSA (2-9, 1-6): Tulsa has lost four straight, but showed no quit last week when it held explosive USF to 82 second-half yards. Quarterback Luke Skipper scored on first-half runs of 12 and 9 yards for the Golden Hurricane, who blocked a punt to set up a 38-yard field goal that trimmed a 10-point deficit to seven points with 4:18 remaining. Running back D'Angelo Brewer rushed for 163 yards last week and has gone over the century mark each of the last four outings.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Skipper is questionable for the game with a concussion.
2. Tulsa's last victory was a 45-17 decision over Houston, a team which beat Temple 20-13.
3. Temple trails the series 2-1 but won the last meeting 35-24 in 2014 with the first two coming in the late 1980s.
PREDICTION: Temple 30, Tulsa 20