Temple @ Massachusetts preview

Temple has produced a marquee win over a Big Ten team and an impressive conference road victory in its first two weeks. The resurgent Owls now seek their first 3-0 start in five years when they travel to Gillette Stadium on Saturday to take on Massachusetts in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

Behind another big effort from Jahad Thomas, who ran for a career-high 193 yards, Temple outlasted Cincinnati 34-26 last Saturday, avoiding a letdown after the season-opening triumph over Penn State and becoming the first American Athletic team to register a league win. The challenge now for head coach Matt Rhule is to ensure his players do not lose sight of the task at hand after such a marvelous beginning to the season. "If they think they're going to beat UMass just by showing up, then we're out of our mind," Rhule told reporters Monday. "All they have to do is turn the tape on...to quickly realize their passing game can test you." Minutemen quarterback Blake Frohnapfel, who was second in the Mid-American Conference in passing yards last year (3,345) despite missing two games, threw for 225 yards and a touchdown with one interception in a 48-14 loss at Colorado last week.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: Temple -10.5

ABOUT TEMPLE (2-0): For all their success so far, the Owls have started both games rather slowly, producing a total of three first-quarter points. However, once Thomas gets going the unit has been hard to stop and he will be licking his chops against a UMass defense that allowed 390 rushing yards and five touchdowns in its loss to Colorado. Quarterback P.J. Walker has been efficient when called upon to throw, completing 70 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

ABOUT UMASS (0-1): After recording 10 sacks against Penn State, Temple had just one against Cincinnati but it added in four big interceptions, making this an intense week of preparation for the Minutemen offense. "You always want protection, but [Temple] can play coverage," head coach Mark Whipple said. "They can do a lot of different things." Whipple said he intends on once again utilizing a rotation along the offensive line to keep guys fresh, especially with warm weather expected through the week in New England.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Owls senior LB Tyler Matakevich had two of his team's four interceptions last week after recording three sacks against Penn State.

2. UMass WR Tajae Sharpe has 177 career receptions, 10 shy of matching the school record (Adrian Zullo, 1998-2002).

3. Temple was outgained 557-296 against Cincinnati.

PREDICTION: Temple 31, UMass 18