Cincinnati @ Temple preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2013 ) Temple 20, Cincinnati 38

Midway through the season, Temple probably figured it would have a postseason berth sewn up long before their its final home game of the year. But the Owls have been in a major tailspin and still need one more victory to become bowl eligible as they prepare to close out their home schedule Saturday afternoon against Cincinnati. The Bearcats are trending the other way, having won five straight to remain in the hunt for the American Athletic Conference title.

The Owls are coming off a much-needed bye following a dreadful effort in a 30-13 loss to Penn State. Temple has lost four of five games since opening the season 4-1 and faces a daunting challenge against a Bearcats defense that held Connecticut to a paltry 129 total yards in a 41-0 drubbing last week. "We've got our foot in the door to either win or tie for the championship," Cincinnati head coach Tommy Tuberville told reporters.

TV: Noon ET, ESPNews. LINE: Cincinnati -6.5

ABOUT CINCINNATI (7-3, 5-1 AAC): The final three games — bowl contest included — could hold plenty of significance for Bearcats quarterback Gunner Kiel. The redshirt sophomore has been sensational in his first year as the starter and is approaching a pair of school records, having racked up 27 touchdown passes — our shy of the record — and 2,646 yards through the air, which leaves him 897 shy of the mark. "I definitely fulfilled my dream of playing college football and got in and threw some touchdowns," he told reporters earlier this week. "But I also made a lot of mistakes."

ABOUT TEMPLE (5-5, 3-3): If the Owls hope to have any chance of beating Cincinnati and keeping their bowl hopes alive, they'll need to figure out how to score some points. Temple comes into the contest averaging just 14 points over its previous five games — and that won't fly against a Cincinnati wrecking crew averaging better than 37 points on the season. "They are dynamic on offense," Temple head coach Matt Rhule told KYW Newsradio. "They have four great receivers, a tremendous offensive line, and Gunner Kiel is ... setting a bunch of records right now."

EXTRA POINTS

1. If Cincinnati wins out, it would register its second straight nine-win season under Tuberville.

2. Kiel has thrown three or more touchdown passes six times so far this season.

3. Temple QB P.J. Walker has thrown three TD passes and 10 interceptions in his previous five games.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 24, Temple 10