Temple falters against USF, but still leads American East

According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetDSI, the Bulls are 2.5-point home underdogs versus the Owls after Temple opened as 4-point favorites.

Let’s not print those Temple Owls AAC East champion t-shirts yet.

What the win means for South Florida: The Bulls started 1-3 but have now won five of six and are bowl eligible for the first time since 2010. Mack and Flowers accounted for all four USF touchdowns, as Mack had one rushing and one receiving score and Flowers added two through the air and one on the ground. The Bulls had a total of 556 yards on the night and Marlon Mack contributed 230 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Temple’s offense isn’t anywhere near as talented or efficient as the one Memphis puts on the field, so I would expect this game to be a low-scoring slug-fest.

The Owls were uncharacteristically sloppy in the first half, with blown assignments and turnovers giving the Bulls momentum. If the Bulls (5-4, 3-2) win, they have a chance for division title.

Temple: RB Jahad Thomas leads the American in rushing, averaging 107.8 yards, and needs 31 to go over 1,000 yards for the season.

The Owls continue to soar.

Adams’ touchdown catch made it 7-7, and Deatrick Nichols’ interception and 18-yard return to the Temple 8 on the first play of the second quarter set up Flowers’ 5-yard TD run to put USF ahead less than a minute after they had trailed. Walker then hit Ventell Bryant for a 14 yard score, making it 31-17. After both teams traded field goals, USF took a 34-20 lead into the fourth. Mack’s 47-yard touchdown burst with 2:46 left sealed the win.

An improved offense has certainly helped the defense out, as ball control has become a critical part of USF’s success.

Flowers ran 18 times for 90 yards in the contest. USF’s defense was stellar, as well, shutting down Thomas (16 carries, 65 yards) and pressuring Walker into mistakes. Walker finished 20-48 for 259 yards with one TD and one INT.

USF is the real deal. Flowers has provided stability for the Bulls at quarterback, while also using his dual-threat abilities to flat-out make plays.

For Temple, tonight’s loss has to be very disheartening.

“They physically kind of ran over us”, Rhule said. USF has a 5-4 record for the season. They don’t have the East locked up just yet, and this isn’t last year’s Bulls team. It would also bring the Bulls back into the conversation in the East, as they would be within one game of the Owls and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.