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Preview: Temple Owls vs. USF Bulls

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The University of South Florida Bulls are back on the national stage for a weeknight matchup with the Temple University Owls. Both teams enjoyed an open date on the previous weekend and both teams are hungry for a win. The Bulls, at 4-4, will be looking to get over .500 and another game closer to bowl eligibility. A win for the 5-3 Owls will get that team a bowl guarantee. This is the fifth meeting, all-time, between the programs, with Temple enjoying a 3-2 advantage in that series.

USF Offense

The Bulls implemented a new offensive system under first year offensive coordinator, Kerwin Bell. The new system has failed to live up to its promise, and struggles on the offensive line have led to injuries to the only two scholarship quarterbacks on the team. Blake Barnett, starter from last season, is out for the remainder of this season due to surgery on an ankle injury. Jordan McCloud, a freshman, has had his own injury troubles, which have limited his offensive production.

McCloud has 776 passing yards for ten touchdowns and six interceptions through eight games. He also runs the ball when the opportunity presents itself, rushing for 242 yards and four touchdowns on the season, second on the team in yards. Running back, Jordan Cronkrite, has rushed for 587 yards and four touchdowns to lead the unit.

The top two receivers for the Bulls are a pair of tight ends, Mitchell Wilcox and Jacob Mathis. They have 254 and 195 yards, respectively. Wilcox has the edge in touchdowns, 4-2. Of the wide receiver group, Randall St. Felix is the leader, with 173 yards and two touchdowns.

Temple Defense

The Temple defense hasn’t been very impressive this season. Ranking 110th in total defense, they have allowed an average of 403 total yards per game (65th). They’re 81st against the pass (235 y.p.g.) and 75th against the run (168 y.p.g.).

The Owls do have a weapon on defense in defensive end, Ifeanyi Maijeh. Maijeh has been dominant on the line, with 9.5 tackles for loss and six sacks, leading the team in both categories. He’s seventh on the team in total tackles and ranks 44th, nationally, for tackles for loss and 30th in sacks.

Senior linebacker, Shaun Bradley, leads the team in total tackles with 53. Harrison Hand and Chapelle Russell round out the top three with 42 and 40 tackles, respectively. Hand is the team leader in interceptions with three.

Temple Offense

Junior quarterback, Anthony Russo, is the play caller for the Owls. He has amassed 1,873 passing yards and 16 touchdowns with 8 interceptions through eight games. Temple is ranked 76th in scoring offense and 75th in total offense. Russo’s unit fares better, ranked 38th in the nation in passing offense, averaging 264 yards per game.

Branden Mack and Jadan Blue have been the favorite targets for Russo. Mack leads the team in receiving yards with 629 with five touchdowns, while Blue has 551 yards and 2 scores. Fellow receiver, Isaiah Wright, has 411 yards and five touchdowns of his own.

The running game work is mostly courtesy of freshman running back, Re’Mahn Davis. Davis has rushed for 655 yards and five touchdowns. Also with five rushing touchdowns is Jager Gardner, who has carried the ball for 405 yards. The rushing unit has amassed more than 1,100 yards through eight games. The Owls rank 95th in the nation in rushing, with just 139 yards per game, on average.

USF Defense

The Bulls’ defense struggled early in the season, but has really turned things around in the past few games. They rank 58th in total defense and 72nd in scoring defense, allowing 28 points per game, on average.

Where they shine is in creating turnovers. The team is 10th in the nation in turnover margin (0.88), tied for second in turnovers gained (20), and third in fumbles gained (11).

They also excel in tackles for loss, currently tied for #8 in the category with 73. Linebacker, Dwayne Boyles, has led the team in tackles for loss, with 9.5, which happens to tie him with Temple’s Maijeh at 44th in the nation. Kirk Livingstone and Patrick Macon are close behind with 8.5 and 8, respectively. Macon also leads the team in total tackles with 58.

Antonio Grier and Greg Reaves lead the team in sacks, with three apiece.

Expectations

Both teams will play with all they have with bowl eligibility on the line. The Owls will throw, because that’s what they do well, but the Bulls will steal some of those passes, because they’re good at that. McCloud will be healthy for perhaps his first start of the season. He’s going to stretch out the field with big passes and stretch out his legs on big runs.

Summary

The Bulls are 1.5 point underdogs at home, but ESPN’s Football Power Index computers give USF a 60.7% chance of victory. Kickoff is at 8 PM EST and coverage is national on ESPN.


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