The Temple Owls are ranked 22nd in the country and they are on the road, taking on the East Carolina Pirates in college football action Thursday. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Currently the betting odds for the game have the Pirates favored to pick up the victory over the Owls in this home game.
Temple and East Carolina are divisional foes in the America East, this is a huge game for both teams. The Owls are 6-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play and haven’t been ranked inside the AP Top 25 since 1979. The last time Temple opened the season with a 6-0 record was 1974 as well, the Owls will be looking to improve to 7-0 in this one on the road, but the Pirates are a tough home team.
East Carolina comes in with a 2-1 conference record and the Pirates have won all three games played at home this season, including picking up a win over Virginia Tech.
The Owls have won just two of the last eight meetings with East Carolina, but last year was the first time they met on the gridiron in nearly 20 years.
Jahad Thomas is a great junior back for Temple, piling up 756 yards and 10 touchdowns in the six games. Thomas is coming off a 31-carry, 199-yard contest where he scored three times against UCF last week and he will certainly get a bunch of carries in this one. East Carolina is 89th in the country in rush defense, allowing 186 yards per game to opponents.
The Pirates will need a big game from quarterback Blake Kemp. He’s tossed for better than 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, but he does have six picks. East Carolina has had trouble in the turnover department this season, sitting at -4 and being ranked tied for 96th in the country. If they turn it over tonight it will certainly favor Temple.
Free Pick: Temple and the points
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