It may be getting colder outside, but college football is just heating up!
Another week and another
pick from your bud Mr. Doughnut!Just like last week I hope to provide some insightful information on a game no one is looking into. SMU looked good last week covering the spread by end of the 1st quarter and never looking back. Hopefully we can have the same success as last week!
Line: Temple -13.5 vs Bowling Green
This Saturday the Temple Owls will be visiting the BGSU Falcons. Let’s begin by analyzing the Flacons a bit.
BGSU: Bowling Green currently sits at 3-4, they’re best game coming at home in a close loss Wyoming (meaning...no worthwhile wins to note). The Falcons are currently in the bottom of the third in the nation in both scoring offense and scoring defense (75th and 89th nationally). Schilz is a decent quarterback, and throwing the ball (and defending it) is about the only thing Bowling Green does successfully, averaging a middle of the pack 7.1 yds/pass attempt good for 62nd in the nation. On the flip side they are defending the pass at just about the same rate, with opponents averaging a nearly identical 7.0 yds/pass attempt (56th nationally). Running the ball is where the Falcons are susceptible. Ranking near the bottom nationally with 3.4 yds/rush attempt and allowing an AWFUL 5.2 yds/rush attempt.
Temple: Temple sits at 5-2, and is only a stop away from a win at Penn State and a 6-1 record. Aside from the anomaly against Toledo (who is probably the best team in the MAC), Temple has played very well, even dominating many of their opponents. Defense and Rushing, these are the two aspects that Temple excels in. In fact, Temple has won they’re last two games by a combined score of 76-0 against Ball State and Buffalo (both teams that are similar to Bowling Green from a talent standpoint). Defensively speaking, Temple is 4th in the nation allowing only 10 pts/game. Temple also ranks in the top 10 in both yds/rush and yds/pass attempt, which should nullify the only thing Bowling Green does adequately---throwing the ball. Furthermore, the Owls rank in the top 45 offensively in both yds/pass attempt and yds/rush attempt. With an outstanding 5.0 yds/rush (21st nationally), expect the Owls to pound the ball with they’re best player, Bernard Pierce (844 yds, 5.1 ypc, 17 TDs).
KEY: In 3 out of 4 of Bowling Green’s losses, they lost the Time of Possession battle (the only exception being vs West Virginia, but that game was over by halftime, West Virginia put in little effort in the second half of that game). Meanwhile, Temple ranks 4th in the nation with a 58.75% net possession time. Expect the Owls to pound it with Pierce and control the clock. I would not be surprised if the Owls continued they’re shutout streak and put up 30+ for the third straight week.
So if you’re looking for one more pick to fill out you bet slip for the weekend…
TAKE THE ‘S -13.5
Looked at that score backwards, not sure why I put that. Even remember watching that game oddly enough. I'll blame the fact that I typed this up between homework assignments.
