FACTS & STATS: Site: Lincoln Financial Field (69,176) — Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. Television: ESPNews. Home Record: Tulsa 1-2, Temple 1-1. Away
Record: Tulsa 0-2, Temple 2-0. Neutral Record: Tulsa 0-0, Temple 0-0.
Conference Record: Tulsa 1-0, Temple 1-0. Series Record: Tulsa leads, 2-0.
GAME NOTES: The Temple Owls look to continue their winning ways Saturday
afternoon when they host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Lincoln Financial Field
in an American Athletic Conference matchup.
Temple last took the field two weeks ago when it beat Connecticut, 36-10, in
its AAC opener to improve to 3-1 on the season.
P.J. Walker threw for 231 yards and a touchdown to lead the Owls, who have won
two straight. Walker completed 20-of-29 pass attempts and also had a rushing
touchdown. Jalen Fitzpatrick hauled in six passes for 108 yards and a score
for Temple, which used a 23-point third quarter to put the game out of reach.
The Owls’ offense has been averaging 342.5 yards and 39 points per game this
season. Walker has been leading the attack, completing 65 percent of is passes
for 201 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.
The rushing game, that averages 128 yards per game, doesn’t have one standout
with Walker leading the way with two rushing scores. Fitzpatrick’s 72 yards
receiving per game leads the passing attack. He also has a team-best four
touchdowns on 19 receptions.
Temple’s defensive unit has forced 11 turnovers, is allowing just 12 points
per game and yields just under 300 yards per contest so far this season.
The solid unit is led by junior linebacker Tyler Matakevich’s 26 total
tackles, one sack and nine tackles for a loss. Defensive back Tavon Young’s
three picks leads the squad, while redshirt sophomore Avery Ellis has a team-
best two sacks.
Tulsa’s season has been a disappointment so far. Last weekend, the Golden
Hurricane lost to Colorado State, 42-17, in a non-conference matchup.
Tulsa quarterback Dane Evans threw for 222 yards and a touchdown on 16-of-29
passing, but he was intercepted twice and sacked five times. Keevan Lucas
caught seven passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, as Tulsa fell to 1-4 on the
season, having dropped four straight since opening the year with a win over
conference foe Tulane.
The Golden Hurricane are scoring just a 23 points per game this season,
gaining 421 yards per contest. Turnovers have been part of the problem. Tulsa
has committed a total of 13 turnovers through five games.
Evans has been culprit No. 1, getting picked off nine times. The sophomore has
completed only 55 percent of his passes for 273 yards per games with nine
touchdowns.
Keevan Lucas has benefited from Evans’ passing success, hauling in 44 passes
for 540 yards with six touchdowns.
Defensively, Tulsa yields over 42 points per game and over 500 yards of
offense. The unit has had trouble stopping opposing offenses and the rushing
defense has been the main issue. The Golden Hurricane yield over 221 yards of
rushing per contest.
Michael Mudoh’s 44 tackles leads the squad, while Derrick Alexander’s 2.5
sacks is the best on the team. The program has just two interceptions this
season.
For Tulsa, which has won the only two meetings in this series, to come out on
top of this game, it’s going to have to cut down on the turnovers. Temple is
the nation’s leader in turnover margin at +2.5 per game, while Tulsa is the
third worst in that category at minus-1.8 per game.
Temple has been firing on all cylinders this year and with the week off, Tulsa
shouldn’t surprise the Owls. It’s homecoming weekend at Temple, so expect the
defense to come out fired up and force turnovers, setting the offense up with
a short field. Walker has been leading the offense in the right direction so
expect Temple to roll in this one.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Temple 35, Tulsa 17
