.jpg "Navy-at-Temple-(ESPN)")
The Navy Midshipmen are looking to get back on track after two tough losses knocked them out of the race for a spot in the AAC Championship Game. Navy is sitting at 5-2 and still should finish with a winning record yet again, but that might be in jeopardy if the Midshipmen lose to the Temple Owls this week. Navy’s next three games are against SMU, Notre Dame, and Houston, and there is a good chance it could lose all three.
This matchup in Week 10 of the regular season will take place on Thursday, November 2, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This game will be broadcast on ESPN.
College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Navy -8
Temple +8
Odds Analysis
Temple is just 3-5 this season and has not been able to find much offense. They are 92nd in the country in total offense and that has meant a whole spate of under games. The under has cashed in six of the Owls’ last seven games. They started the season 0-4 ATS, but have been a little better in recent weeks and have now covered three of their last four.
Navy hammered Florida Atlantic in its season opener, but every other game has been decided by 10 points or less. The defense has hurt this team’s chances in recent weeks, allowing 106 total points to Air Force, Memphis, and UCF. Accordingly, Navy has not covered a spread since September.
Last Meeting
These teams met last year in the AAC Championship Game and Temple emerged victorious thanks to a staunch defense that would not allow Navy’s triple option to get on track. The Owls raced out to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter and that lead proved insurmountable once standout quarterback Will Worth left the game with an ankle injury. Zach Abey came in to replace him, but the inexperienced Abey could not muster much out of this offense and they finished with a season low 10 points.
Since then, everything has changed. Abey is now the pitch man for the triple option and has the offense humming. Navy is averaging more rushing yards per game than any other team in the country and the Midshipmen haven’t scored less than 21 points all season.
Meanwhile, Temple has been unable to find its footing without Matt Rhule to lead the way. The Owls are still searching for an identity on both offense and defense.
Key Stat
Under Rhule, the goal for Temple was to keep the ball on the ground and win with its defense. Things have not been the same under Geoff Collins. The Owls have one of the worst running games in the nation in terms of total numbers and things are even worse when you look at effectiveness. They are averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season and couldn’t even run the ball well on East Carolina’s poor defense.
The Owls struggled to move the ball through the air until their last two games, but the defenses they played had something to do with it. Logan Marchi had a 300-yard passing day against the worst defense in the country when Temple shredded East Carolina two weeks ago, and Frank Nutile played very well last week against Army. Nutile got the start instead of Marchi last week because Marchi had a lower-body injury and it’s unclear who will start this week.
Free ATS Pick
On paper, Navy has a bad defense, but this team has also played a much tougher schedule than Temple has. The Midshipmen have had to face some very good offenses and it’s not surprising to see their total numbers reflect that. I expect the defense to come up big in this one as Navy gains bowl eligibility in a blowout win.
College Football Odds: Navy 38, Temple 17
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
