Temple at East Carolina

Time: 7 PM CT, Thursday

Spread: TEM -11.5

Total: 47.5

Odds c/o 5dimes

The Temple Owls are 3-1 after defeating Georgia Tech 24-2 in Week 5. It lost 22-38 to Buffalo, but it defeated a No. 21 ranked Maryland Team already, 20-17, as well. This week Temple takes to the road where it is 0-1 this season to face East Carolina. The Owls are 11.5-point favorites over Temple, with the betting total set at 47.5 points according to NCAA football oddsmakers at 5dimes. The game will kick off at 7 PM CST Thursday night on ESPN.

TEM

Temple’s defense was outstanding in the win over Georgia Tech. The Owls held GT To 174 yards passing and 131 rushing yards, but it did not give up a single touchdown while forcing an interception from James Graham, who completed just 10 of his 24 pass attempts. Temple also forced two fumbles from UCF quarterback Tobias Oliver, which the Owls recovered both of. Meanwhile, the Owls had its own offensive struggles, but it got two touchdowns and 135 rushing yards on 29 attempts from Re’Mahn Davis, and the Owls caught nine passes for 127 yards, with Jordan Blue leading the way in both receptions (four) and yardage (66).

The Owls have thus far held opponents to just 17.3 points per game while scoring 30.5 itself, and ranking No. 67 in scoring. The Owls are No. 25 ranked in pass offense averaging 292.3 yards per game, and the rush attack has been decent enough at 141.0 yards per game (No. 89). If the Owls continue to defend as it has thus far, this team could be far better than expectations were billing it to be, and the 11.5-point spread in its favor attests to the level of respect Temple is now getting from NCAA football oddsmakers and bookmakers across the board.

EC

East Carolina is 3-2 on the season with wins over Old Dominion, William and Mary, and Garnder-Webb. It lost Weeks 1 and 3 to NC State and Navy. This week the Pirates will aim to win its third straight as it hosts Temple.

East Carolina ranks No. 111 in scoring offense with just 21.4 points per game, but its defense has kept it in things in allowing just 22.6 points per game. The Pirates rank No. 107 in passing offense at 197.4 yards per g game and rank No. 59 via the rush at 173.4 yards per game. Its top threats via the rush are running back Demetrius Mauney and its starting quarterback Colton Ahlers. Ahlers has completed 54.1 percent of his looks for 913 yards with four touchdowns, but he has also thrown five interceptions and been sacked eight times. He ranks No. 2 in rushing yardage with 186 yards on 50 carries and he leads the team in rushing touchdowns with three.

Mauney has 199 yards on 45 attempts but has yet to rush for a TD while Darius Pinnix Jr. is the No. 3 team leader in yardage at 157 yards with two touchdowns. The Pirates have scored six rushing touchdowns this season and have four receiving touchdowns.  Wide receiver Blake Proehl has caught two of those TD looks and leads the team with 283 yards on his 20 catches (also a team-high). Tight End Anthony Watley has caught just two passes but both were touchdowns

ATS TRENDS (C/o Covers):

.