Another year, another bowl game for the Owls of Temple. Well, not really, as this affair marks just their 3rd bowl game in their 111-year gridiron history, with their last such reward coming in the '79 Garden State Bowl (28-17 win over Cal, as 1-pt dogs), whose existence lasted just 4 years ('78 thru '81). Their only other holiday shot came in the '34 Sugar Bowl (20-14 loss to Tulane). So a rarity indeed for Temple. The Owls were most assuredly a collegiate football doormat for the greater part of the past half century. They had their moments under Wayne Hardin, who posted an 80-53-2 log from '70-'82, but just three winning seasons since his departure, with 18 consecutive losing campaigns (40-163) before this year's splendid 9-3 log, in Golden's 4th year at the helm. From 1-11, to 4-8, to 5-7, to 9-3, he has done it all right. So much so, that he was a finalist for the UCLA job in '07. The Owls are led by Pierce, who had a 4-game stretch, in which he posted 748 RYs. As a mater of fact, Temple ran for >210 yds in each of its last 6 games, including 274 in its upset of Navy. Defensively, only 3 foes, including Navy & PennSt ran for more than 112 yds. The Bruins of UCLA almost sat out the bowl season for the 2nd consecutive year, after 6 straight such appearances. However, Army's loss to Navy opened this door. As can be seen above, UCLA is hardly an overland power, ranking 98th in that column, topping 167 RYs just once, vs WashSt's 117th ranked run "D". And with QBs Prince & Craft a combined 56.6% & 8/10, they aren't an aerial giant. A decent "D", but note the Owls topping 23 pts 14 of their last 16 games. Temple is also on a 9-3 ATS run, & +1821⁄2 pts ATS in last 32 outings. PROPHECY: TEMPLE 27 - Ucla 24 RATING: 5
These 2 seemingly permanent bowl entrants meet for the first time since 1989. As far as the Badgers of Wisconsin, who are enjoying their 8th straight bowl season (13th in last 14 years), the memory of that contest 20 years ago, isn't too pleasant, a 51-3 loss, at Madison. But it must be noted that those were the pre-Barry Alvarez days at Wisconsin, with the Badgers a combined 4-29 from '88 thru '90. And, by the way, the Hurricanes of Miami went 11-1 that season, finishing as the #1 team in the nation. Thus, no barometer, altho it does make for interesting history. A year ago, Wisconsin also played in this bowl game, & was thoroughly drubbed by Florida St, 42-13, which returned 2 of Badgers' 3 fumbles 75 & 51 yds for TDs. That marked Wisky's 2nd straight bowl loss (by 4 pts to Tennessee in the '07 Outback), after upsetting Auburn & Arkansas the previous 2 years. Those losses were near duplicates, as the Badgers doubled the Sems' & Vols' overland production, only to be killed by the pass: combined 641-287 yd deficit. This year, Wisconsin is again a rushing power, with Clay (1,394 yds, 16 TDs), the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year, but QB Tolzien is also a force (64%, 2,445 yds, 16/10). Miami has reached 200 RYs just twice vs lined foes (altho Cooper & Berry motor at 5.2 & 6.6 ypr), but QB Harris has been simply magnificent at times, such as his 386-yd showing in the 'Canes' opening week upset of FloridaSt. He finished with 3,164 PYs (60%), & 23/17. Defensively, UW & UM rank 18th & 20th, respectively. Badgers averaged 39 ppg in their last 5 games of the season, & the dog has covered 11 of Miami's last 16 contests. Have to see a high scoring contest, with FG spot worth shot. PROPHECY: WISCONSIN 38 - Miami-Florida 36 RATING: 6
Pointwise Newsletter 12/29
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