Week 10 Feature Game
#12 Louisville Cardinals (8-0, 3-0) vs. Temple Owls (3-4, 2-2)
Saturday, November 3 • Noon ET • ABC
Papa John’s Cardinals Stadium • Louisville, Kentucky
This is the first Big East Conference meeting of the two schools. Dating back to 1980, Temple holds the all-time edge in wins 3-2, but the Cardinals beat the Owls in their last game 62-0 (September 2006 at Lincoln Financial Field).
Temple surprised many by winning its first two conference games, 37-28 at home against USF and 17-14 in overtime at UConn. The Owls surprised few in dropping their next two games, 35-10 against Rutgers and 47-17 last week at Pitt. It should surprise no one that they are huge underdogs against the unbeaten Cardinals and will have their greatest test to date this season on Saturday in Louisville.
Second year head coach (and former Florida Gators offensive coordinator) Steve Addazio has Temple headed in the right direction. While the team lost many key starters during the offseason, it gained BC transfer Montel Harris, who leads the Owls in rushing with 463 yards. Quarterback Chris Coyer has contributed 870 yards and eight touchdowns through the air and 354 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Jalen Fitzpatrick leads the receivers with 291 yards (13.2-yard average). Matt Brown, a tremendous all-purpose back and return specialist, has been injured and may not play Saturday.
Louisville remains one of six undefeated teams after its second consecutive come-from-behind win, 34-31 overtime win at home against Cincinnati last Saturday. The Cardinals are led by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (2110 passing yards, 13 touchdowns), running back Senorise Perry (624 yards, 11 touchdowns) and wide receiver Damian Copeland (358 yards, one touchdown).
Like Addazio, Louisville head coach Charlie Strong was on Urban Meyer’s staff, as defensive coordinator for the Gators.
The Cardinals has been guilty throughout the season of not putting away their opponents. Though the Owls are tenacious, this should be a contest in which the Cardinals have little trouble. Look for Louisville to win convincingly.
Line: Louisville -15
Pick: Louisville 45-17
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Big East Power Rankings:
1. Louisville (8-0, 3-0) #12
2. Rutgers (7-1, 4-0)
3. Cincinnati (5-2, 1-1)
4. Syracuse (4-4, 3-1)
5. Pitt (4-4, 1-3)
6. Temple (3-4, 2-2)
7. USF (2-6, 0-4)
8. UConn (3-5, 0-3)
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Other Big East Week 10 games:
UConn at USF (-8.5)
Pitt at Notre Dame (-16.5)
Syracuse at Cincinnati (-4)
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Big East Week Nine Recap
Cincinnati 31 at Louisville 34
Temple 17 at Pitt 47
Kent State 35 at Rutgers 23
Syracuse 37 at USF 36
Conference Players of Week Nine:
Offensive: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
Defensive: Preston Brown, LB, Louisville
Special Teams: Maikon Bonani, K, USF
Pete Sonski is a contributor to College Football Zealots. Follow him on Twitter @29sonski and check out his work at Big East Coast Bias. and his Three Point Stance show every Tuesday at 9 PM on Blog Talk Radio.
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