A two-game slate on Friday brings with it our Tulsa vs. Temple prediction and full college football betting preview. With strength vs. strength expected to take place, recency bias leans heavily towards Tulsa in a pivotal AAC showdown. Temple’s defense — at one point — was a leading unit. After giving up 70 points to UCF, however, Tulsa’s offense could have a field day.
Tulsa vs. Temple Betting Preview
- Spread
Tulsa (-13) - Moneyline
Tulsa (-500); Temple (+400) - Over/Under
52.5 points - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA - Predicted weather at kickoff
57 degrees, clear, 4-5 mph winds - How to watch
FuboTV, CBSSN
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
- QB Davis Brin, Tulsa ($10,200)
- QB Braylon Braxton, Tulsa ($8,000)
- QB E.J. Warner, Temple ($7,200)
- QB Quincy Patterson, Temple ($6,000)
- RB Steven Anderson, Tulsa ($7,500)
- RB Deneric Prince, Tulsa ($7,000)
- RB Edward Saydee, Temple ($6,200)
- RB Darvon Hubbard, Temple ($5,600)
- RB Bill Jackson, Tulsa ($5,300)
- RB Jakari Norwood, Temple ($4,900)
- WR Keylon Stokes, Tulsa ($10,000)
- WR JuanCarlos Santana, Tulsa ($8,400)
- WR Jose Barbon, Temple ($7,400)
- WR Adonicas Sanders, Temple ($7,000)
- WR Isaiah Epps, Tulsa ($6,900)
- WR Malachai Jones, Tulsa ($6,000)
- WR Ian Stewart, Temple ($5,500)
- WR Amad Anderson Jr., Temple ($5,100)
- TE Jordan Smith, Temple ($5,000)
- TE Colby Powers, Tulsa ($4,500)
Like their last midweek game, Temple’s players are to be avoided in DFS picks. Especially because Western Kentucky and UAB’s offense is playing simultaneously, you have several options that are better than Temple.
If you were to pick up a Temple player, you could absolutely grab E.J. Warner, the son of NFL Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner. He’s played well, all things considered, throwing for six touchdowns in just four starts and a game in relief.
However, Warner has also thrown six interceptions, three against a great Memphis secondary, as he’s still slowly learning to see the field and adjust the speed of college defenses. He’s an option if you find a single-game ticket for this contest.
MORE: Early College Football Picks and Predictions for Week 8
The main focus on the DFS slate for Friday night is picking which Tulsa players you can afford. Davis Brin is a must-start option, while Keylon Stokes is third in the country with 765 receiving yards. Footing the bill for both of those will put you back and force you to find some deep sleepers or at least one off-the-wall player that could produce.
Adonicas Sanders is that player that — if you can afford him — you stash and hope for the best. Sanders is clearly one of two of Warner’s favorite targets and comes with a slightly lower cost than Jose Barbon.
Sanders is also the better receiver in converting targets to receptions and is certainly due a big outing against a Tulsa secondary that has had its woes at times this year.
Watch out for Ian Stewart in your lineup, as he’s reportedly battling a foot injury that could keep him limited for the rest of the season.
Prediction for Tulsa vs. Temple
It has to be said, Temple’s defense certainly had produced very well this season. That was, of course, before they played UCF last week. The Knights had their way with the Owls and it was John Rhys Plumlee who accounted for seven touchdowns himself.
Davis Brin doesn’t quite have the legs that Plumlee has, but they still run a very good RPO-based offense.
Passing offense:
Tulsa — 327.8 yards per game (11th nationally, second AAC)
Temple — 204.8 (106th, ninth)
Passing defense:
Tulsa — 159.5 yards allowed per game (sixth, first)
Temple — 196.3 (29th, fourth)
Rushing offense:
Tulsa — 109.2 yards per game (113th, 10th)
Temple — 79.7 (128th, 11th)
Rushing defense:
Tulsa — 239.7 yards allowed per game (128th, 11th)
Temple — 160.0 (86th, eighth)
Tulsa’s aerial assault is one of the top passing attacks in the country. And prior to last week, Temple also had a top-ranked pass defense.
With the way Plumlee was able to dice up Temple’s defense, there’s no reason Brin and the Golden Hurricane shouldn’t be able to do the same. UCF’s offense is a bit more tricky to solve than Tulsa’s, but the RPO-based concepts certainly represent a large similarity.
Tulsa will be able to stretch the field vertically and horizontally, so it’s a matter of what their defense can do to limit Temple on offense.
Fortunately for Golden Hurricane fans, the biggest weakness on Tulsa’s roster this year has been their inability to make tackles in run defense. They’ve missed too many tackles to strike fear into any opposing rushing attack, yet Temple’s offensive ground game may be even more uninspiring.
It’s not just based on statistical outputs and is rather justified by watching these units in action. But the summation of all parts is the fact that Temple can’t move the ball, and Tulsa can’t stop the ball on the ground. Which unit breaks first in this one likely won’t have much to do with the game’s outcome, however.
Tulsa throws it all over the field and Brin lights up the stat sheet. Golden Hurricane by a mile.
Prediction: Tulsa 42, Temple 13