Matchup: Temple (-3.5) vs. Duke
Location: Joe Aillet Stadium- Ruston, LA (Shreveport)
Date and Time: 1:30 ET on ESPN
All-Time Series: First Meeting in History
The 2018 season has a tale of two different outlooks for these programs. The Temple Owls have had a a rather successful season. This could have easily been a 10-win team, if it weren’t for an ugly loss to FCS squad Villanova and a close loss to the undefeated UCF Knights. It is this loss in Orlando that many remember Temple for, as they were one of the few teams that genuinely gave UCF a scare. The Owls led for a majority of this game, but lost 52-40 due to a late comeback by McKenzie Milton and crew. Their only other losses came at the hands of Buffalo and Boston College, two teams who experienced immense success this season as compared to the recent past.
Inversely, the Duke Blue Devils’ season can be viewed as one of disappointment. Coming out of the gates with a hot 4-0 start, the Devs peaked at 22nd in the AP Poll, their first appearance in this poll since 2014. However, things went downhill following a 31-14 loss at home on national television against a Virginia Tech team who had just lost at Old Dominion. The Blue Devils would later suffer losses at Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Clemson. Going into senior day, Duke looked to defeat rival Wake Forest for their eighth win on the year. This quickly went out the window, however, as the Demon Deacons proceeded to route Duke by a score of 59-7. This program certainly had high hopes throughout the year, but ultimately failed to capitalize on what was a weak year for the ACC Coastal Division.
What to Watch:
Temple: For the Owls, running back Ryquell Armstead will be vital to the team’s success. Temple will need to establish their ground game early on to beat Duke’s defense, led by stud linebacker Joe Giles-Harris. The Owls will look to tear apart this defense by hitting his favorite target Ventell Bryant, who leads the team in receiving yards.
Duke: The success of Duke’s offense hinges of the production of star quarterback Daniel Jones. The redshirt junior from Charlotte is a top five NFL Draft prospect at the QB position. Jones struggled through the air in the blowout loss to Wake Forest, going 17 for 36 with one touchdown. He will be looking for receivers T.J. Rahming and Johnathan Lloyd downfield to produce big time receptions which have aided this team all season long. Jones is a fantastic passer, but has also emerged as a threat running the ball, which is often unexpected considering his 6 foot 5 inch frame. He ran for 186 yards in a win against North Carolina, with two 50+ bursts. If Temple’s defense can shut down Jones like Wake Forest did, the Blue Devils will be in serious trouble.
The Verdict:
My Prediction: Duke def. Temple 31-27
Ultimately, I believe that Daniel Jones will be on his A-game against Temple, as this could very well be his last game in a Duke uniform. This game will most likely be a close, exciting battle, but with passing efficiency comes a Duke victory. One thing is for sure: you will not want to miss this matchup.
Images via:
247 Sports: OwlsDaily
https://247sports.com/college/temple/Article/Ryquell-Armsteads-2018-season-has-taken-on-a-new-purpose-122772240/
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2018/10/23/pitt-duke-football-daniel-jones-pittsburgh-panthers-pat-narduzzi-defense/stories/201810230153
