Temple vs. Bucknell: Predicting the Owls’ season opener

Temple is coming off an 8-5 season, while Bucknell was 1-10 last year.

Anthony Russo hands the ball off to running back Jager Gardner.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer

Published Aug. 30, 2019, 2:56 p.m. ET

Let’s not overthink this too much. Bucknell has never beaten a Football Bowl Subdivision team. The Bison are coming off a 1-10 record and were picked to finish seventh and last in the Patriot League. We know Temple lost to a Football Championship Subdivision team last year, 19-17 in the opener to Villanova. Yet, Villanova, despite a couple of injury-plagued seasons, is usually a contender for an FCS playoff spot. That loss to Villanova should have Temple on its toes, and the team this week didn’t seem to be overconfident.

Bucknell will have a lot of enthusiasm under new coach Dave Cecchini, but this is a game in which the Owls should put the Bison away by halftime. Temple has a bye next week, so this could be a time to clear the bench and get many players plenty of reps.

We could examine the offense vs. the defense and vice versa, but Temple is a 40½-point favorite for a reason, according to Vegasinsider.com. Keep it simple.

Prediction: Temple 46, Bucknell 9