Predicting Temple’s 2019 season: Matchup with Geoff Collins at Georgia Tech may not end the way the Owls want

How will the Temple Owls fare in 2019?

Marc Narducci breaks it down, game by game.

The last two Temple head coaches, Matt Rhule and Geoff Collins, had to make their debuts with the Owls at Notre Dame, so new coach Rod Carey gets a break. The Bison, who also play Villanova this year, are coming off a 1-10 season. WIN

Temple was 0-2 and turned last season around with 35-14 win at Maryland, which was quarterback Anthony Russo’s first start. Maryland (5-7) is guided by first-year coach Michael Locksley and is again expected to struggle in the Big 10 East. WIN

Carey’s Northern Illinois team beat Buffalo, 30-29, in last year’s Mid-American Conference championship game. Last year Buffalo won at Temple, 36-29, but the Bulls were hit hard by graduation and QB Tyree Jackson, who threw for 275 yards and three TDs in last year’s win, opted to bypass his final year for a chance at the NFL. WIN

Collins has admitted that this will be an emotional game, coaching against his former team. This is a winnable game for Temple against a Georgia Tech team that isn’t expected to be a factor in the ACC Coastal Division. LOSS

Led by Russo’s four touchdown passes, the Owls routed ECU, 49-6, last season. This game might be closer, but the Owls should still prevail. WIN

Memphis is a contender in the AAC West Division, but the Owls will be well-rested. Temple will have had eight full days off, plus many of the starters likely will been pulled early in the second half in an expected rout over ECU. WIN

These two haven’t met since Temple’s 45-20 home win in 2016. SMU, coming off a 5-7 season, has improved, but not enough to win in Philadelphia. WIN

UCF is the two-time defending AAC champ, but the Bulls will be without their top two quarterbacks, McKenzie Milton and Darriel Mack Jr. Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush takes over and he led the Irish to a 49-16 win over Temple to open the 2017 season. LOSS

Isaiah Wright’s 73-yard punt return keyed last year’s 27-17 home win. Winning in Tampa will be more difficult but not impossible. WIN

The Green Wave went 7-6 and earned their first bowl win in 16 years, beating Louisiana in the Cure Bowl. Limiting dangerous running back Darius Bradwell (1,134 yards rushing, 5.6 avg. 11 TDs) will be a key for the Owls. WIN

Both teams could be in contention for the AAC East by this game. Last year Temple beat the then-unbeaten Bearcats, 24-17, in overtime. Quarterback Desmond Ridder rushed for minus-2 yards on 17 carries and he will be out to redeem himself. LOSS

This will be UConn’s final AAC game and it probably won’t be pretty. Temple routed the Huskies, 57-7, last year and this one could be just as lopsided. WIN