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Temple football schedule released with Rutgers and Miami as the Power 5 matchups in 2023

Temple’s season opener is Sep. 2 at home against Akron. The Owls face new opponents in a conference realignment after losing Cincinnati, Houston and Central Florida to the Big 12

Temple's football schedule has been announced with the Owls opening its 2023 season at home against Akron on Sept. 2.
Temple's football schedule has been announced with the Owls opening its 2023 season at home against Akron on Sept. 2.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
    by Javon Edmonds
    Published 

The American Athletic Conference announced its 2023 football schedule on Tuesday, providing Temple with new foes in its first season of realignment after losing Cincinnati, Houston, and Central Florida to the Big 12.

Temple’s season begins Sept. 2 at home against Akron. As former conference rivals, this will be the 23rd time these two will play as the Zips look to end a six-game losing streak against the Owls.

For the third consecutive season, Temple will also play Rutgers in the nonconference portion of its season. Rutgers has won the last two meetings. Temple will also play Miami as part of a nonconference schedule that features three of the Owls’ former conference rivals.

On Sept. 16, Temple will host Football Championship Subdivision opponent Norfolk State in the first matchup between the two programs. The Spartans will be Temple’s first HBCU opponent since a 59-0 win against Delaware State in 2014.

In conference play, Temple is scheduled to play five returning members of the AAC: Tulsa, Southern Methodist, Memphis, Navy, and South Florida. The Owls lost to Tulsa, Memphis, and Navy in 2022 while defeating USF in the Bulls’ last game before firing head coach Jeff Scott.

Two of those games — against Tulsa on Sept. 28 and SMU on Oct. 20 — are scheduled for prime time.

Temple’s regular-season finale against Memphis could be flexed to Nov. 24.

Texas-San Antonio, North Texas, and Alabama-Birmingham round out Temple’s schedule as new members of the AAC, with all three being first-time matchups for the Owls. UTSA has been ranked in the AP top 25 and has won the Conference USA championship in each of the last two seasons, defeating North Texas in the 2022 title game.

Temple will play seven home games and just five away games in Stan Drayton’s second season as head coach.

2023 Temple football schedule

Times, TV to be announced

Sept. 2: vs Akron

Sept. 9: at Rutgers

Sept. 16: vs Norfolk State

Sept. 23: vs Miami

Sept. 28: at Tulsa

Oct. 7: vs. Texas-San Antonio

Oct. 14: at North Texas

Oct. 20: vs. Southern Methodist

Nov. 4: vs. Navy

Nov. 11: at South Florida

Nov. 18: at Ala.-Birmingham

Nov. 24 or 25: vs. Memphis