NCAAF: TUESDAY NIGHT WAGERING
This was supposed to be an improved season for Temple with 22 starters back, but three close losses and an injury to quarterback Adam DiMichele have hurt their chances.
Temple (2-5) will try to turn it around tonight when they host Ohio as three-point favorites at Sportsbook.com. The Total is 42.5 points. ESPN2 will broadcast the game starting at 8 pm ET.
For college football bettors, the Owls might still be losing, but who gives a hoot since they have covered five of seven games overall.
Ever since DiMichele went down with a shoulder injury last month, Coach AL Golden has been projecting he could get back onto the field for this game. DiMichele accompanied the team on the last two road trips and was on the sidelines in uniform trying to help his team any way he could.
“It’s going to be close,” Golden said. “He’s going to need every day … we’re very fortunate that he’ll have an opportunity (to play tonight) but it’s going to be close.”
Backup quarterback Chester Stewart has done a workmanlike job filling in for
DiMichele, but he lacks his intangibles as the true leader of the team and the main cog in the offense.
The Owls have struggled offensively and are near the bottom of the key offensive categories, ranking 100th in passing, 108th in rushing, 115th in total offense and 110th in scoring.
Expectations were not high for Ohio coming into the season and they have matched them with a 2-5 record. The good news is they are also above .500 ATS at 4-2.
When the season began, Ohio was faced with playing six of its first eight games on the road. They knew if they could somehow stay in contention in the MAC East Division through that stretch, then a beneficial final month could nudge them to the top.
With a win tonight, the Bobcats are tied with Akron for first place and play the next three games at home against teams in their division.
“Everything is still out there in front of us,” said senior defensive tackle Jameson Hartke. “We can still do this.”
Ohio will have to step up their play however, being 2-9-1 ATSin the last game of a road trip of two contests.
