2021 Opponent Preview: Temple

It’s a meeting between two old Big East foes. Boston College is making the trip to Lincoln Financial Field for the first time since 2004 Saturday to face a Temple team still looking to find its identity after a turbulent 2020 season.

Last year, the Owls were ravaged by COVID-19 and injuries. This time around, BC is missing a handful of players of its own, notably starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who suffered a season-threatening hand injury last week at UMass.

BC is a two-touchdown favorite yet has a lot to prove in Philly.

When is BC playing?

Saturday, Sept. 18, 12 p.m.

Where is BC playing?

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

How to watch?

This game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Series History

BC leads the all-time series, 29-7-2, and has won the last six meetings between the programs. Saturday’s game is the back half of a home-and-home series that began in 2018 when Temple traveled to Alumni Stadium. It was a roller coaster afternoon for the Eagles, who emerged victorious, 45-35, but lost running back AJ Dillon to an ankle injury that limited him throughout that season. Quarterback Anthony Brown caught a touchdown on a version of the “Philly Special” and threw two others. Temple actually staked itself to a 21-13 lead in the second quarter, but an Anthony Russo interception jumpstarted an 18-0 Eagles run. BC took a 10-point advantage into the break and never let up.

Temple’s Record: 1-1

Breaking Down the Owls:

Offense: BC had to prepare for two quarterbacks this week: Georgia transfer D’Wan Mathis and true freshman Justin Lynch. Mathis was named Temple’s starter this spring but missed the Owls’ Week 2 game versus Akron with a left foot/ankle injury. Temple head coach Rod Carey said this week that the former Bulldog is day-to-day. Mathis is 6-foot-6 and has a strong arm, however, he struggled with his accuracy against Rutgers, completing just 8-of-24 passes. Lynch, on the other hand, was on the money against Akron. The rookie was 19-of-23 for 255 yards and two touchdowns. That said, it’s important to note Akron ranked 110th in total defense last year and is 1-19 over the past three seasons.

Temple’s quarterbacks have the benefit of throwing to a pair of wide receivers who BC head coach Jeff Hafley believes will be picked in the top half of the NFL Draft. Last week, Randle Jones took a 70-yard jet sweep to the house and reeled in seven catches for a career-best 170 yards. Then there’s Jadan Blue, who led the team in practically every receiving category last year, even finishing 2020 second in the AAC in catches per game (6.8). The Owls will probably use three running backs again Saturday. Against Akron, Edward Saydee, Ra’Von Bonner and Tayvon Ruley combined for 139 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Temple’s O-Line, which also didn’t allow a sack, was a big reason why. Right tackle Michael Niese was the best of the group, as he earned Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week honors in the process.

Defense: At the moment, Temple ranks 124th nationally in scoring defense. The Owls have conceded an average of 42.5 points per game through two weeks of play, but that number is inflated by their Week 1 blowout loss to Rutgers. Temple became the first FBS team since 2008 to spot 60-plus points to Rutgers. The Akron game wasn’t pretty, either. At the start at least. Temple allowed the Zips to storm out to a 14-0 lead and score on their first three possessions. Eventually, though, the unit settled in and scored two of its own touchdowns, courtesy of a William Kwenkeu fumble return touchdown and a Manny Walker pick-six.

The Owls’ secondary will have to keep pace with BC’s deep wide receiver room. Temple’s defensive back group is led by cornerbacks Cameron Ruiz and Keyshawn Paul as well as safety Amir Taylor. Temple is allowing 168 passing yards per game and 5.33 yards per attempt this year, but that stat is a bit skewed since teams have been running all over the Owls. In fact, Rutgers and Akron combined to average 195.5 rushing yards. That puts Temple at 106th nationally in run defense, something BC will certainly try to exploit after last week’s 250-yard outing at UMass. Two of the Owls’ best run defenders are edge rushers Layton Jordan and Darian Varner, according to PFF. The tandem has teamed up for eight stops this season.

Three Storylines:

BC has significant ties to Temple.

The Eagles have three Temple transfers on their roster, two of whom will be playing Saturday: linebacker Isaiah Graham-Mobley and defensive tackle Khris Banks. Graham-Mobley is a King of Prussia native who played his first five years for the Owls before making the move to BC this offseason. Graham-Mobley piled up a team-high 11 tackles, in addition to scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery, the last time these programs met in 2018. Banks followed Graham-Mobley to Chestnut Hill after two seasons with Temple. He’s proved to be a valuable rotational D-Lineman for the Eagles this year.

Also, BC place kicker Aaron Boumerhi—who is out for the year with a recurring injury to his kicking hip—spent the first three years of his career at Temple, where he burst onto the scene as a preferred walk-on his freshman season. That year, Boumehri converted 15-of-17 field goals in seven games, en route to second-team All-AAC honors. And, of course, this section wouldn’t be complete without mentioning that second-year BC Athletic Director Pat Kraft occupied the same position at Temple before shipping up to Boston. Kraft oversaw a dominant run for Temple football, which featured five consecutive bowls, a “College GameDay” appearance and the program’s first conference championship since 1967.

Who will start at quarterback for the Owls?

It could be Lynch. It could be Mathis. Or we could see both of them. After all, Carey has employed a two-quarterback system before. Regardless of who is under center, the Owls’ signal caller will likely be BC’s biggest test so far this year.

How will Dennis Grosel look in his first start since Jurkovec’s injury?

Ah yes, the million dollar question. Grosel has started eight games in his career, but the expectations have never been greater considering that he’s a redshirt senior and the Eagles have the talent around him to still pose a legit threat in the ACC.

Line: BC (-14.5)

ESPN FPI: The database gives BC an 87.4% chance of beating the Owls.

Outlook: BC’s defense kicked off the year by not allowing a single point for six straight quarters. Then things unraveled in Amherst. The Eagles gave up three touchdowns in the third period alone, granted one of those was the byproduct of a muffed BC punt. It raised questions about an Eagles unit that’s supposed to take a big jump in the second year of the Hafley era, especially because UMass scored a total of 12 points in a four-game 2020 season. Hafley believes Temple is better than last year’s record and this year's early-season performance suggest. The Owls have the offensive firepower to test BC’s defense. That could be the matchup that tells us a lot about BC’s chances this year, not the play of Grosel. He should be fine.