Game: Ohio Bobcats (2-5 SU/4-2 ATS) at Temple Owls (2-5 SU/5-2 ATS)
Line: Temple is set as a 4-point home favorite. The total is listed at 43.5
Hoos behind center for the Owls?
The Temple Owls had their fingers crossed that injured quarterback Adam DiMichele would be good to go against the Ohio Bobcats Tuesday. However, it seems the first stringer will be a game-time decision.
"He's not pain-free yet," head coach Al Golden told the Philadelphia Inquirer this weekend. "His velocity is increasing. His distance is improving. But I can't at this time name him the starter. We're still worried about him protecting himself.
"We'll take it up to Sunday and Monday to see where he's at. If he's ready to play, he'll start."
DiMichele has missed the last three games since suffering a shoulder injury in a 45-3 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lion September 20. He managed to throw for 614 yards and five touchdowns in the first four games before getting hurt.
Filling in for the senior is freshman backup Chester Stewart. He was dismal in his first college start, passing for just 60 yards in a snore-inducing 7-3 loss to Western Michigan September 27. Since then, Stewart is getting more comfortable taking snaps but has struggled with interceptions.
He passed for 178 yards and three touchdowns with one INT in a win over Miami-Ohio and threw for 163 yards and one score but tossed up three picks in a loss to Central Michigan last weekend.
"Chester did a lot of good things (last week)," said Golden.
"He also did some costly things. We're trying to make a jump, that's right now a year-three jump, with a quarterback who is in his first year. He's made a lot of progress, but he's not year-three. We went from a 23-year-old man to a 19-year-old kid, basically. That's hard to do during this stretch."
Life on the road
The Bobcats have been on the road so much the first half of the season that Bob Seger's “Turn the Page” is the team's unofficial fight song.
Ohio played five of its first seven contests away from home and will add No. 6 when it rolls into Philadelphia Tuesday. That grueling travel schedule has led to the Cats' 2-5 record, however, they did pick up their first road victory over the Kent State Golden Flashes last weekend.
Ohio got four field goals from struggling kicker Barrett Way to edge the Flashes 26-19 as a 1-point road favorite. The win was also the team's fourth ATS payday. The defense showed some grit on the ground after getting embarrassed by Central Michigan the week before.
Head coach Frank Solich gave his players time off between that win and Tuesday's contest. It is the final away game for the Bobcats for over a month. Solich admitted he was “a little nervous about (not conditioning)” this week but sees the break as a chance to freshen up his players road-weary legs and banged up defensive line. Ohio returns home next week and will stay in Athens for three games.
Temple D' bailing out bettors
While the Owls' offense struggles to produce scores, the defense has given backers new life by keeping contests close enough to cover the oddsmakers' numbers.
Temple has just two wins in its first seven games, but has managed to reverse that record against the spread. It has been the underdog in their last six games and suffered three of its five losses by four points or less.
Bettors can thank the Owls' tenacity in the redzone. They've held opponents to 75 percent success inside their 20 yard line and limited teams to under 20 points per game this season. They've stolen 10 fumbles and intercepted six passes, making up for the offense's careless play with the football.
Ohio, putting the 'O' in 'Ouch'
The Bobcats training room should be installing revolving doors after the long list of injuries the team has already suffered this year. The area most hit is the defense, which has numerous linemen and line backers watching from the sideline.
Ohio took another big hit, this time on offense, when freshman running back Donte Harden had season-ending surgery on his ailing shoulder. Harden led the team with 454 yards on the ground and four total touchdowns.
“It’s kind of tough luck for him,” coach Solich told reporters. “He stepped in and was playing very well.”
The Bobcats will share the ball between a trio of running backs who are also battling through injuries. Multipurpose threat Chris Garrett, who leads the team in touchdowns, is slowed by a bum ankle while sophomore running back Vince Davidson is playing with turf toe.
There is some good news on the injury front for the Cats. Leading receiver Taylor Price is expected to play Tuesday along with defensive back Julian Posey and senior linebacker Mike Brown.