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Temple-Maryland prediction: Don’t count the Owls out

The Owls won as the underdog at Maryland last year and hopes to do the same this season at home.

Maryland quarterback Kasim Hill, left, getting sacked by Temple defensive tackle Michael Dogbe, center, and defensive end Jimmy Hogan during the teams' game last September.
Maryland quarterback Kasim Hill, left, getting sacked by Temple defensive tackle Michael Dogbe, center, and defensive end Jimmy Hogan during the teams' game last September.Read morePatrick Semansky

First, don’t go by the numbers, especially when assessing Maryland. They are skewed because the Terrapins opened with a 79-0 demolition of Howard.

Yet, Maryland was awfully impressive in last week’s 63-20 rout of then-No. 21 Syracuse. The Terps rushed for 354 yards and passed for another 296 in the win. It’s a Syracuse team that lost a last-minute, 27-23 decision at national-champion Clemson last year. While that was last year, Syracuse was highly regarded this year, thus its national ranking entering that game.

Las Vegas sports books was so impressive by last week’s win that Maryland enters Saturday’s noon matchup at Lincoln Financial Field as an 8-point favorite.

Temple has had a week off after an opening 56-12 dusting of Bucknell. Everything seems to go against the Owls, except that last year they were an underdog while traveling to 2-0 Maryland and ended up winning, 35-14.

Temple won’t be awed by the Terrapins’ No. 21 ranking. The key will be whether the Owls can run the ball and keep the Maryland offense off the field. Temple relishes the underdog role, and playing at home should be a boost. We will go with a hunch.

Prediction: Temple 28, Maryland 24