Temple wrestles with not just Tulane but itself in the belief that a bowl game is still in sight

It’s been a tough season for Temple football, and this Saturday might be the team’s toughest challenge of the season.

And it has nothing to do with their opponent.

The Owls (2-6, 0-3 American Athletic Conference) emerge from their second bye week of the year after a 56-34 loss to East Carolina on Oct. 26. Right now, if there is a goal to qualify for its first bowl game since 2019, Temple will need to come out as a reenergized team against Tulane (4 p.m., ESPNU) on Saturday.

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Temple quarterback Evan Simon believes his team is capable of extending its season.

“Our record doesn’t justify how we’ve played,” Simon said. “We’ve played some really good teams, and we’ve played very well against them. It’s tough knowing it’s 2-6. Obviously, you want it to be better, but you just have to keep pushing forward.”

Here are three keys to watch against Tulane (7-2, 5-0).

One of Temple’s most consistent units this season has been its defensive line. The Owls had more than four tackles for loss and two sacks in both of their wins against Utah State and Tulsa, and the defensive line held strong in close losses to UConn and Coastal Carolina.

Tulsa enters as the eighth-best scoring offense in the country and a top-five total offense in the AAC. Running back Makhi Hughes averages 142.8 yards per game and leads the Green Wave with 13 touchdowns.

The Owls will need big performances from their defensive line in both the run game and affecting quarterback Darian Mensah’s ability to get the ball to playmakers.

Temple’s defense allowed a season-high five passing touchdowns against East Carolina. The Owls’ previous season-high came against then-No. 15 Oklahoma, who scored four times through the air.

“I felt like that was one of the first times our defense didn’t execute at a high level,” said linebacker D.J. Woodbury. “We got out of sorts a little bit. There was a little confusion, but we got back to the drawing board and fixed the problems.”

Mensah averages less than 200 yards in the air, but the Owls will likely be committed to stopping the run on Saturday.

The Owls’ secondary will need to force mistakes to remain in the game. More importantly, each element of the unit will need to stay on task, which did not happen against the Pirates, Temple head coach Stan Drayton said.

“Our defense — our entire defense — has to have a really good sense of what they’re doing on offense,” Drayton said. “We have to stop the run to the best of our ability. That’s exactly what Tulane is going to do; they’re going to lean on the run.”

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Ultimately, Temple’s defense has a tough matchup this weekend. The Owls have not fared well against more balanced attacks like Oklahoma, Army, and East Carolina, and Hughes poses a big threat to the Cherry and White defense.

Temple’s offense has started to click in recent games, and the unit will need to step up against Tulane to give its defense a shot against the Green Wave.

Tulane’s defense has held opponents to about 325 yards and 20 points per game this year, which are both near the top of the AAC. The Green Wave also have 11 interceptions, 22 sacks, and seven fumble recoveries this year.

With wide receiver Dante Wright questionable with a knee injury, the Owls will need their rushing attack to take a step up and find playmakers to fill Wright’s place. However, any slowing down against the Green Wave could mean disaster in New Orleans.

A potent offense starts with Simon and radiates the rest of the unit. Fortunately for them, he believes this team can keep it a tight game against Tulane.

“I think we’re starting to click on all cylinders,” Simon said. “In some of these games, we’ve hurt ourselves, and we just have to eliminate that.”

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