New Mexico Bowl: Temple vs. Wyoming
By Ty Duffy
The bowl season begins, not so much with a bang but a moderate noise. Here is a look at the teams.
Temple [SRS: 47]
Best Wins: Miami of Ohio (84), Ball State (93)
Losses: Penn State (29), Toledo (31), Ohio (70), Bowling Green (92)
Famous Alums: Hall and Oates!
Temple is bowl eligible for the third consecutive year under new coach Steve Addazio. This year, they were invited to one. The Owls have an NFL caliber running back in junior Bernard Pierce, 1381 yards and 25 touchdowns in 10 games. They also have the nation’s third-best scoring defense.
Wyoming [SRS: 78]
Best Wins: San Diego State (60), Air Force (63)
Losses: Boise State (8), TCU (18), Nebraska (23), Utah State (67)
Famous Alum: Dick Cheney
The Cowboys had a huge turnaround after a 3-9 season last year and are lead by Brett Smith, a solid freshman dual-threat quarterback. They are fifth in the nation in turnover margin, though that was due to 24 interceptions and Temple does not pass.
Key: Run defense. Both are primarily running teams. Temple is No. 33 in yards allowed per carry. Wyoming is No. 107.
Recreational Pick: Temple (-8)
[Photo via Getty]
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