Temple Owls 2018 Football Schedule Released

It’s hard to gauge where a program stands when a new coach takes over and there is a significant roster overhaul. After the Temple Owls lost Matt Rhule, Phillip Walker and Haason Reddick, plus a recruiting class that was one of the worst in the nation, many felt a significant downfall was on the horizon.

The first year under Geoff Collins got off to a rocky start, but the Owls closed out the season winning four of their last five, including a bowl win over Florida International. The winning culture has stuck with Temple as the outgoing senior class set a school record for wins.

Now, we await and see what is in store for year two under Collins.

The 2018 schedule features opponents the Owls have plenty of history with. In addition to their usual American Athletic Conference play, Temple will square off against two previous conference opponents, as well as another meeting for Philadelphia Mayor’s Cup. Here is a short breakdown of Temple’s 2018 schedule:

Sept. 1 vs. Villanova Wildcats

Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

The Owls will kick off the regular season with another battle for the Philadelphia Mayor’s Cup against crosstown rival Villanova. Temple escaped with a narrow victory this past season to even the all-time series at 16-16-2. This should be a tuneup for Collins’ bunch before heading into action against their FBS foes, but last season’s scare should be a reminder to not take this game lightly.

Sept. 8 vs. Buffalo Bulls

Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

The second game of the 2018 season brings an old Mid-American Conference opponent back to the Linc. Temple fans will never forget the Hail Mary pass that gave Buffalo a 30-28 win in 2008, but the Owls have won three straight since by a combined score of 100-13. This should be another blowout for the Cherry and White before stepping up a notch in competition in the upcoming weeks.

Sept. 15 at Maryland Terrapins

Location: Maryland Stadium, College Park, MD

For two schools located approximately 150 miles from one another, it’s rather surprising that they have only eight meetings between them. The Terps own a 7-1 record, with the Owls lone victory coming in 2011. Maryland is a program looking to compete in a tough Big Ten Conference so this will be a good matchup for Collins to gauge where his team stacks up against another a program.

Sept. 20 vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

It will be a short turnaround for Coach Collins and the Owls as their first AAC game will be nationally televised on ESPN. It’s the first of two winnable home conference games to kick off AAC play, before the schedule gets a lot tougher in November.

Sept. 29 vs. Boston College Eagles

Location: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, MA

These two teams have battled one another since the 1937 season and spent several years together in the Big East Conference before Temple was essentially booted from the league. The Eagles hold a 28-7-2 all-time advantage over the Owls, with their last win against BC coming in 1999. Former Temple head coach Steve Addazio left Philly for Boston College, which is sure to be a storyline heading into this matchup considering the Owls success since his departure compared to the lack thereof from the Eagles.

Oct. 6 vs. East Carolina Pirates

Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

The second conference game of the season brings in a Pirates team that could be one of the worst in the nation. A 2-0 start is a must as the rest of AAC play gets much tougher from here on out.

Oct. 13 at Navy Midshipmen

Location: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD

Navy is one of those teams that’s impossible to gauge every season because of the triple option. They looked more explosive once they made the switch to Malcolm Perry at quarterback and always play teams well. This should be a good test for the Owls at the midway point of the season.

Oct. 20 vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

Temple went into Nippert Stadium last season in a must win game to keep their postseason hopes alive and for the job done. With this game being played in Philly, it is possible the Owls get through this game unscathed in conference play. But from here on out, they will be battle tested.

Nov. 1 at UCF Knights

Location: Spectrum Stadium, Orlando, FL

The first of three consecutive heavyweight games for Temple is a road matchup against the defending national champions. Temple jumped out to an early lead last season before the UCF turned it on in the second quarter and blew the game open. The Knights should be even better this year.

Nov. 10 at Houston Cougars

Location: TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX

Another tough matchup for the Owls as Houston is 6-0 all time against Temple and many expect Major Applewhite‘s team to improve in his second season as head coach.

Nov. 17 vs. South Florida Bulls

Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

USF gave the Owls their worst result of the 2017 season in the 43-7 drubbing in South Florida, but there is reason for hope in 2018. No one knows what to expect from USF this season without Quinton Flowers and it will be Senior Day in South Philly.

Nov. 24 at UConn Huskies

Location: Rentschler Field, East Hartford, CT

The last regular season game will be played on the road and could determine whether the Owls are in position for a bowl game.

Dec. 1 AAC Championship Game

Location: Hosted by team with best conference record

The game everyone in the conference is playing for. It’s tough to imagine the Owls making a run at the conference title with UCF returning much of their talent and the tough stretch of games in November.

We will go more in depth into each game as the season approaches. How many games do you think the Owls will win this season? Let’s us know!