Temple Owls vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Gambling Predictions & Week 1 Preview

Temple vs Notre Dame NCAA Football Spread/Handicapping

The Temple Owls will open at Notre Dame on national TV on August 31, hoping to take the new Midwest-dominated American Athletic Conference by storm.

Temple (0-0) vs. Notre Dame (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013
Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
Venue:  Notre Dame Stadium
City: South Bend
O/U Odds: 52 1/2  
Spread: Norte Dame -30
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With a new athletic director, head coach and offense, the Owls will try to improve upon a 4-7 finish last season.

New head coach Matt Rhule will bring a new, more balanced offense to Temple this year, but it’s the Owls’ defense that they will be tested early on against the Irish in South Bend.

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Defensively, the Owls were pretty bad last season, ranking 90th overall out of 120 teams and 100th against the run, giving up 199.82 yards a game.

Nevertheless, the Owls have some ingredients to manufacture a solid defensive effort, starting with Tyler Matakevich, who heads a decent linebacking corps that includes Blaze Caponegro.

Temples defensive line is not too shabby either, anchored by 300-pound senior nose tackle Levi Brown.

But perhaps the bigger area of concern for the Owls be against the pass, a sore spot for the team after it ranked 115th in defense pass efficiency in 2012, allowing opponents to complete almost 60 percent of their passes while coming up with just four interceptions.

And this year doesn’t look any better as the team will likely have one of two freshmen starting at strong safety, going up against a Fighting Irish team that finished last season with a 12-1 record, before being blown out by Alabama in the BCS National Championship game, 42-14. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

However, Notre Dame will look to return to the big dance, with the help of quarterback Tommy Rees, who did a solid job last season stepping in for injured starting quarterback Everett Golson who is gone for at least a season after being suspended for academic reasons.

And while Rees and four-year starter T.J. Jones keep the Owls ‘ young secondary busy, Notre Dame’s rushing game will get a big push from its massive offensive line, which is led by returning left tackle Zack Martin, left guard Chris Watt and right tackle Christian Lombard.

The trio should have no problem clearing the way for the Irish’s three-pronged ground attack led by junior George Atkinson III, especially since Owl’s All-American linebacker Manti Te’o has departed for the NFL.

Matt’s free prediction:

The Owls are huge underdogs in this one, and their offense will be under heavy scrutiny opening at Notre Dame, especially young quarterback Connor Reilly.

Temple is 1-5 ATS in its last six games, while Notre Dame is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games and 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home.

With that, there’s just no way that Reilly’s first collegiate start will be a win in front of Touchdown Jesus and 80,000 Irish fans.

Take Notre Dame minus the spread.

Notre Dame 55 – Temple 16