Temple Owls

Temple entered 2026 with K.C. Keeler in his second season and a quarterback competition that was still open in the spring. Penn State transfer Jaxon Smolik took the first snaps, but after a 59-yard, one-interception outing against the Nittany Lions he was replaced by Washington State transfer Ajani Sheppard, who has since taken over. Sheppard's first start came against Army, where he threw for 243 yards and two scores, and he has since produced a 260-yard passing day against UConn. The offense has shown real big-play ability, scoring 38 on Rhode Island, 48 at Toledo, and 20 against UConn, with Sheppard connecting on long touchdowns to JoJo Bermudez (79 yards) and Colin Chase (67 yards). Tyler Walker's unit is no longer the stalled group that ended 2025 on a four-game losing streak.

Temple's defensive front was a major question mark in the preseason after allowing 197.3 rushing yards per game in 2025, and those concerns have been validated. The Owls have surrendered 27 points to Penn State, 49 to Toledo, 21 to Army's triple-option, and 34 to UConn. Against UConn, the Huskies rushed for four touchdowns, including a 51-yard burst by Trey Cornist that set up a score. Army piled up 281 yards on the ground. The linebacker corps, led by Curly Ordonez and Eric Stuart, was expected to be a strength, but Ordonez is still working back from offseason surgery, and the rebuilt defensive line has not held up on early downs. Until the Owls can stop the run, they will struggle to get off the field and will keep opposing offenses in games.

Punter Dante Atton returns as a field-position weapon, and kicker Carl Hardin has been reliable on field goals and PATs, though his 52-yard attempt against Penn State was partially blocked. JoJo Bermudez remains a dangerous punt returner, and the return game could swing a close contest. In a season where Temple has played several one-score games, these hidden yards matter. The Owls have also benefited from a favorable travel schedule: their first two games were at home with zero travel, and they have only made two road trips (459 miles to Toledo and 923 miles to South Florida). That situational edge has helped them stay competitive and cover spreads.

The Owls are 2-4, but four of their losses have been by margins of 18, 1, 4, and 14 points. They led Toledo 42-28 with 6:40 left before allowing two late touchdowns and an onside kick recovery, eventually losing in overtime. Against Army, they held a 17-14 lead with 7:38 remaining but could not stop a 12-play, 72-yard drive. Against UConn, they led 17-14 in the second quarter but were outscored 20-3 the rest of the way. This pattern of letting leads slip away is a major reason they sit below .500. The offense has shown it can score, but the defense has not been able to make stops when it matters most.

Temple's next game is at home against Charlotte, which is 0-6 with a power rating of -28.21. The Owls are 21.5-point favorites, and the prediction market gives them a 93 percent win probability. After that, the schedule remains manageable, and Temple has already shown it can compete with teams like South Florida, which it beat 17-13 on the road. With Sheppard settled at quarterback and the offense finding its rhythm, the Owls have a real opportunity to string together wins and push for their first winning season since 2019. The key will be whether the run defense can improve enough to protect leads and close out games.