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Published Nov 30, 2019
Gameday preview: UConn
Graham Foley
OwlScoop.com Staff Reporter

At a Glance

UConn at Temple

Saturday, Nov. 30

3:30 p.m., Lincoln Financial Field

Television: CBS Sports Network

Radio: WNTP-AM (990)

HEAD COACHES

Temple

Rod Carey

Career record: 59-14 (8th season)

Record at Temple: 7-4 (1st season)

UConn

Randy Edsall

Career record: 102-133 (19th season)

Record at UConn: 80-99 (14th season)

Key Players

TEMPLE

QB Anthony Russo - 220-of-376 (58.6%) passing for 2,486 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Passed for 2,563 yards last season.

RB Re'Mahn Davis - Hasn’t rushed for 150 yards since Oct. 3 at ECU. 795 yards and six touchdowns on 161 carries this season.

WR Jadan Blue- Recorded more than 10 catches for at least 120 yards in three consecutive games. Redshirt-sophomore is 77 yards away from his first 1,000-yard season.

DT Ifeanyi Maijeh - Recorded nine tackes and assisted on a sack last week at Cincinnati. Redshirt sophomore has 6.5 sacks and 48 tackles this season.

LB Shaun Bradley - Leads Temple with 74 total tackles, 55 solo and seven for a loss. Playing in his last home game at Temple.

DE Quincy Roche - Needs two sacks to tie Temple single-season record. Has eight in his last three games.

UConn

QB Jack Zergiotis - Freshman completed 21 of 37 passes for 418 yards and three touchdowns in loss last week at East Carolina.

RB Kevin Mesah - Seven yards away from his second-straight 1,000 yard season. Has seven touchdowns.

WR Cameron Ross - 8 receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns last week at ECU.

DB Tyler Coyle - Recorded 19 tackles against rush-heavy Navy on Nov. 1 including two for loss. Also has two forced fumbles, an interception and 10 pass breakups.

WHEN TEMPLE IS ON OFFENSE

Temple’s offense struggled in the cold and windy conditions at Cincinnati and didn’t get on the board until the fourth quarter, squandering what was a very winnable game. Although that loss rendered today's game basically meaningless in the sense that it has no implications on a division or conference championship, Temple’s offensive starters will be on the field to finish the season against the American Athletic Conference’s worst scoring defense, allowing 39.7 points per game.

It could serve as a get-right game to get some confidence back for Anthony Russo and crew before the bowl game.

The Huskies allow 220.1 yards per game on the ground. That ranks 121st of 130 FBS teams. Re’Mahn Davis, who has 795 yards on 161 carries this season, is likely to finish an impact freshman season with another big game.

However, with senior Jager Gardner lost for the season and the game holding not a ton of significance, this could be a big game for running backs further down Temple’s depth chart. Look for action from junior Tayvon Ruley, who has carried the ball 12 times this season, as well as redshirt freshman Kyle Dobbins and true freshman Edward Saydee. Dobbins has two carries and Saydee will be looking for his first.

WHEN TEMPLE IS ON DEFENSE

UConn’s freshman quarterback Jack Zergiotis is coming off the best game of his young career in the Huskies’ close loss at ECU last week. He was 21 of 37 passing for 418 yards and three touchdowns. But Zergiotis is prone to turnovers with 11 interceptions and just eight touchdowns this season. Temple’s defensive line will be one of the best UConn has faced all season, and the Huskies have allowed 29 sacks in 11 games. Defensive end Quincy Roche is two sacks away from tying the late Adrian Robinson for the most in a single season (13 set in 2009). Against the Huskies, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him break it.

Temple will have to handle running back Kevin Mensah, who rushed for 94 yards in Temple’s 57-7 win at UConn last year. The junior is seven yards away from his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. In UConn’s loss at Cincinnati, he rushed for 115 yards on 24 carries. He had five touchdowns at UMass on Oct. 26, albeit against the FBS’ worst rushing defense. Freshman speedster Cameron Ross leads the team in receiving with 55 receptions for 696 yards and four touchdowns. Two of those touchdowns came from a 169-yard performance last week.

OWL-THER NOTES

This will be UConn’s final AAC football game and the last Temple-UConn football game for the foreseeable future. The program will become independent next year when the school joins the Big East.


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