Who: Temple (8-4) vs. Duke (7-5)

What: Walk-On’s Independence Bowl

When: 1:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, December 27

Where: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, Louisiana

Spread: Temple -3

How to watch: ESPN, WatchESPN

For the second time in three seasons, Temple lost its head coach to a Power Five school. Former Temple Coach Geoff Collins left for Georgia Tech after the regular season, following the footsteps of his predecessor Matt Rhule, who left for Baylor after the 2016 season. But those climbs up the coaching ladder have only been possible because the Owls have been successful.

After starting the season 0-2 with losses to Villanova (FCS) and Buffalo, Temple won eight of its final 10 games, including victories at Maryland, over No. 20 Cincinnati and at Houston.

Temple has now made four straight bowl games. Rhule won 10 games in each of his final two seasons at Temple and the Owls went 8-4 in the regular season this year to propel Collins to become the head coach at an ACC school.

Now Temple Interim Head Coach Ed Foley, who previously served as the assistant head coach of the offense/special teams coordinator/tight ends coach, will try to lead the team to back-to-back bowl wins after the Owls defeated FIU in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl last season. Foley also served as the team’s interim head coach in 2016 for the Military Bowl after Rhule left for Baylor.

Led by the nation’s No. 24 defense, according to Football Outsiders’ S&P+ rankings, Temple enters the Independence Bowl as a three-point favorite over Duke, which finished sixth in the ACC Coastal.

The Blue Devils’ season started with promise as they went 4-0 in non-conference play with wins over Army, which took Oklahoma to overtime in Norman, at Big Ten West champion Northwestern and at Baylor.

But then they lost three of their first four ACC games, as well as their final two, to finish 3-5 in conference play. This is Duke’s sixth bowl game in the last seven seasons, as Coach David Cutcliffe has ushered in the most consistent era in program history in regards to bowl bids. The Blue Devils have won their last two bowl games – the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl and the 2015 Pinstripe Bowl.

This season, Football Outsiders ranks Temple at No. 34 nationally and Duke at No. 66.

The Owls are stingy against the pass, limiting opponents to 166 yards per game through the air, and they’re in the top 40 nationally in both opponent red zone conversion percentage and limiting plays of at least 10 yards. Defensive tackle Michael Dogbe is a force on the interior with seven sacks, three forced fumbles and 69 total tackles this season.

Safety Delvon Randall makes plays across the field. He’s the team’s leading tackler with 78 total tackles, plus he’s deflected six passes, intercepted three and forced two fumbles.

 

Here’s a look at some of the statistical strengths and players to watch for each team.

Duke

Offense

Third down conversion percentage: 40.9% (53rd)

Defense

Passing yards allowed per game: 197 (34th)

Players to watch

QB Daniel Jones – 2,251 passing yards, 59%, 17 TD, 7 INT

RB Deon Jackson – 806 rushing yards, 5.3 avg., 7 TD

WR T.J. Rahming – 63 receptions, 571 receiving yards, 6 TD

LB Joe Giles-Harris – 81 total tackles

Temple

Offense

Points per game: 35.6 (21st)

Passing yards per game: 255 (41st)

Defense

Points allowed per game: 24.7 (47th)

Passing yards allowed per game: 166 (7th)

Opponent red zone conversion percentage: 79% (33rd)

Limiting opponent plays from scrimmage of at least 10 yards: 157 (36th)

Players to watch

QB Anthony Russo – 2,335 passing yards, 57.9%, 13 TD, 13 INT

RB Ryquell Armstead – 1,098 rushing yards, 5.2 avg., 13 TD

WR Ventell Bryant – 47 receptions, 659 receiving yards, 3 TD

DT Michael Dogbe – 69 total tackles, seven sacks, three forced fumbles

S Delvon Randall – 78 total tackles, six passes deflected, 3 INT, two forced fumbles