Twenty-Twenty Vision for the Houston Game

wardster

Temple is going to have to hit Greg  Ward a little harder than this.

Before just about every Temple football game, I have tried to crunch the numbers, look at things from all angles, and come up with about as close to an objective opinion as I can get.

I had Temple beating Tulane, 37-9. Temple won, 49-10. I had Temple beating ECU, 24-10. Temple won, 24-14. I had Temple LOSING to Notre Dame, 21-17. Temple lost, 24-20. I had Temple beating UConn, 29-10. Temple won, 27-3. For all of the other games, nothing added up so I did not make any predictions.

For this all-important Houston game, I have crunched all the numbers, looked at things about objectively as I can, and have come away with one score and one score only and  I know it  is wrong.

Twenty-twenty, that’s right, 20-20.

I cannot get past that score.

tickets

OK, who is getting  tickets for $20?

Houston is a 7-point favorite and the teams have played six common foes. Temple has beaten those foes by exactly three more points than Houston has. Give Houston the three points for home field advantage that Vegas usually gives home teams and it is even Steven.

Unfortunately, as much as I’d like a Temple blowout, I think it enters overtime and it will probably come down to Mr. Dependable, sophomore Austin Jones, calmly lining up and hitting a field goal and giving Temple a 23-20 lead.

Will Tyler Matakevich and company hold?

I, quite frankly, do not know. I will say this:  How fitting would it be for a tipped ball to land in the hands of Matakevich in the end zone? Somebody’s got to tip the ball and I cannot for the life of me know who will.

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to me and you but I can’t make a prediction for this game in good faith. I don’t have the same strong feeling I had for ND, Tulane, ECU and UConn and I had a numb feeling for the other games.

So I guess we will all have to tune in and see if the final is 23-20 or 26-20. It should make for riveting television about 3:07 p.m. on Saturday. That’s my prediction and I’m sticking to it.

Tomorrow: Throwback Thursday

Friday: The Tyler Sweepstakes

Saturday:  The Robby Anderson Effect