The Temple Owls (1-1) return home on Saturday afternoon to face FCS opponent Norfolk State (1-1) at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philly. The Owls are coming off a 36-7 drubbing by regional rival Rutgers while Norfolk State is coming off a 31-23 win over Hampton Roads rival Hampton in the “Battle of the Bay.” This marks the first ever matchup between the two schools.
The Owls hope Satuday’s game against Norfolk State will serve as a tune up before next Saturday’s game against the Miami Hurricanes. The Owls are riding a three-game winning streak agaionst FCS opponents dating back to 2019. Temple’s last loss to an FCS program came on opening day 2018 against the Villanova Wildcats, 19-17, in the “Mayor’s Cup” game. The Owls are 20-10 all-time against FCS opponents. Norfolk State has never defeated an FBS opponent.
Here’s a preview of Temple vs. Norfolk State including how to watch, team stats, players to watch, and a game prediction.
How to Watch Temple vs. Norfolk State
- 🏈 Norfolk State Spartans vs. Temple Owls
- 📅 Date: September 16. 2023
- 🕛 Time: 2:30 PM/EDT
- 🏟 Where: Philadelphia, PA | Lincoln Financial Field
- ☀️ Gameday Weather: 75-degrees, sunny, 7 MPH winds (WNW), 0% chance of rain
- 📺 Telecast: ESPN+ with Bill Spaulding (PxP) and Barrett Brooks (analyst)
- 📻 Broadcast: 97,5 The Fanatic with Kevin Coop (PxP) and Paul Palmer (analyst)
- 📊 Team Records: Norfolk State (1-1)| Temple (1-1)
Temple vs. Norfolk State: Team Stats
| Temple | Norfolk State | |
| 15.5 | PTS/GM | 27.5 |
| 261.0 | Pass Yds/GM | 182.5 |
| 64.5 | Rush Yds/GM | 139.5 |
| 28.5 | Opp Pts/GM | 28.0 |
| 201.5 | Opp Pass Yds/GM | 191.0 |
| 164.0 | Opp Rush Yds/GM | 270.0 |
Tempe vs. Norfolk State: Player to Watch
- Temple QB E.J. Warner- EJ Warner will look to bounce back after an uncharacteristically poor performance last Saturday at Rutgers. The sophmore signal-caller was 20-for-47 for 230-yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions against the Scarlet Knights. The Owls will look for Warner to bounce back ahead of next weeks huge matchup against Miami.
Temple vs. Norfolk State: Who Has the Advantage
| Temple | Norfolk State | |
| ☑ | QB | |
| ☑ | RB | |
| ☑ | TE/WR | |
| ☑ | O-Line | |
| ☑ | D-Line | |
| ☑ | LB | |
| ☑ | Secondary | |
| ☑ | Special Teams |
Overall Advantage: Temple Owls
Temple vs. FCS Opponents
- This is the first ever matchup between Temple and Norfolk State.
- The Owls are 21-10 all-time against FCS (DI-AA) opponents.
- Temple has defeated FCS opponents in three-consecutive contests, Lafayette (2022), Wagner (2021), Bucknell (2019)
- Temple’s last loss to an FCS opponent came in 2018, Villanova defeated the Owls 19-17 in South Philly.
Temple vs. Norfolk State Prediction
Saturday’s game against FCS opponent Norfolk State SHOULD serve as a “get right game” for the Temple Owls. While anything can happen against a lower level opponent, the MEAC’s Norfolk State isn’t an FCS dominate team such as Delaware or Villanova. The Owls should cruise towards an easy victory.
