Game notes
-
Time and date: Saturday, November 1 at 2:00 p.m. ET
-
Location: Lincoln Financial Field — Philadelphia, PA
-
Spread: North Texas (-5.5)
-
All-time series: East Carolina leads, 12-9
-
Last meeting: East Carolina 56, Temple 34 — October 26, 2024
-
Current streak: East Carolina, 4 (2020-24)
Setting the scene
There is one American Conference team ranked — No. 25 Memphis. There are four receiving votes on the fringe of the AP Poll — Navy, Tulane, South Florida, and North Texas. That alone is a crowded 5-team race, but the American championship chase extends beyond those five programs. East Carolina (4-3, 2-1 American) and Temple (5-3, 3-1 American) remain in the picture, each taking one narrow last-minute loss to fellow contenders — East Carolina to Tulane and Temple to Navy.
Advertisement
Either the Pirates or Owls remain in the heat of the race in Philadelphia, while the other takes a fourth loss and potentially watches its title odds vanish. It’s separation Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.
East Carolina Pirates outlook
East Carolina is coming off an extended bye week, having last played Thursday, Oct. 16 in a 41-27 win over Tulsa. That gives the Pirates 16 full days off before taking a trip up north to face Temple. The Pirates won their last matchup handily, but it was far from typical 2025 ECU fashion.
This year under defensive coordinator turned head coach Blake Harrell, East Carolina typically thrives on the defensive end, limiting opponents to six points or fewer in three of its four wins. ECU is 16th nationally in scoring defense letting up 17.1 points per game, handling opposing rushing attacks quite well. The Pirates feast in backfields by surrendering 3.4 yards per carry and racking up the third-most tackles for loss in the FBS at 8.3 per game — only trailing AP Top 25 teams Indiana and Oklahoma.
Advertisement
Outside linebacker Samuel Dankah is the leader of the pack with a team-high seven tackles for loss. Dankah and fellow outside linebacker Ryheem Craig also excel in ECU’s coverage game, sharing second-place on the team with three pass breakups apiece. The Pirates are extremely sharp and sound at tackling in the short-throw game, but Tulsa and Tulane showed this excellent defense is a bit more vulnerable over the top. ECU allowed 257 passing yards to Tulsa’s Baylor Hayes on Oct. 16 (season-high at the time) and 347 to Tulane’s Jake Retzlaff (season-high), as that facet of the defense seeks improvement.
Offensively, the Pirates rely on senior gunslinger Katin Houser to move the offense vertically. Houser registered his third 300-yard game of 2025 in his latest start, and he’s done it with vastly improved efficiency — raising his completion percentage from 60.8 to 65.7 and cutting his interceptions from 11 (across nine games with seven starts last year) to four (through seven games this year). ECU’s offense moves best when Houser is connecting on deep shots, and the Pirates aren’t afraid to unearth his downfield connection with wide receiver Anthony Smith early and often. Smith, who averages 16.4 yards per reception, produced two separate 60+ yard touchdown receptions in the Pirates’ latest matchup, consistently burning coverage to become the furthest man downfield.
ECU’s run game hadn’t been as reliable all season, but perhaps it found something sustainable in the Tulsa game. No Pirate rusher reached 60 yards through six weeks, yet London Montgomery (125) and Marlon Gunn Jr. (60) both attained that feat that night as the team registered a season-high 268. The inability to stifle the run is one of the more vulnerable traits of Temple’s defense, which could allow ECU to shift its offensive strategy toward the ground.
Temple Owls outlook
Temple is already playing for bowl eligibility, a concept which was nothing more than an afterthought in the five previous seasons. K.C. Keeler is a proven winner, as shown last season at Sam Houston, but how exactly is Temple executing differently under the third-oldest head coach in the FBS?
Advertisement
Simply put, the Owls play smart. Through eight games, Temple is tied for first in the FBS in fewest turnovers, coughing up just one fumble in the 32-31 defeat to Navy. Interceptions are a foreign concept in this Temple offense as quarterback Evan Simon boasts 21 touchdowns to zero picks in a phenomenal breakout season. The sixth-year senior is playing by far the best ball of his career, delivering completion rates above 62.0 percent in five of seven starts while racking up impressive yardage against secondaries in close games. In last week’s 38-37 overtime survival at Tulsa, Simon pitched in 267 yards and five touchdowns, and he also can threaten defenses with a hint of mobility.
Simon is surrounded by a slew of weapons which allow him to remain mistake-free. Tight end Peter Clarke is second in the conference at his position with 23 receptions and 378 receiving yards, often operating downfield as a big-play threat. Kajiya Hollawayne and JoJo Bermudez also make a dangerous combination at wide receiver, exhibiting 426 and 371 receiving yards, respectively to complete the trio of Simon’s preferred targets.
When Keeler made the northeast trek from Sam Houston to Temple, he only brought one starter with him, and that starter’s presence is paying dividends. Well-traveled running back Jay Ducker keeps the offense versatile as the fifth-leading rusher in the American, contributing 638 yards on a 5.5 average.
Still, there are flaws within this Temple team and defense is one of them. The Owls surrendered over 40 points in non-conference defeats to Oklahoma and Temple and yielded over 30 in conference matchups against Navy and Tulsa. Temple ranks 102nd at defending the run, letting up 4.9 yards per opponent rushing attempt. Marked improvement was displayed in this area last week against Tulsa, but the passing defense simultaneously took a hit.
Advertisement
The Owls strive for a good balance on a defense, and that starts with defensive line pressure. Edge rusher Cam’Ron Stewart is the team leader with 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks, and he’ll look to suffocate East Carolina’s rushing attack and make the Pirates one-dimensional through the air. Another name to watch on defense is strong safety Avery Powell, who owns 41 tackles (one off the team-lead), two fumble recoveries, and one interception in his first year after arriving from Missouri State.
Prediction
This matchup of the overlooked teams in the American Conference title race should be tightly-contested, featuring strong quarterback play from Evan Simon and Katin Houser. ECU presents more firepower and big-play potential on both sides of the ball, but the Owls are more prone to win the turnover margin which offsets some of the Pirates’ advantages.
Temple has already been in a pair of higher-scoring conference matchups decided by one point, and Saturday at The Linc could present another similar scenario. Temple’s offense will be tougher on East Carolina than most, but the Pirates outlast the Owls thanks to a clutch defensive stop from a unit which ranks top 10 nationally in red zone defense.
Advertisement
Prediction: East Carolina 31, Temple 30
