The Akron Zips finished last season with a record of 2-10 and a record of 1-7 in the MAC Conference which led to a last-place finish in the East Division of the MAC Conference and the Zips missing a bowl game for the 5^th consecutive season. The Zips will have a new Offensive Coordinator this season with the hiring of Billy Fessler to serve as the Offensive Coordinator. Fessler most recently served as the Quarterbacks Coach for the Akron Zips last season before being promoted to Offensive Coordinator. 

This year, the Akron Zips enter the season with an over/under win total of 3.5 wins which is one of the lowest over/under win totals in college football and means the Zips are projected to miss a bowl game for the 6^th consecutive year. Based on Vegas odds the Akron Zips are projected to be the 5^th worst team in the MAC Conference as they are only projected to finish better than the Kent State Golden Flashes, Bowling Green Falcons, Western Michigan Broncos, and Ball State Cardinals.

Temple finished the 2022 college football season with a record of 3-9 and a record of 1-7 in the AAC which led to a 10^th-place finish in the AAC and the Owls missing a bowl game 3^rd consecutive season. The Temple Owls will have a new Defensive Coordinator after D.J. Eliot left to become the Linebackers Coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Stan Drayton hired Everett Withers to become the new Defensive Coordinator Everett most recently served as the Assistant Head Coach for the Temple Owls last season. 

This year, the Temple Owls enter the season with an over/under win total of 5.5 wins which means the Owls are projected to miss a bowl game for the 4^th consecutive year and based on Vegas odds are projected to be the 5^th worst team in the AAC projected to finish better than the Charlotte 49ers, South Florida Bulls, Rice Owls, and Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

BookMaker has the Temple Owls listed as 10.5-point favorites at home against the Akron Zips on Saturday afternoon in week 1 of the college football season. Temple has won six of the eight games all-time in the series and has won by an average score of 33.25 to 16.25 while going 6-2 ATS in those matchups while winning the last three games in the series and has won by an average score of 38.67 to 9 while going 3-0 ATS in those contests with the most recent game coming in 2021 which resulted in a 45-24 win for the Temple Owls and the Owls covering the spread as 6.5-point favorites. Akron finished last season with a record of 6-5-1 ATS overall, 4-3 ATS on the road, and 6-4-1 ATS as an underdog while Temple finished 8-4 ATS overall, 6-1 ATS at home, and 2-0 ATS as a favorite.

Neither team is projected to be a good team this season as Akron enters the season with an over/under win total of 3.5 games while Temple enters the year with an over/under win total of 5.5 wins. Temple has been the better team in the series, winning six of the eight games all-time including the previous six matchups in a row while going 6-2 ATS all-time and 6-0 ATS in the last six games in the series. I look for that trend to continue in this matchup which is why I am buying the .5 point and taking the Temple Owls -10 on BookMaker for this matchup on Saturday afternoon.