UConn beats Temple 34-20
UConn beat Temple 34-20. Share this game
We had Temple favored. UConn won.
Next: UConn vs Massachusetts, Fri Oct 23 · 7:00 PM ET · UConn favored by 14.5
How it swung
The turning point: Sheppard 79-yd TD pass to Bermudez, ties it 7-7 (Q1, 12:28). UConn went from 64% to 35% to win.
Before kickoff, our ratings gave UConn a 33% chance, and the closing betting line (UConn was a 3.5-point underdog) put it at 39%.
UConn won by 14, after dipping to 27% in the second quarter.
Up to 73% in the second quarter, then Temple lost it.
Temple · Q1 12:28
UConn 34-20 TempleUConn wonMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.Temple 20-34 UConnTemple lostMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.The four plays that swung it
- 1Q1 12:43Osborne 12-yd TD run, UConn goes ahead 7-0UConn 44% → 64% (+20)
- 2Q1 12:28Sheppard 79-yd TD pass to Bermudez, ties it 7-7UConn 64% → 35% (−29)
- 3Q2 5:55Cornist 1-yd TD run, UConn goes ahead 21-17UConn 35% → 55% (+20)
- 4Q4 7:52Bowers 8-yd TD run, UConn leads 31-20UConn 69% → 93% (+24)
The four plays that swung it
- 1Q1 12:43Osborne 12-yd TD run, UConn goes ahead 7-0Temple 56% → 36% (−20)
- 2Q1 12:28Sheppard 79-yd TD pass to Bermudez, ties it 7-7Temple 36% → 65% (+29)
- 3Q2 5:55Cornist 1-yd TD run, UConn goes ahead 21-17Temple 65% → 45% (−20)
- 4Q4 7:52Bowers 8-yd TD run, UConn leads 31-20Temple 31% → 7% (−24)
How to read this chart
Starts from the pregame line (Temple -3.5), at 32% for UConn (the play-by-play feed's kickoff number, moved to match the line; our model's and the betting line's own numbers are in “The betting line, and the fans”). Dots are the biggest swings; ticks under the chart are scores. Outlined diamonds mark rare plays.Every drive
UConn scored on 6 of its 10 drives; Temple on 4 of its 10.
UConn’s drives are teal, Temple’s amber. A line runs from where a drive started to where it ended; a filled dot means it scored.
From Temple’s side
Temple’s best moment: Sheppard 79-yd TD pass to Bermudez, ties it 7-7 (Q1 12:28). It lifted Temple’s win chance by 29 points.
“Looking like a football team last few minutes”
When fans got loud
Roaring
Fans were loudest early, in the first quarter.
The jump was roaring; the crowd was quiet.
Too close to call on 60% of plays.
Box score
UConn 34, Temple 20
UConn covered +3.5 by 17.5. The total, 54, stayed under 55.5.
| Team totals | UConn | Temple |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 505 | 437 |
| Passing | 17 of 24, 257 yds | 20 of 26, 289 yds |
| Rushing | 39 for 248 yds | 34 for 148 yds |
| First downs | 23 | 21 |
| Third down | 5 of 12 | 5 of 12 |
| Fourth down | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 8 for 65 yds | 4 for 29 yds |
| Time of possession | 28:58 | 31:02 |
UConn leaders
- Passing Kalieb Osborne 17 of 23, 257 yds
- Rushing Trey Cornist 7 for 114 yds, 1 TD; Cyncir Bowers 18 for 84 yds, 1 TD
- Receiving Ryder Treadway 3 for 63 yds; Shamar Porter 2 for 39 yds
Temple leaders
- Passing Ajani Sheppard 19 of 25, 260 yds, 1 TD
- Rushing Keveun Mason 13 for 88 yds; Ajani Sheppard 12 for 27 yds
- Receiving Jovanni Bermudez 2 for 96 yds, 1 TD; Peter Clarke 5 for 88 yds, 1 TD
No rain and calm
74° at kickoff · 0.00 to 0.5 in of rain at two airports · wind 7 mph from the southeast, gusts to 14
October game-day temperatures at Lincoln Financial Field
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Where this weather comes from
Measured at Philadelphia International airport, 3.7 miles away, and Philadelphia Ne airport, 15 miles away. Wind and rain are airport readings near the stadium, not on the field. Game times come from the play-by-play, good to a minute or two. Source: National Weather Service, through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Field direction from OpenStreetMap contributors.Before kickoff
Recent games, the series and the betting line below are as they stood going in; the season profile is the season so far.
Recent games
Last three games
UConn · 2-3
Rated 128th in our preseason ratings, 108th now, up 20 spots.
1-2 in its last three — but nothing on this résumé beats a top-40 team yet.
Last three games
Temple · 2-3
Rated 90th in our preseason ratings, 81st now.
1-2 in its last three, capped by a 4-point win over South Florida as a 5.5-point underdog.
Week by week
Temple
- Wk 1Wvs Rhode Island38-14
- Wk 2Lvs Penn State9-27
- Wk 3Lat Toledo48-49
- Wk 4Lvs Army17-21
- Wk 5Wat South Florida17-13
UConn
- Wk 1Wvs Lafayette56-7
- Wk 2Lvs Maryland14-38
- Wk 3Wat Southern Miss48-20
- Wk 4Lat Miami (OH)21-24
- Wk 5Lvs Syracuse41-42
Power rating by week
Temple is rated 2.1 points ahead as of week 5. Our power rating by week; higher is better.
Matchups
Biggest mismatch: UConn’s EPA/play against Temple, 56 points
Each row ranks the two sides among all teams. The longer the line, the bigger the mismatch.
UConn’s EPA/play against Temple’s defense
UConn offense, 70th percentile · Temple defense, 14th
UConn’s passing EPA against Temple’s defense
UConn offense, 69th percentile · Temple defense, 16th
UConn’s explosive plays against Temple’s defense
UConn offense, 91st percentile · Temple defense, 64th
Season profile, all the rows
Season profile
The series
Temple leads the series 10-6
16 meetings since 1971 · UConn won the last meeting
- 2024UConn 29-20
- 2019Temple 49-17
- 2018Temple 57-7
- 2017UConn 28-24
- 2016Temple 21-0
Each line is Temple’s chance to win through that meeting. Temple is 0-2 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter. Older meetings have no play by play, so no line.
Line, fans and home field
The betting line, and the fans
UConn fans are in a better mood than Temple fans (42nd vs 17th among FBS fanbases), even with Temple favored.
Temple favored by 3.5 · Total 55.5
How games like this usually go
Temple by 3.5, on the usual path until 9:22 left in the fourth
Half of games8 in 10 gamesThis game
The band is where a favorite’s chance ran in the 377 games since 2025 with a favorite of 3.5 to 7.5 points.
The market
The total rose 1 point.
Total: 54.5 → 55.5
The books’ cut: 4.3%, the margin built into the odds
Home field
Temple is worth +3.0 points (±4.6) more at home than on the road since 2018 — bottom third of FBS, 29th percentile.
41% at home, 24% on the road against FBS opponents (19-27 home, 11-34 away).
Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge (why); the books use about 3. Against the closing line this stadium reads +3.1 at home vs. away over 98 games — inside the ±6.3 noise, so the flat number is the honest one here.
The visitors travel about 185 miles to get here.