Miami is now 3-0 and in the top 20 in the national rankings, inching closer and closer to the conversation of 'Is Miami back?' Miami's upcoming game against Temple is one of two remaining contests where Miami will be heavily favored before they face off against ranked ACC foe North Carolina.

This will be a tune-up opportunity against Temple for Miami as they continue strengthening their resume and moving up the ladder of an ever-changing and open college football landscape.

Related Links:

Miami coordinators taking aggressive approach on the road to Temple - CanesCounty

By The Numbers: Side-By-Side Comparison - Miami Vs. Temple - CanesCounty

No. 20 Miami prepares for first road game of the season against Temple - CanesCounty

Storm Tracker Podcast - At the Crib - What to watch vs. Temple - CanesCounty

When: Saturday, September 23rd

Time: 3:30 PM Eastern

Where to Watch: ESPN2/WatchESPN

Line: Miami -23.5 (-115)

Moneyline: Miami -2500

Over/Under: 47.5

- Miami is 3-0 versus the spread this season.

- Two of Miami's three games been under the total.

- Temple is 1-2 versus the spread this season.

- All three Temple games have been under the total.

EJ Warner, Quarterback

The starting quarterback for Temple is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. Warner is going into his second season as a starter, and he has been okay to unspectacular this season. Last year, he threw for over 3,000 yards and scored 18 touchdowns but had 12 interceptions in 11 games and barely completed 60 percent of his passes. Warner has Temple off to a 2-1 start and did not turn the ball over in those games against Akron and Norfolk State. Against Power Five opponents, he struggles, though. Against Rutgers in week two, he completed just 42 percent of his passes and had two interceptions in a 36-7 loss. Warner is a prototypical pocket passer who should not threaten even a weakened Miami defensive line with his legs. He has shown the ability to put up huge numbers through the air (486 or more passing yards twice in 2022) and has six multi-score games in 14 starts.

Joquez Smith, Running Back

Temple found a gem in Florida native, true freshman running Joquez Smith, who stared at Tampa Jesuit. He has played in just two games and leads this team in rushing with 187 yards, the majority of that coming in a 142-yard, two-touchdown game just last week. Despite his short stature, Smith is a bowling ball type back who runs with power, vision, and balance through contact. Temple will want to come out balanced, as last season proved even with a 3,000-yard passer, they could not hit the .500 mark. No Owl running back ran for 700 yards last season, and Smith seems destined to pass that in his first season. Miami saw some good backs against Texas A&M, but Smith may be the best among the ones the team faced against Bethune-Cookman and Miami (OH).

Tywan Francis, Safety

A safety leading his team in tackles? This means that he brings some physicality to the fold. Colorado State sixth-year transfer Tywan Francis is doing just that for the Owls and is mirroring his production from 2021 & 2022, where he had 110 tackles in 15 games. He is making some plays around the field, collecting an interception, 1.5 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups thus far. Against Akron in week one, he iced the game with two minutes left by picking off quarterback DJ Irons, capping off a solid first game at Temple. He is the Kamren Kinchens of this Temple defense and will be the top defensive player to keep track of.

The schedule has been a breeze for Miami up until this point. A 'Group of Five' opponent in Miami (OH) and FCS little brother in Bethune-Cookman were speed-bumps along with the dominant performance put on display against Texas A&M. The early part of the schedule was always ripe for the picking and playable to be undefeated heading into a mid-season ACC gauntlet. Both Miami coordinators have proven to not play down to competition, and the usual momentary scares have not been there on either side of the ball.

That will have to continue against a Temple team that, while 2-1, has beaten the worst of college football. They were in a dogfight with a bad Akron team, and Norfolk State is no signature victory. Against a 3-0 Rutgers team, they were dismantled 36-7, struggling in all facets.

If Rutgers can beat up Temple (yes, I know they are on the rise under head coach Greg Schiano), a ranked Miami team with better talent at virtually every single position, mimic that result. Teams ahead of Miami are losing weekly, and they are creeping closer and closer to being in the conference championship conversation and potentially rising into the top ten sooner than later. Recruits are noticing, too. Multiple blue-chip prospects have committed since the season started, and the run on big-time recruiting targets could just be beginning. A result similar to Miami (OH) should be the floor here.

We probably do not see Akheem Mesidor, Branson Deen, and Nyjalik Kelly in this game. Is it 2022 injury woes yet? No, but the need for depth is already proving vital in Miami's trenches. Youngsters like Rueben Bain and Ahmad Moten are stepping up in the absence of crucial veteran losses, which will have to continue this week.

Temple has a backfield tandem in Warner at quarterback and Smith at running back that has proven to make plays in their young college careers. They can cause issues without a natural pass rush or push from the defensive line. Warner has been sacked just once this season, and the offense is predicated on getting the ball out quickly. Still, they are starting a true freshman offensive tackle and have allowed 23 pressures in three games. There is production to be had and a chance to get the second and third units of the defensive line going into real competition.

So far, Miami has been excellent against the pass; even Texas A&M, who made some plays, mostly put up numbers late in that contest when things were pretty much wrapped up or out of realistic reach. Still, it is a three-game sample size, and last season, albeit under a different scheme, there were struggles through the air against capable passers.

Kinchens is probably out this game, so the most important player on this defense is unavailable, and two of Miami's best pass rushers are likely sitting as well. I'm sure Temple is seeing an opportunity with basically a limb of Miami's starting defensive body chopped off. Warner had some massive games last year, passing for 527 yards and five touchdowns against East Carolina, 486 yards and three touchdowns against Houston, and 344 yards and two scores against USF.

Are those teams comparable to this Miami defense? Probably not, but with Hall of Fame pedigree and recent success, there is always potential for slip-ups. Limit this Owl passing game, evidenced by the Rutgers game in week two, and you shut down what Temple wants to do.

This should be another result in favor of Miami as it looks to continue its best start in years. Head Coach Mario Cristobal spoke this rise into existence, but keeping the train rolling is all that matters - what have you done for me lately? Vegas sees this as a blowout contest, and the talent on the other side signals that it should be just that. Temple is likely a team that fights for a bowl opportunity at the end of the year but does not sniff the ceiling of what this Miami team could be.

Miami (OH) is better than this Temple team, and the Hurricanes walked out of that one with an easy 38-3 win. The offense and defense balled, and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson kept things basic. This is more of the same and could be even worse for the Owls, who, despite having a few good pieces, including a quarterback with an exciting name, cannot match up with Miami.

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