Temple (2-4, 1-1 American) returns home to Lincoln Financial Field for a 1 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+. Charlotte (0-6, 0-2) is still searching for its first win, and the 49ers would love nothing more than to find it in Philadelphia.
Temple insider Teddy Fiorella defends Philly against insults nobody made. He's fired up that Jaxon Smolik is back from a foot injury to join Ajani Sheppard, who has thrown for 891 yards without an interception. The Owls may use both. Charlotte insider Priya Halloran, a dry Uptown risk analyst, admits the 49ers are a distressed asset after last week's 50-10 loss at North Texas. She's still holding out hope that Cole Gonzales and Jaden Barnes can find a spark.
The Owls want to bounce back after a 34-20 loss to UConn, and running back Keveun Mason gives them a steady ground game. Charlotte's offense ranks near the bottom of the country in ESPN's efficiency numbers. The wind is the wild card, with gusts near 40 mph forecast. That kind of weather can scramble any plan.
Our call: Temple 33, Charlotte 12.