2026 Temple vs 2026 South Florida

Temple
2–4 · −6.5 (99th of 138)
vs
South Florida
4–2 · SP+ 0.6 (68th of 138)

Hypothetical

South Florida by 10.3

77% to win

High confidence — 5 games in — see our accuracy

Hypothetical forecast · SBR sbr-2r

Why this number

TemplePreseason baseline −5.5In-season results +1.4
South FloridaPreseason baseline +8.4In-season results −4.7
South Florida home field +2.5

How they're built

0–100 percentile · higher is stronger

Compare the whole profile, then explore each dimension.

2026 Temple Offense · SP+ 2026: 25.0, 36th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Temple Defense · SP+ 2026: 31.6, 19th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Temple Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.1, 50th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Temple Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 192.2 pts, 51st percentile (2026 signing class)2026 Temple Experience · returning production 2026: 37% returning, 46th percentile (2026 roster)2026 South Florida Offense · SP+ 2026: 26.4, 47th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 South Florida Defense · SP+ 2026: 25.9, 51st percentile (2026 season to date)2026 South Florida Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.1, 50th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 South Florida Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 180.1 pts, 35th percentile (2026 signing class)2026 South Florida Experience · returning production 2026: 13% returning, 13th percentile (2026 roster)0100Offense · SP+ 2026Defense · SP+ 2026Special teams · SP+ 2026Recruiting · 2026 signing classExperience · returning production 2026
  • 2026 Temple Offense · SP+ 2026: 25.0, 36th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 South Florida Offense · SP+ 2026: 26.4, 47th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Temple Defense · SP+ 2026: 31.6, 19th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 South Florida Defense · SP+ 2026: 25.9, 51st percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Temple Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.1, 50th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 South Florida Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.1, 50th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Temple Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 192.2 pts, 51st percentile (2026 signing class)
  • 2026 South Florida Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 180.1 pts, 35th percentile (2026 signing class)
  • 2026 Temple Experience · returning production 2026: 37% returning, 46th percentile (2026 roster)
  • 2026 South Florida Experience · returning production 2026: 13% returning, 13th percentile (2026 roster)
Emphasize a team

Offensive production relative to that season’s field. Compare an offense with the opposing defense in the scouting report.

Recruiting and experience add context; the five axes aren't equal weights in the forecast.

The numbers behind the profiles

Measure2026 Temple2026 South Florida
Offensive / play0.2064th percentile0.1857th percentile
PPA allowed / play0.1914th percentile0.0648th percentile
Points per game24.832nd percentile6 games26.236th percentile6 games
per game26.330th percentile6 games17.382nd percentile6 games

Programs don't stand still

SP+ percentile among FBS teams, by season. The marked point is each compared season.

2026 Temple2026 South Florida
Temple 2026: 28th percentileSouth Florida 2026: 51st percentile2000200520102015202020250255075100

Momentum

Temple↗ rising (+23 pctl over 3 seasons)
South Florida→ steady (+10 pctl over 3 seasons)

Talent in, results out

Recruiting-class percentile feeding each roster, compared with its SP+ result.

2026 Temple
Average signing-class percentile, classes 2023–2026
28th percentile
SP+ percentile, 2026
28th percentile
Matching its talent (+1)
2026 South Florida
Average signing-class percentile, classes 2023–2026
48th percentile
SP+ percentile, 2026
51st percentile
Matching its talent (+3)

Campus distance

925 miles apart

There's more to the matchup.

Supporting context, ready when you want it.

In the trenches · both directions
MatchupO-lineD-line
2026 Temple OL vs 2026 South Florida DL301.1 lbs278.4 lbs
2026 South Florida OL vs 2026 Temple DL307.4 lbs273.1 lbs

2026 Temple line yards 3.38 · 2026 South Florida stuff rate 22.7%

2026 South Florida line yards 2.95 · 2026 Temple stuff rate 14.5%

Fans swear big lines win games. They're half right — big-line teams do win more, but only because good programs recruit big linemen. Once we account for talent and last season, line size adds nothing to the prediction. Across 11 seasons, no measurable effect on margin.

Roster size is context. It isn't a forecast advantage.

Backtested effect: 0.42 pts at 1σ.

Head-to-head · Temple leads 7–4 since 2000

Temple has won 1 straight

SeasonScoreVenue
2026Temple 17–13 South FloridaRaymond James Stadium · South Florida home
2023Temple 23–27 South FloridaRaymond James Stadium · South Florida home
2022Temple 54–28 South FloridaLincoln Financial Field · Temple home
2021Temple 14–34 South FloridaRaymond James Stadium · South Florida home
2020Temple 39–37 South FloridaLincoln Financial Field · Temple home
2019Temple 17–7 South FloridaRaymond James Stadium · South Florida home
2018Temple 27–17 South FloridaLincoln Financial Field · Temple home
2017Temple 7–43 South FloridaRaymond James Stadium · South Florida home
2016Temple 46–30 South FloridaLincoln Financial Field · Temple home
2015Temple 23–44 South FloridaRaymond James Stadium · South Florida home
2012Temple 37–28 South FloridaLincoln Financial Field · Temple home
Coaching & program context
2026 Temple

HC

  • K.C. Keeler

OC

  • Tyler Walker

career average +27.1 SP+ offense

Scheme: Spread (listed on Wikipedia, 2025 listing)

Style: Run-heavy, grind-it-out (threw on 35% of its run–pass plays, 7th percentile of 2026 FBS; 59.8 plays a game, 7th percentile)

DC

  • Brian Smith

career average +34.4 SP+ defense

Scheme: Multiple 3–4 (listed on Wikipedia, 2025 listing)

2026 South Florida

HC

  • Brian Hartline (First season as South Florida's head coach)

OC

  • Tim Beck

career average +31.4 SP+ offense

Scheme: Power spread (listed on Wikipedia)

Style: Balanced, grind-it-out (threw on 44% of its run–pass plays, 36th percentile of 2026 FBS; 60.3 plays a game, 9th percentile)

DC

  • Josh Aldridge

career average +24.2 SP+ defense

Scheme: Multiple 3–4 (listed on Wikipedia)

A new coordinator feels like it should swing a game. Across 11 seasons, the change doesn't move the final margin beyond what the roster already tells us. Shown as context, not a factor in our number.

Run-heavy team meets a defense that can't stop the run — feels like extra points waiting. Across 7 seasons the matchup adds nothing beyond what the two ratings already say; if anything the point estimate leans the other way.

Scouting reports

No upcoming game between these teams is on the schedule.

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