FAU big favorite to get 1 step closer to bowl bid vs. WKU
One down, two to go for Florida Atlantic.
A 49-14 Shula Bowl victory last Saturday at Florida International – powered by a 28-point fourth quarter – gives FAU a 4-5 overall record.
That leaves the Owls needing two more victories in its final three games to get to bowl eligible.
With a 1-8 Western Kentucky team coming to Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium on Saturday, 20-point favorite Florida Atlantic should get one step closer to its postseason goal.
The final 15 minutes of play against FIU was the best quarter of football FAU has played all season.
Paced once again by Owls’ running back Devin Singletary, who rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns, the Owls rolled up 596 yards of total offense – 439 rushing and another 157 through the air.
Singletary was hardly alone in the ground game onslaught, as junior running back Kerrith Whyte added a career-best 165 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
FAU coach Lane Kiffin said his team’s fourth-quarter outburst was “good to see.”
“We have been a really good first quarter team, for the most part, since after the opener (at Oklahoma) and then have fallen apart, obviously, over the last five games, later in games,” Kiffin said earlier this week. “It was good to see. It was the same feeling from the year before, to win in decisive fashion by playing good football.
“Similar things to what we did the year before with no turnovers and five penalties or something like that, and running the ball and stopping the run: 439 yards rushing to 96, you are going to win every game if you do that.”
FAU received a strong showing from junior backup quarterback De’Andrew Johnson, who split time with freshman QB Chris Robison.
Johnson hit 4 of 6 passes for 67 yards and two TDs – both to Jovon Durante – and rushed for 50 more yards on 7 carries.
Robison hit on 6 of 10 passes for 90 yards.
Kiffin plans to use both quarterbacks again this week.
Western Kentucky, which is 1-8 overall and winless in five Conference USA games, won’t be a pushover. Four of the Hilltoppers’ losses have come by a combined 12 points. WKU’s lone win came at home against a 3-6 Ball State team, 28-20.
Saturday game is Homecoming for Florida Atlantic.
GAME CAPSULE
WHO: Western Kentucky (1-8, 0-5) at Florida Atlantic (4-5, 3-3)
WHEN: 5 p.m. Saturday
WHERE/RADIO: Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium – Boca Raton; ESPN 106.3 FM
LINE: Florida Atlantic is a 20 point favorite
DID YOU KNOW: FAU running back Devin Singletary was named Conference USA‘s Offensive Player of the Week, following his big effort in Shula Bowl XVII at Florida International. Singletary was also named Shula Bowl MVP.
PHOTOS contributed by: Bob Markey / www.MarkeySportsPhoto.com Courtesy of www.FAUOwlsNest.com
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