Shula Bowl about more than a trophy

FAU tries to stay alive in C-USA East race while FIU fights for its 3rd straight bowl

BOCA RATON — The Shula Bowl’s magnitude is only understood after someone personally experiences it.

Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin has been involved in his fair share of collegiate rivalries during his time with Alabama, USC and Tennessee before coming to FAU in 2017. But he didn’t comprehend how much an Owls win against FIU (5-3, 3-3) meant to FAU until he witnessed it for himself.

“I didn’t really [understand] until the game that we won, and I remember Herb Miller and these guys all sprinting down for the trophy,” said Kiffin, referring to the Owls’ 52-24 victory over the Panthers during his first season at FAU in 2017.

“I don’t think I even knew there was a trophy. That kind of put it in perspective for me how big it is.”

While the game doesn’t get the same national attention as Alabama versus Auburn, FAU (6-3, 4-1) expects extra enthusiasm from the Panthers.

“It’s like any kind of rivalry,” starting quarterback Chris Robison said. “I grew up watching Texas-Oklahoma. Rivalry games are huge.

“It doesn’t matter what the record is of any team. You got

to play your heart out to win the game. Just like we’re going to give them our best effort, they’re going to give us theirs.”

The rivalry has added implications this year outside of being able to keep the Don Shula Award for a year.

The Owls can move into first place in the Conference USA East Division with the win. Marshall, which is currently in first place and holds the tiebreaker over FAU, has a bye this week.

The Panthers will be looking to avoid being eliminated from the division title race and clinch bowl eligibility for the third consecutive year. FIU concludes the regular season with games against Miami and the Thundering Herd.

“They say this is their easiest game out of the next couple games they’ll get,” junior linebacker Akileis Leroy said. “We just have to prove that saying wrong.”

The rivalry is intensified by proximity, The two schools are separated by less than 60 miles, and many players on both teams played against each other in high school and were recruited out of high school by both FAU and FIU.

“It’s going to be extremely fun competing against guys we competed against in high school,” said redshirt senior wide receiver Tavaris Harrison, a North Miami native.

“There’s always the little rivalry that my school is better than yours . ... Coming out of high school, those same coaches recruited us — both FAU and FIU — [so] it’s about being dominant and show[ing] them we’re the dominant school.”

Harrison said he didn’t understand the importance of this matchup during his freshman year, so he welcomes the added excitement in the locker room so the younger plays can get it.

“You kind of want that energy so the young guys can feel it,” Harrison said. “They don’t really understand the rivalry and how big the game really is.

“You want to bring it to their attention so they can match it.”