WESTERN KENTUCKY AT FAU
When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
Where: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton
TV: Fox Sports Florida; Radio: 640-AM
Weather: 79degrees, thunderstorms (75% chance of precipitation) Online: Coverage at SunSentinel.com/fau ;@khobi_price on Twitter Odds: The Owls are favored by 6 ½ points.
Stadium safety protocols: FAU is allowing 20percent capacity for spectators at FAU Stadium this season, including 2,500 reserved tickets for F AU students, with social distancing measures in place. Tailgating won’t be allowed before games. Mobile ticketing and contactless entry will beused formost fans. Face masks will be required at all times inside the stadium unless individuals are eating or drinking in their assigned seats.
Quick slant: Saturday’ s match up will pit FAU coach Willie Taggart against his almamater and the team he began his coaching careerwith. Taggart was a quarter back at Western Kentucky from 1994-98, coached with the Hilltoppers in various roles from1999-2006 andwas their head coach from2010-12. FAU has an 8-3 all-time record against Western Kentucky, winning last season’s matchup, 35-24, in Bowling Green, Ky.
About FAU(2-1, 2-1 Conference USA): The Owls are coming offa 24-3 win versus UTSA at FAU Stadium. They recorded seven sacks against the Roadrunners. F AU is averaging 4.33 sacks per game (13 sacks through its first three games), which leads C-USA and is the second-best mark in the nation among teams with at least three gamesplayed. About Western Kentucky (2-5,1-2 C-US A ): The Hill toppers are coming offa41-10loss to No. 9BYU. Tyrrell Pigrome will make his sixth— and second consecutive— start at quarterback for Western Kentucky after Kevaris Thomas saw action in previous weeks. THREE THINGS TO WATCH
1. Taggart said it’ll be important for the Owls’ receivers to create separation against Western Kentucky’s defensive backs. The Hilltoppers pass defense ranks No. 2 in C-USA and 20th in thenation, allowing 190.0 passing yards per game.
2. The Owls ’streak of consecutive games with at least one takeaway going back to last year ended at 14 after FAU didn’t recover a fumble or force an interception against UTSA. They’ll need towin the turnover margin to help an offense that’s had difficulties with execution.
3. FAU’s offensive line will need to keep its eyes on Western Kentucky defensive end De Angelo Ma lone, who led the conference in total sacks (11.5) last season.