Owls seek revenge in Shula Bowl XVI
FAU can clinch berth in Conference USA Championship by beating FIU tonight.
BOCA RATON — After watching FAU’s helmet be forcibly removed from the Shula Bowl trophy last October, no one is more excited for Shula Bowl XVI than Owls linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.
“It’s a lot going on — it’s a special moment,” said Al-Shaair, the Owls’ vocal leader and leading tackler. “A lot of times, you don’t get chances like this, so we gotta take advantage of them.”
Arguably the most important Shula Bowl in history sees two rebuilt programs — Lane Kiffin’s Owls (7-3, 6-0 Conference USA) against Butch Davis’ Florida International Panthers (6-3, 4-2) — fighting tonight for a chance to play in the C-USA Champi-
Owls
TODAY’S GAME
Florida International at FAU, 7 p.m., WTCN-15
STATE
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UCF can’t overlook Temple,
onship Game. In a game that also serves as FAU’s senior night, the Owls can clinch a showdown with North Texas in the C-USA title game with a win.
FIU would need to win both games and hope the Owls lose out for them to make the title game.
“Even if we didn’t have to do with the conference championship, it’s the rivalry game,” Kiffin said of a night that will see FAU’s seniors be honored in their final regular-season home game. “I’m more worried about our focus and preparing really well and not trying to do different things than what we have done.”
As the final seconds of last season’s 33-31 FIU victory ticked away, Panthers players — who up to that point had seen their coach fired and not won a game — seized the Shula Bowl trophy and ripped off the FAU helmet. One FIU player held the helmet aloft to taunt Owls’ fans.
Here are ways the Owls can take back the trophy and clinch their first C-USA title game berth (along with seniors sharing memories of their careers):
1. Run all over FIU
Though FIU is giving up the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game in C-USA with 173.3 an outing, the Panthers are tied for 10th in the conference with 4.6 yards allowed per rush. With five FAU regulars — Devin Singletary (American Heritage), Buddy Howell, Jason Driskel, John Franklin III and Kerrith Whyte (Seminole Ridge) — all averaging more than 5 yards per carry, the Owls should be able to rough up the Panthers’ defense.
“(My favorite home memory) is probably my first game playing vs. Western Kentucky, scoring and having 100 yards as a freshman out of nowhere,” said Howell, who ranks fourth on the program’s all-time rushing list with 2,261 yards.
2. Set the tone early Other than running opposing teams into the ground, FAU has flourished during its six-game winning streak by making early statements. Kiffin and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles don’t have to call trick plays or go for it on fourth down in the first quarter to set the tone, but rebounding from what Kiffin called a “bad week of practice” will create momentum in a such a big game.
“There haven’t been a lot of good memories because of the past three years, but probably my favorite one is beating UTSA in my redshirt freshman year (2014) when (FAU) scored a last second touchdown,” starting guard Roman Fernandez said.
3. Play strong red-zone defense
FAU has been praised for its red-zone offense under Kiffin and Briles, but FIU is barely percentage points better (.962 to .953) in how often a team scores inside the 20. With the Panthers having scored 25 times in 26 red-zone attempts, defensive coordinator Chris Kiffin’s unit will need to apply pressure.
“There’s been a lot of memories throughout my time here (that) I truly cherish, even though there’s been losing ... I actually have a lot more memories this season,” defensive end Haiden Nagel said.
4. Keep Thomas Owens quiet
After facing Marshall’s Tyre Brady and Louisiana Tech’s Teddy Veal the past two weeks, the Owls’ secondary will again be tasked with facing one of C-USA’s top receiving threats in FIU senior Thomas Owens (Atlantic). Currently leading the conference with 887 receiving yards to go with six touchdowns, Owens has the potential to turn the game in FIU’s direction.
“I feel like every week, we’re playing some dominant receiver,” Kiffin said. “We’ve had a lot of tests, and our guys have done a good job at times.”
5. Players to watch:
■ Willie Wright, WR: Wright had four catches for 36 yards last week but failed to score for the first time since Oct. 7. Look for Driskel to find Wright and for the freshman receiver’s trademark shrugging touchdown celebration to make an appearance tonight.
■ Steven Leggett, DT: Leggett was on pace to set a career high in tackles prior to being ejected for targeting last week. Eligible to play the entire game tonight, Leggett playing at that level for all four quarters would be a boost to FAU’s defense.
■ Quran Hafiz, DB: With the Owls’ secondary battered by injuries last week, Hafiz had five tackles and played the best game of his freshman season. Though Kiffin expects Jalen Young (Seminole Ridge) and Andrew Soroh to play, Hafiz’s big game could mean increased reps.
Noteworthy: Singletary, a sophomore running back, was announced as one of 11 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award on Friday. The award recognizes “the nation’s premier running back for his accomplishments on the field, achievement in the classroom and citizenship in the community.” Entering tonight, Singletary leads Division I with 22 rushing touchdowns and has run for 1,360 yards. He is 33 yards away from Alfred Morris’ 2009 season record for rushing yards. Singletary broke the Owls’ single-season and career rushing TDs record.