Owls figure it out

FAU blows past Blue Raiders after trailing in 3rd quarter

BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic looked like a team coming off a bye week in its 28-13 victory over Middle Tennessee State University on Saturday in FAU Stadium.

FAU’s offense punted on its first three possessions and struggled to consistently put together drives. The Owls defense was sluggish coming out of the gates, allowing six chunk players of 10 or more yards in the first quarter alone.

The team’s five first-quarter penalties cost FAU 25 yards and the Owls totaled six penalties for 39 yards heading into halftime, trailing the Blue Raiders 13-12.

But FAU’s improvements in second half of games this season were displayed against Middle Tennessee with the Owls outscoring the Blue Raiders 15-0 in the final two quarters to secure the comeback victory.

FAU (4-2) opened the second half by forcing the Blue Raiders into a three-and-out for Middle Tennessee’s second punt of the game. The Owls responded with kicker Vladimir Rivas knocking in a 26-yard field goal for the Owls’ second lead of the game.

Rivas started as the kicker after FAU coach Lane Kiffin opened a kicking competition between Rivas and redshirt freshman Aaron Shahriari after the redshirt sophomore missed two opportunities

in the Owls’ 45-27 win against Charlotte on Sept. 28.

Rivas made a 37-yard field in the second quarter and was 2 of 3 on extra points against the Blue Raiders.

After two more defensive stops, FAU scored a touchdown off a three-play, 68-yard drive that was capped by running back Malcolm Davidson rushing the ball 57 yards for the score and putting the Owls up 22-13.

Davidson became the first FAU player to rush for at least 100 yards this season and finished with 149 yards on 21 attempts and one touchdown.

Running back Larry McCammon got into the end zone with a 1-yard rush in the fourth quarter to put FAU up 28-13 for the final score of the game.

Meiko Dotson continued his strong stretch of play by picking off Middle Tennessee quarterback Asher O’Hara twice. Dotson has four interceptions this season after also grabbing two against Charlotte.

Linebacker Rashad Smith recorded an interception and Akileis Leroy scored FAU’s first points of the game by blocking an extra-point attempt in the first quarter and taking it to Middle Tennessee’s end zone for two points.

The Owls will return to action against Marshall on Friday at FAU Stadium.

MICHAEL LAUGHLIN/SUN SENTINEL PHOTOS Florida Atlantic Akileis Leroy runs the ball to the end zone after a blocked extra point against Middle Tennessee State during the first half of their game Saturday.

Florida Atlantic’s James Pierre puts a big hit on Middle Tennessee State quarterback Asher O’Hara during the first half.