Owls enter softer section of schedule
BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic’s schedule snarled and growled at the Owls for the past two weeks. It dispatched them to face a Top 25 Miami team and banished them to Manhattan, Kan., to absorb a program-worst 63-7 loss to Kansas State.
An opening-month cakewalk, it was not. FAU emerged with two losses, its season buoyed only by an opening victory over Southern Illinois. Now, the schedule pivots on Ball State’s visit at 6 p.m. today to FAU Stadium.
The Cardinals (2-1) represent FAU’s final nonconference opponent and a chance to enter Conference USA play at 2-2, a bowl berth within reach. Thegame against Ball State (out of the Mid-American Conference) also kicks off a string off seemingly winnable games for the Owls, who next face Florida International and Charlotte.
Ball State, FIU and Charlotte are a combined 3-6 entering this weekend, with only one win over an FBS team. The Owls earned two of their three wins in 2015 over FIU and Charlotte.
The Owls’ ability to stockpile wins in the coming weeks could dictate whether the program reaches its first bowl game since 2008 or if it can contend for a conference championship.
“All of their goals, besides a national championship, are there,” FAU offensive coordinator Travis Trickett said of the players. “The national championship is not there. That’s the only goal that’s
not there. Everything they could ever want to accomplish— everything— is still there. But, you’ve got to take a step in the right direction.”
For FAU, that began Sunday. The Owls returned to Boca Raton after a 56-point thrashing by Kansas State. Its offense turned the ball over four times. Its defense allowed 336 rushing yards. Its collective mind had to release the memory of the embarrassment and turn its attention to Ball State.
“Right now, we need to move on,” Owls coach Charlie Partridge said Monday. “We need to get better in practice, it’s as simple as that. Ball State is our current focus.”
According to Partridge, practice Sunday was different. It was purposeful and passionate. Trickett mentioned improved practices on Monday and Tuesday.
As Kansas State faded to the background, Ball State came into focus.
“Making sure we’re not letting, with these young guys, last week’s game beat us twice,” Trickett said. “You can’t do that. You’ve got to move on. You’ve got to learn from it, and you’ve got to go forward. We’re all
on to Ball State.”
Ball State is coming off a 41-14 win over Eastern Kentucky last week It has also defeated Georgia State and lost to Indiana. The meeting will be the first between the schools, scheduled as part of a home-and-home that concludes with a visit to Muncie, Ind., in 2019.
The Cardinals are three seasons removed from a 10-win season but faltered to a five-win season in 2014 and a three-win campaign in 2015. It welcomed Mike Neu as its head coach in January, snatching him up after he spent two seasons as the New Orleans Saints’ quarterbacks coach.
Neu installed “a nice pro-style offense with a lot of different concepts,” according to FAU defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni. Trickett said Ball State’s defense brought aggressive blitz packages.
Combined, the units offer the Owls an opening in the schedule, a chance to eliminate the stench of the Kansas State loss.
“That’s our focus, that’s our challenge,” Partridge said.