Fast facts and keys to the game
When: Friday, 8 p.m.
Where: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton
TV: CBS Sports Network; Radio: 640-AM
Weather: 75 degrees, partly cloudy (20% chance of precipitation)
Online: Coverage at SunSentinel. ; @khobi_price on Twitter
Odds: The Owls are favored by 32 ½ points.
Stadium safety protocols: FAU is allowing 20 percent capacity for spectators at FAU Stadium this season, including 2,500 reserved tickets for FAU students, with social distancing measures in place. Tailgating isn’t allowed before games. Mobile ticketing and contactless entry will be used for most fans. Facemasks will be required at all times inside the stadium unless individuals are eating or drinking in their assigned seats.
Quick slant: FAU’s game against UMass will be its first non-conference game of the regular season. The Owls scheduled the matchup against the Minutemen, whoare anindependent FBS program, earlier in the month for their last regular-season home game of the year. FAU was originally scheduled to play Old Dominion on Saturday, but that matchup was canceled in
August after the Monarchs nixed their fall sports season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Friday’s matchup will be the first football game between the two programs.
About FAU (4-1,4-1Conference USA): The Owls are coming off a 38-19 Shula Bowl win against the FIU Panthers for their third consecutive victory. JavionPosey made his first collegiate start at quarterback against FIU and led FAU to its best offensive performance so far this year. The Owls had season-highs of points, touchdowns (five) and yards (462) against the Panthers. Posey broke the program’s single-game record for themost rushing yards by a quarterback with 182 on 18 attempts to go along with 10 of 16 passing for three total touchdowns (two passing and one rushing).
About UMass (0-2): The Minute men scheduled a “limited number” of games for the fall after originally canceling the season in August. They lost to Georgia Southern, 41-0, in their first game of the season on Oct. 17 before falling to Marshall, 51-10, on Nov. 7 in their latest game. UMass, which is also scheduled to face Liberty on Nov. 27, went 1-11 last year.
Three things to watch:
1. If FAU beats the Minute men, the Owls would’ve won all four of their regular-season home games. The victory would mark the first time FAU finished the regular season undefeated at home, with its previous best regular-season home record coming in 2017 (5-1).
2. A win would also give FAU coach Willie Tag gar ta 5-0 record in games he’s coached at FAU Stadium. Hewas the coach of the Western Kentucky team that won the first game at FAU Stadium against the Owls in 2011.
3. Will the Owls continue their dominance in disrupting the quarterback? FAU is averaging 3.80sacks pergame, whichis the best mark in C-USA and fourth among FBS teams.