Owls find fault with win after poor 2nd half

Kiffin: ‘Maybe it was good’ for FAU to be reminded of stakes.

BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin was upset after Saturday’s 31-12 win over Charlotte.

Despite the Owls (9-3, 8-0) totaling more than 500 yards of offense in their eighth straight win and setting a program record for most wins at the FBS level, Kiffin focused on his team’s poor second-half performance.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve played a bad half,” Kiffin said Monday of a 30-minute stretch where, despite producing nearly 300 yards of total offense, the Owls only outscored the 49ers 7-6. “We haven’t played a bad game for nine weeks.”

For the first time since 2008, FAU will play a postseason game when it hosts the North Texas Mean Green (9-3, 7-1) at noon Saturday in the Conference USA Championship Game. FAU beat the Mean Green 69-31 on Oct. 21 in Boca Raton, setting a program record for points scored and offensive yards (804).

Kiffin was vocal in saying the mistakes the Owls made in the second half against Charlotte, including a 1-for-4 effort on third downs and missing both of their fourthdown conversions, can’t happen in a championship game.

“Since our game, (the Mean Green have) won every game,” Kiffin said of North Texas. “There’s a reason they’re a championship team.”

FAU players did not celebrate Saturday’s win in traditional form, foregoing singing the fight song to instead speak about what they thought was a poor effort. Kiffin said that on his way to the locker room he heard junior linebacker and Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year nominee Azeez Al-Shaair leading a discussion with teammates.

With everyone around the team not pleased with Saturday’s performance, Kiffin believes the second half can be used as momentum for the Owls’ postseason games.

“Maybe it was good to have a reminder for these guys that they ain’t the greatest thing in the world and you can’t just show up,” Kiffin said. “You can’t just talk about it, you gotta be about it.”

Injury updates: Kiffin declined to comment on any injured Owls going into Satur

s game, only saying “it’d be great” if tight end Harrison Bryant (foot) played. Bryant leads the Owls with five receiving touchdowns and is second in catches (32) and yards (408).

No media: While Kiffin’s social media activity and recent media profiles have generated plenty of publicity, the first-year coach was visibly disappointed at Monday’s media turnout. Only four reporters and an FAU employee shooting video represented Monday’s pool, leading Kiffin to comment on “the same five” being there. “It’s Conference USA championship week and it’s still you guys,” he said, rolling his eyes. Kiffin hopes to attract a larger media crowd for Saturday’s title game, Tuesday’s C-USA Championship Game teleconference and Friday’s Media Day.