Florida Atlantic University Owls Football: A Program on the Rise
The Florida Atlantic Owls football program, representing Florida Atlantic University (FAU), has rapidly evolved since its inception. Competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as part of the American Conference, the Owls have established themselves as a noteworthy program in a relatively short period.
The Schnellenberger Era: Building a Foundation
Florida Atlantic University launched its football program in 2001, entrusting the leadership to the legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger. Schnellenberger, renowned for his turnaround of the Miami football program and a national championship victory in 1983, brought a vision of ambitious goals to FAU. Before the first intercollegiate game, Schnellenberger articulated his aim for FAU football: to compete against the best teams possible, striving for a national championship in Division I-A football.
In 1998, Florida Atlantic University announced it was pursuing the creation of an NCAA football program and that Howard Schnellenberger was going to lead the charge, as director of football operations and head coach. Much like his time at Miami and Louisville, Coach Schnellenberger did not shy from placing lofty expectations and high goals on his newly created program. Even before FAU would play an intercollegiate game, Coach Schnellenberger explained the goal of FAU football would be to play the best teams it can schedule, in order for the program to aim for a national championship in Division I-A football. These extreme goals were not unusual from a man like Coach Schnellenberger. At Louisville, facing threats from the administration that the football team would be terminated, Schnellenberger made the bold (and now famous) prediction, "[We are] on a collision course with the national championship.
The program's first practice took place on August 29, 2000, at FAU's Boca Raton campus, attracting 164 students eager to try out for the team. In its inaugural 2001 season, Florida Atlantic competed as an NCAA Division I-AA independent, now known as Division I FCS, finishing with a 4-6 record. The following season saw a 2-9 result.
Early Success and Conference Transition
After four years as an NCAA Division I-AA independent, the Owls transitioned to Division I-A and joined the Sun Belt Conference. A significant milestone arrived on September 15, 2007, when FAU achieved its first victory over a Big Ten opponent, defeating Minnesota 42-39. Led by Rusty Smith, FAU secured the Sun Belt Conference championship by defeating Troy in the final game of the 2007 season. This victory earned them an invitation to the 2007 New Orleans Bowl, marking the program's first-ever bowl bid. In just its seventh year and third year in Division I, Florida Atlantic became the second-youngest program to receive a bowl game invitation, setting an NCAA record.
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Navigating Change: Coaching Transitions
The program has seen its share of coaching changes. On October 30, 2013, Pelini resigned from his position after another coach alleged to school officials that he was using illegal drugs, charges that Pelini denied. He, along with defensive coordinator Pete Rekstis, officially stepped down from their positions only three days before the school's homecoming game, which they won 34-17 under interim head coach Brian Wright. Wright finished the 2012-13 season as the interim head coach, winning the team's last four games and led the Owls to its first bowl-eligible season since 2008-09.
Lane Kiffin's appointment as head coach on December 12, 2016, marked a new chapter for the Owls. Kiffin, previously head coach at USC and Tennessee, brought considerable experience to the program. Kiffin resigned from FAU on December 7, 2019, after a 49-6 blowout win against the university of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and before FAU's Boca Raton Bowl appearance against SMU Mustangs to become the head coach at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Kiffin left FAU with a record of 26-13 with two first-place finishes in Conference USA.
Following Kiffin's departure, Willie Taggart was hired on December 11, 2019. During a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no prior spring practice, Taggart led the FAU Owls to a 5-4 record, which includes a loss to the Memphis Tigers in the first and only Montgomery Bowl. On November 26, 2022, Taggart's Owls lost to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers after a missed field goal that would have lifted the team into bowl eligibility.
Conference USA and the Shula Bowl
As a member of Conference USA since 2013, Florida Atlantic competes in the East Division. A significant highlight of their schedule is the Shula Bowl, a rivalry game against Florida International (FIU). The Shula Bowl is a bitter rivalry game with Florida International. It was first played in 2002 and has been played every year since then. The winner receives the Don Shula Award. The game and trophy are named after former Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula. In total the two squads have met 21 times with Florida Atlantic holding a 16-5 lead as of the 2023 season conclusion.
Recent Developments
The program has continued to evolve, with further coaching changes and adjustments to the competitive landscape.
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