FAU Football: 2025 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions

In the blink of an eye, the 2025 CFB regular season is around the corner! For the FAU Owls, the start of the 2025 season is truly a new beginning. Under first-year head coach Zach Kittley, the Owls are very young and inexperienced at a multitude of positions. At the same time, though, FAU arguably has a more talented roster than last year’s football team, and they’ll need to showcase it with a tough schedule ahead.

With this unique combination of factors, it is difficult to exactly pinpoint how the Owls will fare this season. However, that is not stopping us here at The League Winners! Follow along as we preview what is sure to be a very exciting and interesting season for Florida Atlantic.

FAU Football: 2025 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions

August 30: at Maryland Terrapins

On the surface, this game may seem easy to predict, and it kind of is. However, there are some factors that need to be mentioned before moving on to the next game in Florida Atlantic’s season.

Maryland has an impressive roster on paper. Between their offensive and defensive line and linebackers, it is clear that the Terrapins are looking for and landing players with upper-level size and traits. Yet, these units are very inexperienced and have had to learn a new scheme under defensive coordinator Ted Monachino.

For FAU, head coach Zach Kittley has shown the ability to morph his offense into whatever can expose the opponent and best utilize the personnel on his roster.

Defensive coordinator Brett Dewhurst has never called plays in a game setting. That leaves Maryland very much in the dark about what to expect from the Owls on that side of the ball. And, based on the sheer amount of player movement for FAU, the opposition may be left guessing who the non-Easton Messer touches will go to.

Do I think FAU wins this game? No. Maryland’s roster will likely be able to pull off the win through sheer talent alone, something they are afforded as a Big Ten team.

However, expect a great game plan from Kittley and company, resulting in a much closer game than most people expect. I see Maryland only winning by around 10 points in Week 1.

Prediction: Loss (0-1)

September 6: vs. Florida A&M Rattlers

In a complete contrast to the first game of their season, I see the Owls cruising to an easy victory against Florida A&M.

This should be the first game that FAU showcases its ability to light up scoreboards. Expect an upper-level day from Caden Velkamp and some big days from the Owls’ various wideouts.

On defense, expect to see some of the young and inexperienced defenders get their feet underneath them. In short, this should be a get-right game for the Owls ahead of what looks to be a very competitive Shula Bowl matchup against the FIU Panthers.

Prediction: Win (1-1)

September 13: at FIU Panthers

This decision definitely will not cause any controversy, right?

In all seriousness, expect this matchup between FAU and FIU to be one of the more underrated, yet exciting, early season games in 2025. Both teams have great coaches in Willie Simmons and Zach Kittley. They have fun rosters filled with talent that is mainly unproven at the college level. And, both teams have standout quarterbacks in Veltkamp and Keyone Jenkins, who will have their offenses flow through them. In many ways, FAU and FIU are very similar teams.

The edge in this game, in my opinion, will be decided on the defensive side of the ball. Specifically, the winner of this game will be able to force a few turnovers and limit the offensive production of their opposition to the point where they can dictate the terms of engagement. Can the edge rushers generate pressure? Can the defensive backs lock down the opposing wideouts? Which defensive coordinator can fool the opposing skilled offensive play caller?

I truly expect this game to be a coin flip that can go either way. But with FIU being the home team, I am leaning toward them in this matchup.

Prediction: Loss (1-2)

September 27: vs. Memphis Tigers

In a very similar fashion to the Maryland game, expect FAU to play Memphis much closer than anyone expects. However, I do think the Owls pull off the upset here.

The Owls, in their fourth game of the season, could easily expose a very inexperienced Memphis secondary that is breaking in multiple new starters. Kittley and company, with a good game plan, could have the potential to score consistently over the four quarters of the game. They could also look to take advantage the linebacker room in the same way, using their wide array of running back options to exploit weaknesses in coverage and run defense.

However, the biggest factor for this game will be the defense. By this point in the season, the talent of the Owls’ overall group will start to shine through. Back on their home turf, this will be the first game that fans, and the wider college football landscape, see what the talent on the FAU defense can become. With some timely coverage and overall solid play, the Owls open up American Conference play with a bang.

Prediction: Win (2-2)

October 4: at Rice Owls

A sneaky opponent due to their new offensive scheme, FAU could initially struggle with their fellow Owls. However, Kittley will have his team ready for the adversity of the option offense, and the defense will shut down Rice to truly seal this game. On offense, I have this week and the following week circled as big Veltkamp weeks. I just do not see how Rice has the capability to stop this offense.

Prediction: Win (3-2)

October 11: vs. UAB Blazers

Outside of the Tulsa game, this is a win that I think you can write in ink for the Owls. UAB is not good, and they are likely hiring a new head football coach after the 2025 season. FAU, whether on defense, special teams, or offense, should have no issues slaying the Blazers at home.

Prediction: Win (4-2)

October 18: at USF Bulls

If things break correctly for both teams, this showdown at Raymond James Stadium may be one of the best American Conference games of the 2025 season.

Quite frankly, expect this one to be a shootout, and it is not because I think these defenses are bad. Both Alex Golesh and Kittley will have their respective offensive units humming by this point of the season.

Veltkamp and Byrum Brown will be able to show why they are two of the more underrated quarterbacks in the country. Expect both players to have great days. Both rushing attacks could find some success in this game, just based upon the attention that the passing games will bring.

As for a result, I see USF just eeking out the victory here. And despite the loss, FAU’s reputation as one of the highest-scoring offenses in college football will continue to grow.

Prediction: Loss (4-3)

October 25: at Navy Midshipmen

After a stretch of close and competitive games, FAU’s trip to Navy may result in a very clear loss.

Returning most of their roster from a hyper-successful 2024, the Midshipmen are not in the same boat as most of college football. Their scheme is in place, the star players are still on the roster, and the entire group has the ability to grow even further with each other. Additionally, the schemes on both sides of the ball are very versatile and hard for opponents to conquer. Essentially, Navy will have a way to exploit every weakness of the Owls.

In fairness to FAU, I think this is a fate that a good handful of teams will have against Navy this season. It will be a nice reminder for this young team of the level they still need to reach, setting them up for a strong finish to the 2025 campaign.

Prediction: Loss (4-4)

November 8: vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane

If not UAB, Tulsa is arguably the worst team in the American this season. And while I do not expect a repeat of last year’s massacre to end the 2024 campaign, FAU should cruise to a victory here.

On offense, keep a close eye on the running backs in this matchup. This game could set the tone for a big finish if they can punch a less talented Golden Hurricanes group in the mouth.

Prediction: Win (5-4)

November 15: at Tulane Green Wave

The last loss that I have for the Owls this season is arguably their toughest game of the season.

Tulane is my favorite to win the American Conference in 2025. They have one of the best overall rosters in the conference, if not all of the Group of Five/Six. Tulane also has a better element of continuity than most schools at the same level. They have one of my favorite head coaches in Jon Sumrall, who has established a very good culture at the school.

On the road in a hostile environment, this game is a perfect litmus test for the Owls. And in all honesty, I think that they will play hard and make things difficult on the Green Wave. Even with a loss, I think that this game will set the tone for the end of the 2025 season and beyond.

Prediction: Loss (5-5)

November 22: vs. UConn Huskies

Despite bludgeoning the Owls in 2024, I do not think UConn will be able to do the same in 2025.

On offense, the Owls match up very well with the Huskies’ defense. This passing attack should be able to connect for some big plays. They were all there last year, but the execution was, of course, lacking for the Owls in 2024.

More importantly for this game, though, is the fact that the defense will be rolling much better at this point in the season. Brett Dewhurst’s unit should be generating pressures and locking down passing routes at a much better level, mainly due to game reps and experience from players that came into the year with very little of it.

Add in a comparable talent level and a home game for FAU, and the Owls pull off a close victory to get back to bowl eligibility for the first time since 2020.

Prediction: Win (6-5)

November 29: vs. East Carolina Pirates

East Carolina is a team that I think will slightly underachieve in 2025, mainly due to their shortcomings on defense.

Like the UConn game, expect Kittley, Veltkamp, and the rest of the offense to take advantage of the Pirates’ weakness to the fullest extent. Add in some timely defense, and I have the Owls closing out their regular season with a victory.

Prediction: Win (7-5)

FAU Football: Final Thoughts on the Schedule

It may be another year or two before they reach American contender status, but I think Zach Kittley will have FAU in a great spot after the 2025 regular season.

As a baseline, expect FAU to play teams tough. They have a creative and dynamic coaching staff that has a history of getting the most out of their players. That will come through on the field in spades. This staff also has a reputation for preparedness, which will only help the team in the marathon-like season.

The Owls’ upside comes from their talent. FAU has the positional talent to beat some of the better teams in the conference, regardless of position. This also ties into their weakness, as a lack of experienced players may result in mental mistakes or errors.

Overall, I think that FAU will fall between the 5-7 win range. They are too good to fall any below that, and I think they are one more season from being an eight-win team in the American. But no matter how you look at it, this type of season would be a great first chapter in the Zach Kittley era for the Owls.

Standout Players

Caden Veltkamp, Quarterback

The star quarterback of the team, expect a huge season from Veltkamp in 2025. After it is all said and done, he will either be a household name getting ready for a college all-star game or be readying up for an encore season to put him firmly in the 2027 NFL draft conversation in some capacity.

Kaden Shields-Dutton, Running Back

I think it’s realistic that any of the Owls’ running backs could be in store for a breakout season. But if I were going to pick one of the options, it would be Shields-Dutton. On top of his power, the second-year running back has good pass blocking ability, underrated speed, and good hands. I think that Kittley could fall in love with the running back’s skill set and give him a very large share of the touches in 2025.

Tyler Stolsky, Linebacker

A 2025 captain, Stolsky is also in store for a big season. Manning the middle of the defense, I expect the linebacker to be instrumental in holding the defense together and help the unit seal games for the Owls.

Sleeper Player

Jade Card, Wide Receiver

A favorite wideout of mine, I think Card could easily make it on the field for the Owls this season. And if he does, I do not think he will give the role back up. Keep an eye on the WR’s development in 2025.