Boca Raton, FL — To put it lightly, the FAU Owls snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on Saturday night.
The Owls had put together one of the more impressive games of their 2024 season until the waning moments of the fourth quarter. Quarterback Cam Fancher was surgical and elusive, making big play after big play down the field with his arm and legs. C.J. Campbell Jr. showed that he is a budding star at running back, racking up receiving and rushing yards all night. The defense even made a few key plays, specifically a Jackson Ambush interception.
However, it simply was not enough. North Texas’s high-flying offense found a way to break through, and the Owls ran out of gas late in the fourth quarter.
How did this occur? How did the Owls choke away what seemed to be a game all set in stone? And where do they go from here?
Those are the questions I will attempt to solve. Follow along as I recap the events that transpired in FAU’s crushing 41-37 loss to North Texas.
An offensive breakthrough for the FAU Owls
The biggest positive to come out of Saturday night’s game was the performance of the Owls’ offense.
For the first time this season, the offense was clicking right from the beginning of the game. Fancher was in total command of the offense, having 22 completions on 30 attempts for 351 yards and three touchdowns.
He consistently evaded pressure, found open receivers down the field, and converted countless first downs for the Owls’ offense. Fancher also provided great value in the running game, racking up 69 yards on 15 attempts. He looked fast, elusive, and picked up dirty yards for the offense.
TD Owls. Fancher sits in the pocket and lofts a great pass to Jabari Smith, who does a great job getting his foot down. The QB continues his great game, and the Owls take the lead 24-17. #FAU pic.twitter.com/qSnecUMOP7
— Brandyn Pokrass (@BPok24) October 13, 2024
It was not all Fancher for the offense, though.
Running back C.J. Campbell Jr. continued to turn into a star, do-it-all player for the FAU Owls. He had 89 rushing yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.9 yards per carry in the process. He broke multiple tackles and consistently churned out nice runs for the Owls.
What was more impressive was Campbell’s pass-catching prowess. The former Florida State product caught six passes for 74 yards, slotting in as having the most receptions for the Owls and the second-highest receiving total. He showed that he could do it all for the Owls, whether on the ground or in the air.
TD Owls! Campbell runs right, breaks a tackle, and cruises into the end zone. Big play from the skilled RB after the turnover, and FAU extends their lead to 34-24.
— Brandyn Pokrass (@BPok24) October 13, 2024
Omari Hayes continued solidifying himself as the best wideout on the Owls, racking up 89 yards and a touchdown on five receptions. Tight end Wyatt Sullivan had a breakout performance with 71 yards on three receptions, while Jabari Smith had another good game with 30 yards and a touchdown.
Saturday’s performance was the first glimpse at what the Owls’ offense can be at its best. They showed that they could hit big plays while also running a methodical and consistent scheme. Quite frankly, it was the best sign to come out of the crushing defeat. FAU will now try to make sure that the performance was not a fluke when they travel to San Antonio next weekend to take on UTSA.
Defensive silver linings?
Before I get to the defensive criticisms, I wanted to highlight some silver linings from the performance.
Outside of one touchdown each they gave up, Kahzir “Buggs” Brown and Daedae Hill did a very good job covering the boundaries for the Owls. North Texas consistently respected the cornerback duo in this game, rarely running passing plays directed at them. On the occasions they did, though, the Mean Green rarely found success.
Additionally, Jackson Ambush had a great interception that should have sealed the game. Wendol Philord was the team’s best tackler, while CJ Heard had another good game at safety. Wilky Denuad consistently got after the passer while being on the field.
The Owls’ defense did not perform well overall on Saturday night, but they still had some standouts.
New week, same issues
On the whole, though, the FAU Owls defense simply did not step up to the task.
For large stretches of the game, the Owls could not handle the pace in which the Mean Green played. North Texas consistently had open space in the flats for its receivers, contributing to a large chunk of its passing yardage. The middle of the field was consistently wide open, giving quarterback Chandler Morris easy targets and completions. The Owls also allowed multiple big runs right through the middle of their defense.
It is yet another week where the middle of the Owls’ defense has cost them. The team’s defensive line cannot shut down the running game, whether up the middle or outside. Teams are easily finding space when they need to, ripping off chunk plays and touchdowns in the process.
Additionally, offenses have learned not to test Brown or Hill outside consistently. There is plenty of space to exploit FAU’s linebackers and safeties in the passing game; their communication is not sound, and they often play over-aggressively. This allows them to lull the defense to sleep, eventually hitting the one rare big play they need on the outside cornerbacks or prey upon the backups that have rotated in.
Things were not perfect on offense either, though. Some play calls were very questionable, even though the total product vastly improved. Pass protection and blitz pickup struggled at times, too, although Fancher’s athleticism allowed FAU to avoid the big losses.
It feels like things have shifted for the FAU Owls. With the offense finding their footing, the defense has started to slip. To win ball games in a tough American Athletic Conference, the Owls need complementary football, and fast.
A coaching failure on third down
The worst coaching decision of the game was the most pivotal one.
Leading 37-34, Florida Atlantic faced a critical third down. North Texas had no timeouts, there were two minutes left on the clock, and the Owls had nine yards to gain.
The play-call seemed clear; FAU would run the ball, get the clock as low as possible, and then give North Texas as little time as possible to score points. It would allow them to try to ice the game while not giving the Mena Green a proper chance to score.
What decision did FAU make? They ran a bubble screen, saw Jabari Smith drop it, and then saw the clock stop at 1:55 in the fourth quarter. Instead of milking more time, Herman and the Owls gave an explosive offense, essentially two minutes to get into field goal range.
I don’t know about that decision for the Owls. Hate throwing the ball in that spot and now North Texas has PLENTY of time to just get a FG. #FAU
— Brandyn Pokrass (@BPok24) October 13, 2024
North Texas then broke off a 27-yard return to their own 47-yard line, which then saw a predictable result unfold. The Mean Green hit star wideout DT Sheffield on a quick screen for a 19-yard gain, immediately getting them into field goal range. Running back Shane Porter then ran up the middle for a 34-yard gain on the next play, setting up North Texas at the goal line for what would become the game-winning touchdown.
It was a poor, ill-advised decision from the FAU Owls. Most of all, it illustrates a big problem that has arisen for the team this season: not only does the roster on offense and defense have questions, but the coaching staff and their decision are contributing to the Owls’ losing ways.
What’s next?
The FAU Owls will travel to San Antonio to take on the UTSA Roadrunners. It will be another big test for the Owls in the American Athletic Conference and will go a long way toward determining if FAU can become bowl-eligible in 2024.
