FAU Owls soar above the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 63-16

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FAU Football, FAU Owls, Florida Atlantic University, The League Winners

To end their season, the FAU Owls put on their best performance of the year.

Facing off against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, the Owls put an absolute beatdown on their opponent. FAU dropped 63 points on their AAC rival, which was easily their most in a game this season.

Every aspect of the game for the Owls was clicking on all cylinders in Oklahoma. The offense could basically do no wrong, getting whatever yards they wanted on the ground or in the air. Their defense was stifling, whether rushing the passer or shutting down the run game.

As a result, FAU won decisively and finally notched a conference win in 2024. Who stood out and led the Owls to victory? And what comes next? Follow along as we recap, for one of the few times this season, an Owls victory!

The Offense’s Power Level is Over 9000!

The goal for FAU’s players and coaches heading into this week was to finish strong and win against Tulsa. After today’s game, it is safe to say that the Owls accomplished their goals.

Florida Atlantic posted 665 yards of total offense, split between 371 rushing yards and 294 passing yards. On the ground, the Owls were phenomenal. Between great blocking up front and great performances from the ball carriers, it felt like FAU could basically do no wrong.

As usual, running back C.J. Campbell Jr. was excellent for FAU. He had 100 yards rushing on 15 carries, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. The star running back displayed great speed, vision, and contact balance, bouncing off tacklers or running right through them. He also had 118 yards receiving, with his best play coming on a screen pass that he took 78 yards to the house.

Not to be outshined by his teammate, Xavier Terrell had 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns on two carries. On his big runs, the young running back displayed power and blazing speed to run away from the entire Tulsa defense.

Gemari Sands displayed great power and downhill speed with his touches, especially on his 22-yard touchdown. At the end of the game, Kaden Shields-Dutton showed impressive shiftiness, power, and vision as a running back. Even quarterback Tyriq Starks was effective on the ground, showcasing nice downhill power and speed when deciding to run.

In the passing game, Tyriq Starks looked very comfortable and effective. Starks ran the offense precisely how it needed to, passing for 294 yards and five touchdowns. He was great on the run and off-play action, and was relatively effective in pushing the ball deep down the field. Even when removing the big plays from Jabari Smith Jr. and Campbell, the quarterback spread the ball out very effectively.

The team’s tight ends, after not being used for the majority of the season, were some of the best players on the field for the offense. Wyatt Sullivan had a great catch in the endzone for a touchdown, while Kahlil Brantley looked very impressive on his two touchdown receptions.

After a slow season, by all extents, this was the type of performance the FAU Owls badly needed. With a strong close to the season, Florida Atlantic will have a much better idea of some of the assets they can head into the 2025 season with.

FAU Owls Bring a Stifling Defense

As good as the offense was, the defense was just as effective.

The pass rush for the Owls was extremely impressive, especially when compared to previous weeks. Multiple players, such as Jackson Ambush, Wendol Philord, and Devonta Davis, burst through the Tulsa offensive line and got sacks. On other plays, the pressure disrupted anything that the Golden Hurricane wanted to accomplish.

The coverage was just as good for FAU. Leading that charge was Daedae Hill; after a down performance against Charlotte, the defensive back had three tackles and two pass breakups. He also had an impressive pick-six, jumping a route and powering his way into the endzone for the score.

Mike Wright III also had a great performance for the Owls against Tulsa. With excellent coverage, sound tackling, and ball skills displayed on an impressive interception, Wright III showed that he is a big asset for the Owls going forward.

Just like the offense, it was very important for the Owls’ defense to finish strong this season. With an uncertain near-term future, especially regarding the coaching staff,  it is good that FAU likely has some pieces to utilize on the defense.

A Crisp Gameplan

Great game plans elevate great players, and that was the case for FAU on Saturday.

On offense, the game plan combined last week’s power-run focus with the spread elements that the Owls have relied upon all season. The result? FAU consistently put itself in advantageous situations and stayed ahead of the sticks. They ripped off chunk plays and kept the Golden Hurricanes off balance.

On defense, there was obviously much more execution than earlier in the season. However, the Owls also ran some blitzes differently from what they ran in previous weeks. FAU sent linebackers at different times while also utilizing A-gap and edge blitzes. The different combinations allowed the Owls to keep Tulsa in check all game long.

It remains to be seen what direction everything will soon head for the Owls. However, this type of performance shows that there still might be some potential in the current staff for the Owls.

What’s Next?

With no bowl game in sight, the FAU Owls will now prepare for the early signing window. And as they continue their coaching search, they will also have to prepare for the upcoming transfer portal window.

The path ahead for Florida Atlantic is very unclear, and they will likely have to decide soon. But whatever decision they make, it must be made with great care. Otherwise, FAU could end up in a similar spot to where it is right now.

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