It’s now or never for the FAU Owls football team. Florida Atlantic did not have a great start to their 2024 season by any stretch of the imagination. They struggled heavily against Army and UConn, narrowly lost to Michigan State, and decisively beat Wagner and Florida International.
The defense has looked outstanding at times, as Jackson Ambush, Daedae Hill, and Kahzir “Buggs” Brown are having a great season. However, the team’s rushing defense has faced its fair share of issues and has been torn up multiple times this season. The offense has looked inept for the majority of the season, struggling to consistently move the ball in the air or on the ground.
At 2-3, though, the Owls are nowhere near being a dead bird. If they can perform well during a relatively light American Athletic Conference schedule, bowl eligibility and a successful season are still very much on the table.
The first team in their way, though, is set to be an extremely difficult challenge. The Mean Green of North Texas are flying high to start the 2024 season and bring one of the best offenses in college football to Boca Raton this weekend.
How do the Owls stack up to the Mean Green? Can they notch their first AAC victory of the season? Follow along with this week’s game preview to find out all you need to know about FAU’s Week 7 matchup.
FAU Owls vs. North Texas Mean Green Matchup History
In the history of both Florida Atlantic and North Texas programs, the Owls have a slight lead historically.
Through 14 games played, FAU holds an 8-6 record over the Mean Green. However, the Owls are 2-2 in the last four matchups they have played. North Texas defeated FAU 45-28 in 2022 and 41-38 in 2021. FAU’s last victory came in 2017, when the Owls won a home matchup against the Mean Green by a score of 41-17.
Important Quotes
Regarding their matchup with North Texas, head coach Tom Herman spoke a good amount about quarterback Chandler Morris.
“They’re four and one, led mostly by their offense. Chandler Morris at quarterback, a young man that I saw in high school, was a heck of a player in high school, was a big-time recruit; and [I] got a ton of respect for his dad, former head coach at SMU, Arkansas offensive coordinator at Clemson, Chad Morris. They are a football family. Morris is a smart dude back there taking snaps for you; he has 16 touchdowns in five games. By my math, that’s over three a game. But he has thrown, you know, six picks, so that’s over one a game. So we’ve got to disrupt him at the end of the day,” said Herman.
“If he has a good day, we won’t have a good day. We need to make sure that, one, we cover the guys really well, but two, that he feels that kind of pressure. I said on the TV show that I’ve been around some really, really good quarterbacks and had to coach against some, too. None of them can throw it from their back, and very few of them can throw it at their best when guys are breathing down their necks. So he’s the key defensively. We’ve got to make him feel uncomfortable, and part of that is making sure guys aren’t open down the field,”
Regarding the quarterback position, Herman said Cameron Fancher is healthy and fully cleared to play. He also made it clear that the team is sticking with him.
“Cam’s been getting the majority. I think we’re left with a much more comfortable feeling if we needed to call Kasen [Weisman] since, number one, his readiness, and then two, kind of us know what he’s capable of too.”
FAU Owls cornerback Daedae Hill also spoke about preparing for the North Texas matchup.
“We know we have a tough one coming in. They like to throw the ball, and they are going to challenge us. We have a big emphasis on just being intentional at practice, knowing what we are going to get, and locking into our keys and details every play. We already know it is going to be a bit challenging, but we need to go out there and be intentional with every rep.”
Key Players: FAU Owls
- Wendol Philord, Cornerback: In reality, the entire back seven of the Owls’ defense could be listed here. North Texas quarterback Chandler Morris has already thrown for more than 1,600 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. The Mean Green is predicated on pushing the ball down the field and making things happen in the air. The reason Philord gets the nod over Brown and Hill, though, is because of wideout DT Sheffield. The explosive North Texas wideout has 317 yards and five touchdowns, utilizing high-end YAC ability to make plays. Philord’s tackling and coverage are heavily needed this weekend. If he can come through, the Owls will have a chance to slow down North Texas.
- Cam Fancher, Quarterback: One might be saying, “Brandyn, you always put Fancher or the quarterback down here. This is a cop-out.” And while that would be true in most situations, the matchup FAU has in front of them is great for the Owls offense. North Texas ranks 113th out of 134 qualified schools in points per game, allowing 32.2 on average. They are allowing an average of 265.6 yards per game and over two passing touchdowns per game. In other words, they are abysmal defending the pass. With a bye week and a reset for the offense, there is no reason they cannot take advantage of this opportunity. If it does not happen now for Fancher, it most likely never will.
- Chris Jones, Edge Rusher: Along with a high-powered passing attack, North Texas will bring a rushing attack averaging 5.2 yards per carry. The Mean Green have struggled at times in run blocking, and if Jones can take advantage of a mismatch, he could help put North Texas in obvious passing situations.
Key Players: North Texas Mean Green
- DT Sheffield, Wide Receiver: Best on best. Just as Philord and the Owls’ secondary needs to come through for them to win, Sheffield will be key if North Texas wants to win the game. He is a main part of the North Texas passing attack, and with prior success in 2024, Sheffield will have multiple opportunities against the Owls on Saturday.
- Evan Jackson, Safety: The owner of the best PFF coverage grade on the team, Jackson has a chance to single-handedly flip the game against the Owls. Jackson will have the ability to utilize his ball-hawk skills and increase his interception total. He will also be called upon to defend against the downfield shots Tom Herman will likely want to dial-up. If Jackson plays at his best, he can be a huge asset for the Mean Green.
- Jayden Hill, Safety: Jackson’s running mate will also have a huge role to play against the Owls. As a run-defender, Hill has a great PFF grade (76.4), nine defensive stops, and 25 tackles. With the Owls wanting to run the football, Hill also has a chance to be a game-wrecker on Saturday.
FAU’s Blueprint for Victory
If the FAU Owls are to start their conference slate on the right foot, they have to execute a few specific things.
- Play with aggression: North Texas is not known for its defense. Herman, Fancher, and the rest of the offense need to start fast and have an aggressive game plan. The Owls cannot be sluggish out of the gate; instead, they must try to put up points fast and hit North Texas in the mouth. If they can accomplish that, they can let their defense play with a lead and have a better shot to win.
- Rely on the cornerback talent: Similarly to the offense, the defense cannot be afraid to take chances. The Owls must trust Hill, Brown, and Philord to shut down North Texas’s wideouts during the game. They have the talent to compete with anyone in the conference. And as a result, they should be given the chance to execute during the game. This would give the Owls’ defense more versatility; and, in a best-case scenario, a possible turnover that could swing the game.
- Avoid the crushing mistakes: FAU has gotten away with a lack of discipline in the past weeks, but that will not work in conference play. The Owls must play a clean game in terms of penalties and mistakes, specifically turnovers. Fancher cannot give back the ball on poor decisions, just as the offensive line must not kill drives with penalties. On defense, the secondary must not be as grabby, and the overall unit must avoid any late shoving. If the penalties are reduced or eliminated for the Owls, they will be in the best possible position to win.
