Sometimes, all you can do is move forward. That is the mentality the FAU Owls needs to have this week. Florida Atlantic suffered a crushing defeat to the North Texas Mean Green, choking a double digit lead in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. It puts the Owls in a very precarious position for the remainder of the 2024 season.
However, they cannot focus on the distant future. The Owls must worry about their next opponent, who happens to be very talented.
While the UTSA Roadrunners are 2-4, they still sport one of the more talented rosters in the AAC. They have a strong presence in the trenches and the capability to put points on the board in bunches. As a result, the Owls will likely have their hands full on Saturday.
How can they overcome an extremely talented opponent? Can they build upon their offensive performance last week?
Follow along as we preview the Owls’ conference matchup against the Roadrunners!
FAU Owls vs. UTSA Roadrunners Game History
In their very short matchup history, the Owls have the advantage over the Roadrunners.
FAU holds a 3-1 matchup advantage over UTSA, as their matchup history reflects the short history of both programs. The Owls started off 3-0 in their first three meetings against the Roadrunners, with the most recent win coming in 2020 by a score of 24-3.
However, UTSA has had the last laugh up to this point. Meeting in 2023, the Owls were trounced at home by UTSA by a score of 36-10. This 2024 matchup will only be the second game of the series UTSA has hosted, with the first occasion happening back in 2019.
Important FAU Quotes
During his media availability, head coach Tom Herman provided an injury update for the Owls. Herman revealed that starting quarterback Cam Fancher, who had his best game of the season against North Texas, suffered a significant injury to his toe.
“Cam Fancher, as we found out after the game, has a pretty significant turf toe injury. His status for this weekend is in question. He tried to do a few things today and was out and in a boot yesterday. He looked OK today, but I will get some further reports. I would call him day-to-day, but the MRI showed some damage down there.”
If Fancher cannot go, Herman said that Casen Weisman would be the starting quarterback. He also revealed that Tryriq Starks has been cleared to play and would backup Weisman if Fancher cannot go.
Additionally, Herman said that wide receiver Milan Tucker has a precursor to a stress factor.
“It was a pain that kind of jumped up and bit him. He had a sore foot for a couple of weeks, but it had not really bothered him. He felt a pretty good twinge on the one long catch he had, and the MRI showed what it showed.”
Daughtry Richardson got his cast off, according to Herman, and should be available to play offensive line for the Owls.
The head coach then spoke about being “excited for another go-around” this weekend.
“Everyone in our program wanted the outcome from this past Saturday night to be different. But, every day I preach to our players about attacking every rep and every second of every day to go 1-0. Worrying about the steps to success and not the result. For us to show the improvement that we did against a 5-1 North Texas team, that deserves mention. They have put themselves on the doorstep of success.”
Herman did mention that, after reaching the doorstep, the next step is to “kick the door in” and find consistent success by “learning how to finish” and “always be at our best.”
Regarding the wide receiver room, Herman said that Omari Hayes has “stood out” and that Jabari Smith is a player who “continues to earn the trust” of the coaching staff through his work ethic.
Herman also praised the development of tight end Wyatt Sullivan and compared him to someone who can “walk and chew gum” at the same time.
“To see him transform into the player he is now and seeing the ceiling he still has left has been fun to watch and be a part of…the biggest part of the development has been Wyatt. If he continues this trajectory of improvement, we are going to have something really, really good.”
In terms of UTSA prep, Herman said that they “present a different challenge,” mentioning that they have two all-conference defensive tackles and eight returning starters. The head coach also said that he sees UTSA as a “very similar program” and spoke about the challenge that the Roadrunners present.
“I told our guys on Monday that UTSA’s physicality stands out. We are not scared of them, but they are a different animal compared to North Texas.”
Key Players: FAU Owls
- Casen Weisman, Quarterback: If Cam Fancher is active this weekend, slot him into this spot. But if Fancher cannot play with his turf toe injury, Weisman will have a lot on his shoulders on Saturday. UTSA offers ample opportunity to have success in the passing game; they are seventh-worst in the country with 284.3 passing yards allowed per game and 11th-worst with 2.2 passing touchdowns allowed per game. The Colorado transfer has the talent and pedigree to succeed at the college level, and against a pass-funnel defense in UTSA, FAU needs Weisman to be on his A-game.
- Jabari Smith Jr., Wide Receiver: Another player that could be slotted here is running back C.J Campbell Jr., who has displayed top-notch dual-threat ability in the past few weeks. But if FAU wants to consistently put up points, they need a reliable No. 2 wideout to step up. While young and inexperienced, Smith needs to be the player that steps up to the task. He had a great performance against North Texas, posting 30 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. Smith Jr. has the skill set and route running to make a difference against all opponents, especially as an outside receiver. If he can produce alongside Omari Hayes and the rest of the offense, Smith Jr. can help the Owls’ offense continue to roll.
- Kahzir “Buggs” Brown & Daedae Hill, Cornerbacks: On defense, the FAU Owls must find a way to shut down the Roadrunners’ passing attack. And ultimately, it falls on the team’s cornerback duo to carry most of that weight. UTSA quarterback Owen McCown already has 10 passing touchdowns in the season and just under 1,300 passing yards. The Roadrunners have a clear No. 1 wideout in Devin McCuin and multiple other contributors on offense. FAU will allow yards in the middle of the field during this game, as their linebackers and safeties are weak points in coverage. The key factor, though, will be if the outside cornerbacks can slow down the receivers. FAU will have a great shot to win if they can, but they could be facing a blowout if UTSA executes similarly to North Texas.
Key Players: UTSA Roadrunners
- Devin McCuin, Wide Receiver: The clear favorite of quarterback McCown, McCuin has a tall task ahead of him against the Owls. Between the ball-hawking Brown and Hill for FAU, the Roadrunners’ wideout is likely facing his toughest challenge outside of when the team played Texas. If he can’t create consistent separation, UTSA may be stuck in a rut. If he can make big plays, though, the Roadrunners will have a great chance to put up a large number of points on the board.
- Brevin Randle, Linebacker: FAU is going to look to run the ball early and often. Randle enters Week 8 as UTSA’s best run defender, having an 84.3 PFF run defense grade. He also has 17 defensive stops, placing him second on the team. Essentially, the Roadrunners need to force FAU into obvious passing situations and shut down the opposition’s rushing attack. If Randle does his job, UTSA has a great chance to do just that.
- Owen McCown, Quarterback: McCown’s placement is more for his running, not his passing. It is obvious that UTSA needs the quarterback to pass well, especially considering most of the offense follows through him. However, McCown offers high-end dual-threat ability. If he can rip off a few chunk runs and exploit the over-aggressiveness of the FAU Owls defense, UTSA should be able to put up points and likely win the ball game.
FAU Owls Keys to Victory
As always, here are the keys to victory for the FAU Owls against the UTSA Roadrunners.
- Shut down the quarterback run: Florida Atlantic has yet to stop the quarterback run properly. Whether it was Army, UConn, or North Texas last week, the Owls have consistently lost containment and let quarterbacks run wild. They cannot let Owen McCown do that for UTSA this weekend; there needs to be an emphasis on staying in rush lanes and playing smart. Otherwise, UTSA will get easy yards and will have a much easier time putting points up on the board.
- Build off the passing game success: The offensive performance against North Texas cannot be a mirage. FAU, regardless of who is at quarterback, must build upon its success from last week. It must add more motion, continue to utilize the tight ends, and put its players in advantageous positions with the play-calling.
- Secure Tackles: Missed tackles have been a bugaboo for the Owls. There could be a whole long diatribe about this aspect, but I’ll keep it simple. If the Owls fix their issues and tackle soundly, they have an excellent shot to win the game. If they do not, they risk getting blown out at the Alamo Dome. At this point, it is up to FAU to decide what route they want to take.
