FAU vs. Tulsa 2025 Recap: Owls Benefit from Turnovers in 40-21 Blowout Victory

Facing off against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, the Owls won the game by a score of 40-21. The offense had an impressive day, finding big plays and consistency through the air and on the ground. Defensively, the Owls let up a good chunk of yards, but made the big plays when they counted. FAU forced key turnovers, held strong in the red zone, and ultimately found a way to get this game over the finish line. With that in mind, let’s get into this FAU vs. Tulsa 2025 recap.

FAU vs. Tulsa 2025 College Football Recap

Things were not perfect for the Owls on Saturday, but most of the time, perfection is not possible. The important thing, though, is that FAU secured a win after some tough sledding in their previous matchups. They found a way to fix some of their biggest woes, weather the storm that has sunk them in previous weeks, and improve upon their strengths. In short, the Owls made progress.

With four wins on the season now, FAU still has a chance at bowl eligibility. And with a tough slate of Tulane, UConn, and East Carolina approaching, the Owls need to make sure that their great performance becomes a trend, not a blip on the radar.

Veltkamp and KSD Power the Offense

As the season has unfolded, one thing has essentially become fact for the FAU Owls: Caden Veltkamp is a star.

Before leaving the game due to reaggravating his shoulder injury, Veltkamp threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns on a completion percentage of 72.0. He was decisive, accurate, and on-time for the vast majority of his throws. Veltkamp was also in full control of the offensive scheme at the line of scrimmage. Head coach Zach Kittley, in his press conference, said he did not call the first two touchdown passes to Easton Messer.

“Those are all Caden attacking what he sees, and that is the beauty of it. That’s why I love this offense so much.”

The most impressive thing, though, was the sheer pinpoint accuracy of Veltkamp deep down the field. The quarterback was throwing perfect footballs to a variety of targets. Defensive backs had no chance to make a play on the ball, and his wideouts were able to secure the catch more often than not. Veltkamp recorded five big-time throws against the Golden Hurricane. It was another step forward for the quarterback, who, despite less-than-ideal situations at times, continues to carry this FAU offense.

A quarterback cannot succeed without reliable targets, though, and FAU had plenty step up for Veltkamp in this game.

The aforementioned Messer balled out once again for the Owls, recording six receptions for 83 yards and three touchdowns. He was explosive, shifty, and reliable in a variety of ways for FAU’s offense. Messer was a force in the short yardage game, created separation downfield, and constantly got open in the red zone. There is a reason that Veltkamp trusts Messer to the extent that he does. And, against the Golden Hurricane, that trust more than paid off.

Outside of Messer, Jayshon Platt continued to be an explosive play waiting to happen. The wideout’s 47-yard score was a play of his own creation. Catching the ball in space, Platt made a defender miss and raced into the end zone for the score. He also showed off the deep speed and contested catch ability throughout the game, making big plays over the middle of the field and down the sideline.

Asaad Waseem, while quiet in the first half, owned an entire drive by himself out of halftime. Registering four receptions for 57 yards, the Colorado transfer could not be covered by Tulsa as a route runner or a ball carrier. Branden Hoch also popped for the Owls today, too. On his two targets, the freshman made a great third-down catch on a sick ball from Veltkamp, followed by a reception where he used his strength to power for eight yards.

As much as Veltkamp was a star in the passing game, running back Kaden Shields-Dutton was a star in the run game.

On 10 carries, Shields-Dutton notched 107 yards, good for his first-ever 100-yard game. He constantly ran with power, vision, and explosiveness throughout the game. Even on the runs that did not create chunk plays, the running back always made sure to get downhill and keep things moving for the Owls. Additionally, he did not allow a single pressure as a pass blocker on six attempts, continuing his ascent as an all-around player.

One of the best plays of the game was the 50-yard run that Shields-Dutton had. Seemingly caught behind the line of scrimmage, the running back broke through a plethora of tackles to flip the field and set up FAU inside the red zone.

Between the C(K)adens and the wideouts, FAU truly has the firepower to go up against any defense from a playmaking perspective. The question is usually about the offensive line, and at least in this game, they held up very well against the Golden Hurricane. Only one offensive lineman allowed multiple pressures in the game, and the unit as a whole only allowed one sack.

If this unit continues to mesh together, led by Veltkamp and Shields-Dutton, I truly am excited about what they could do on offense down the stretch. Health will play a huge factor, but if all is right, FAU could be a fun watch to finish 2025.

The Defense Finally Finds Turnovers and a Pass Rush

FAU’s defense was not what you would call stellar on Saturday(more on that in a bit), but the Owls did more than enough to secure a three-score victory over Tulsa. How did that come about? The Owls, at long last, found turnovers and a pass rush.

On the first drive of the game, cornerback Terez Reid caught a very errant pass to record the Owls’ first interception of the 2025 season. He only built upon his game from there, playing lockdown coverage and also recording a key PBU late in the game.

In the second quarter, the Owls struck again with a key turnover. On a handoff to Ajay Allen, linebacker Zyere Horton forced a massive fumble, which was then picked up by cornerback Damarius McGhee. The Kansas transfer then proceeded to speed past any possible tackler for a scoop-and-score, extending the lead to 24-6 right before halftime.

Add in multiple occasions where the Owls forced a turnover on downs and it is clear that FAU’s defense finally found a way to play up to their competition when it mattered most. Unlike past games, they bent, but did not break, under offensive pressure. More times than not, the Owls found a way to stave off the Golden Hurricane and hold onto the lead that the offense built. And, as it turns out, a major reason for that was the FAU pass rush coming alive.

Deshaun Batiste led the charge for the Owls’ defensive line, notching three pressures and two sacks. he operated with not only power, but great bend around the edge to help force the Tulsa quarterback to escape the pocket. Batiste truly set the tone for the Owls, and unlike previous games, they followed his lead.

Josh Roberts had an impressive sack late in the fourth quarter, along with some other nice pressures and run defense reps. Bryce Langston was seemingly in the backfield all day, causing legitimate havoc for the Tulsa defensive line on early downs and late downs. Tycoolhill Luman and Wilky Denaud contributed as well, with Denaud having one of the more impressive pass rush reps of the day.

Most surprisingly, Damon Allen showed real chops as a pass rusher. Recording a team-leading four pressures, the defensive back utilized his same speed and athleticism from coverage to challenge the Tulsa offensive line. However, he needs to make sure not to fly over the quarterback’s head next time he gets free on a blitz.

In coverage and the run game, Tylser Stolsky and Leon Hart Jr. were massive for the Owls. Both linebackers flew all around the field, stopping plays before big gains occurred and limiting the explosiveness of the Golden Hurricane. Stolsky and Hart each had double-digit tackles on the day, at least three run stops, and mostly limited the damage in the passing game when targeted.

Jayden Sweeney was also critical for the defense, as he contributed to every aspect of the game for FAU. He registered six tackles, two pass breakups, and two quarterback hits on the day. And outside of Sweeney, players like Mike Wright III, Derrick Rogers, and Chris Keys Jr. stepped up when needed in the secondary for FAU.

Progress is great for FAU as they needed a game where they got after the passer and forced turnovers consistently. However, the real test is waiting in New Orleans.

FAU has not done well over four quarters against quality opponents in 2025; they start fast, hit a lull, come back up for air, and then completely falter. If the Owls can carry this momentum into their game against Tulane and beyond, there will be plenty of optimism from my end.

Zach Gipson Saves the Day

For all of the positivity in this article, things could have been a lot different in this game. Early in the fourth quarter, Caden Veltkamp was injured on a speed option play that set up fourth down. With FAU only winning 34-21 at the time, it felt like this was the break to fully put Tulsa back into this game. They had been building some momentum, and with another score, Tulsa would be within a touchdown of the Owls.

However, the most unlikely scenario happened: Zach Gibson saved the day.

On a key fourth and short, Zach Kittley dialed up a risky flea-flicker for the backup quarterback. Gibson proceeded to make a perfect throw to Jayshon Platt on a post to get the Owls in the red zone. On the very next play, Gibson threw a perfect back shoulder ball to Easton Messer, giving the wideout his third touchdown and the Owls a three-score lead once again.

Not only was this drive impressive for Gibson, but it also saved the game for the Owls. There is no guarantee that FAU staves off Tulsa for the rest of the fourth quarter without that score. The Golden Hurricane were gaining the momentum, and FAU was set to be without their best offensive player.

This stretch proved the importance of Gibson to the team, as he provides a high-floor player who can still execute the offense if Veltkamp has to leave a game. If the star quarterback cannot go against the Green Wave next week, the FAU head coach is more than fine with letting Gibson rip it all over the field, too.

Issues Still Appear Under the Surface

Even with the win, Florida Atlantic still has some issues to rectify. And they need to be fixed very quickly before the Tulane game.

Ajay Allen had a breakout performance against FAU, rumbling for 118 yards and a touchdown on the ground while notching seven receptions for 67 yards. He consistently found space, broke tackles, and created chunk plays for the Golden Hurricane.

Additionally, quarterback Baylor Hayes was lethal as a runner in this game. While also taking some brutal sacks, the quarterback had multiple plays where he scrambled for big gains or had designed option runs that went for solid yardage.

Offensively, the Owls still had too many run plays stuffed as they were trying to wind the clock down in the third and fourth quarter. Due to Tulsa flying into the backfield or simply beating the FAU offensive line, the Owls had multiple drives where they quickly went three-and-out. These drives did not necessarily result in touchdowns for the opponent. However, they created a path for Tulsa to claw its way firmly back into the game from a considerable deficit.

Against a team like Tulsa, these mistakes can be overcome. A great offensive showing for 95-percent of the game and big-time turnovers forced by the defense can help stave off the absolute worst-case scenario.

But against Tulane, UConn, and East Carolina, that will not fly. These teams have mobile quarterbacks, talented running backs, and defenses that are opportunistic. They, unlike Tulsa, have the capability to bury FAU if they make similar mistakes or have similar struggles against them.

Luckily for the Owls, they have time to prepare for their next opponents. If they want to make a bowl game, FAU has to find a way to limit the run game over four quarters and get their “chew-clock” offense on track. If they do not, they may not escape another game like tonight with a victory.

NFL Draft Stock Watch

Vincent Fiacable, C – FAU

Maybe it is not for this class, but circle Fiacable as a center to know for whenever he declares for the draft. In his first season with real playing time, the center has allowed two total pressures and zero sacks this season. He is playing up to competition as well, as his best PFF pass blocking grade of 84.9 came against the USF Bulls.

In the run game, Fiacable has ranged from solid-to-good. There is a reason that a good handful of big runs for the Owls go through the interior of the offensive line. It’ll be interesting to see how Fiacable continues to develop and grow as a player. If he stays on this trajectory, one of the best centers in the country could reside in Boca Raton.

Ajay Allen, RB – Tulsa

Allen exploded for 118 yards and a touchdown on the ground while notching seven receptions for 67 yards. He forced four missed tackles and had three runs of 10 yards or more. Allen displayed great speed, burst, and strength in this game. He knew when to bounce runs outside, attack downhill, or make a critical cut.

As a pass-catcher, he displayed soft hands and reliability in the flat as a playmaker. Without his goal line fumble, there is a chance this is a perfect game for Allen in a Tulsa win. Allen  needs to continue to make strides to finish the year. If he does, he could set himself up for a fun draft process, if he even declares.