BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University football team (5-6, 4-3 C-USA) will host its final home game of the 2022 season this Saturday. The Owls will host Western Kentucky University (7-5, 5-2 C-USA) in a game scheduled to kickoff at noon and to be aired on CBSSN.
FAU holds a 9-4 all-time record versus WKU, which is the alma mater of Hagerty Head Football Coach Willie Taggart.
Prior to the game, the Owls will honor those playing in their last home game, several of which have represented FAU for an unprecedented six seasons. Saturday’s game theme is Military Appreciation.
A group of WWII Veterans will join the Owls, fans, band and spirit team at the Owl Walk. Fans are encouraged to come early to honor and thank those who have served and protected this great nation.
All veterans and current military personnel and their immediate families are invited to a pregame tailgate, taking place on the Stadium’s Southside Lawn. Complimentary tickets are available for veterans and active military and families. To redeem visit HERE and choose promo code ‘faumilitaryappreciation to claim your tickets.
Other celebratory events taking place include FAU Police Captain Larry Irvin, who served in the Air Force, honoring America with the National Anthem, a fly over, and fans will serve as witness for the formal swearing ceremony of future members of the U.S. Army.
The game, slated for noon, will air on CBSSN while Ken LaVicka and Kris Bartels will have the call for Fox Sports South Florida.
QUOTABLE
Haggerty Head Football Coach Willie Taggart
On what went wrong against Middle Tennessee
“Pretty much everything you can think of went wrong. We didn’t play that well in all three phases. We didn’t coach well and got the results behind that. We’re very disappointed. We had a great week of practice. Our football team has been getting better each week and I know that our guys can go out and perform a lot better than what we did. I’m very disappointed that we played the way that we played. We definitely didn’t play the way we are capable of or that we have seen our team play the previous two games.”
On fighting for bowl eligibility against Western Kentucky
“We have to play like our lives depend on it. Like I told our guys, ‘It’s test taking time.’ It’s going to test what’s inside all of us. We have to coach better and play better. I do believe in this football team, and I do believe we’ll come out and play better than what we did last weekend. That was an anomaly. We have to play our best. This is a really good football team coming in here. The one thing we’re going to have to do more than anything is we have to do a better job of tackling – tackling in space. We’re going to see a lot of the same things from Western that we saw in the Middle Tennessee game. And then offensively, we have to be consistent when it comes to executing and scoring touchdowns. Against Western, you can’t just get field goals, you have to score touchdowns because of their offense.”
On pressure entering this week
“We want to send our seniors out the right way. But that’s the beauty of it too, we have an opportunity to do that at home, a great opportunity to go out and accomplish that against a good opponent.”
On Western Kentucky’s QB Austin Reed
“He has a very strong arm, quick release, and he has some very talented receivers out there, and a good o-line. He has everything you need to be a good QB: he has the weapons, protection, arm strength, and knowledge of their offense. We have to do a great job when it comes to covering their receivers, rushing their passer, and doing a great of lining up because they play with tempo. That’s why they get you a lot of time on explosive plays.”
On Western Kentucky’s d-line
“They’re pretty big up front and so they push the pocket. We have to hold up and get the ball out and then our guys have to do something with it once we get it out to them.”
On the importance of becoming bowl eligible this season
“It’s very important that we get this for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, for our seniors, guys like Nick Weber who has played so much and done so much for our program. It would be great for him to leave with a bowl game. And for our program and where we’re going, it’s big to continue to build on that as we move into the future. Last game of the year, we always want to win that game, so the importance level is sky high for this football team. Our guys and our coaches are fired up about the challenges we have in front of us.”
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
FAU Coaches Radio Show
For free mobile listening of all game broadcasts and coaches shows, FAU fans can download the Varsity Network app for iPhone or Android. The app features instant access to free gameday audio streams and the ability for fans to receive push notifications to remind them of games starting or upcoming audio broadcasts. Local fans can tune in to Hubbard Radio (Fox Sports South Florida 640 AM) to follow the team.
FAU Television Inside the Owls Burrow
This week’s show will include a sit down with Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart. Show host and producer Frank Forte will review last week’s loss at Middle Tennessee and the all-important matchup at home this Saturday versus Western Kentucky.
The show, which airs on Bally Sports Florida at 11:30 a.m. on both Thursday and Saturday will feature defensive end Chris Jones in its “Football in Paradise” segment. Fans will meet punter Riley Thompson to learn about his journey from Australia, plus a special “Pads Off” with defensive tackle Latrell Jean, who takes the mic to learn about fellow defensive lineman Decarius Hawthorne.
TICKETS
To purchase FAU tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE or HERE. Call the FAU ticket office, today, to secure your tickets. Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through football’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball.
