| 9/9/2025 | Football BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic football team was a little lighter in its step after delivering Hagerty Family Head Coach Zach Kittley his first win with a 56-14 victory over Florida A&M, last Saturday. But clearly on Tuesday, the Owls were focused on preparing for their next challenge: Florida International and Shula Bowl XXIII, slated for this Saturday, at 6 p.m. and airing on ESPN+. With the two teams meeting annually at alternating sites, FAU will head to FIU’s home field in 2025 after capturing the trophy with a convincing 38-20 victory in Boca Raton in 2024. Coach Kittley, in his first season as the Hagerty Family Head Football Coach, carries the mantle of the rivalry game initiated by Howard Schnellenberger and will look to add on to Florida Atlantic’s 17-4 record. The last time these two programs met with each boasting a first-year head coach was 2017. Since then, the Owls have won all seven matchups against the Panthers, averaging 46.2 points and giving up an average of 16. Heading into the game, FAU will ride the arm of redshirt junior quarterback Caden Veltkamp, who threw for more than 300 yards and tossed five touchdowns a week ago. Veltkamp uses a three-headed monster in the backfield while distributing the ball evenly to redshirt sophomores and St. Thomas Aquinas alum Gemari Sands and Xavier Terrell as well as sophomore Kaden Shields-Dutton, the first back to find the end zone in 2025. Veltkamp’s receivers are led by redshirt junior Easton Messer who has 19 catches for 149 yards and redshirt sophomore Asaad Waseem, who has scored on three of his eight catches. Defensively, junior Leon Hart, Jr. leads the Owls with 13 tackles. He is one of four Owls to reach the double digit tackles through two games. Redshirt senior DB Terez Reid has two tackles for a loss to lead FAU while redshirt senior DL Deshaun Batiste and redshirt sophomore DL Wilky Denaud lead the way with a sack each. ESPN+ PRESSER Click HERE. CELEBRATING 25 YEARS Click HERE for 25 Years Celebration Content. COMPLETE 2025 SCHEDULE Click HERE. SEASON TICKETS To purchase season tickets, click HERE. GROUPS OF ALL AGES To purchase group tickets, click HERE. TAILGATE INFORMATION Florida Atlantic Alumni & Community Engagement is hosting tailgates for the Maryland, FIU, South Florida, and Navy road games. All home game tailgates will be at the Marleen and Harold Forkas Alumni Center. For more information on these opportunities, email carlsone@fau.edu. FOLLOW THE TEAM Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com or through football’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball. |
