| BOCA RATON, Fla. – For the second straight week, Florida Atlantic University football knocked off a team that came in undefeated in Conference USA play, holding off UTEP on Saturday night at FAU Stadium, 28-25. The win marked the Owls’ 12th in a row at FAU Stadium. Every team that could extended their home winning streak Saturday. The Owls have now moved into a tie for fifth longest in FBS: Team Streak This Week’s Result Next Week’s Opponent 1. Clemson 32 Win/Florida State, 30-20 Louisville (away) 2. Cincinnati 24 Played at Tulane Tulsa (home) 3. Oregon 17 Win/Colorado, 52-29 Washington (away) 4. Liberty 13 Win/UMass, 62-17 Ole Miss (away) 5. Coastal Carolina 12 Win/Troy, 35-28 Georgia Southern (away) Florida Atlantic 12 Win/UTEP, 28-25 Marshall (home) Miami (Ohio) 12 Bye Week Ohio (away) 8. Alabama 10 Bye Week LSU (home)Georgia 10Played at FloridaMissouri (home) Quotable Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart: “We got a win. That’s a good start there. Happy with the win. Happy our guys found a will to win. One of the signs of a good football team is you find a way to win ballgames even when you don’t play well. I didn’t think we played well tonight. I thought we played undisciplined. Just very disappointed in our football team. Discipline caused a lot of things that happened that could have very well put us in control of that game, and we got out-disciplined.” The Beginning Each team traded scores in the first quarter, the difference being, UTEP (6-2, 3-1 C-USA) were held to a field goal, while FAU (5-3, 3-1 C-USA) took the lead on a Johnny Ford 27-yard scamper at the 2:25 mark. Then, in the second, each team’s last drive was successful: The Miners went up on a 23-yard pass with just 1:42 left; the Owls answered by driving and converting on 4th-and-1 with seconds remaining, as somehow, LaJohntay Wester got behind the defense for a wide-open 39-yard completion from N’Kosi Perry for a 14-10 halftime edge. The Turning PointFAU took advantage of the first turnover of the night to add some cushion. Jordan Helm picked off a pass with about 5:30 to go in the frame, and along with a 25-yard return, gave his offense the ball in the UTEP red zone. Seven plays later, the Owls were in the end zone, on a fumble recovery by Zaire Mitchell-Paden. That was the only points of the third quarter. The Finish The final period began with FAU scoring as well, on a James Charles run from a yard out. The big play of the drive was a 45-pass to TJ Chase, who outjumped his defender and came down inbounds along the near sideline. The third play of the next UTEP series was a Romain Mungin interception, the first of his career; the next ended on a combined sack by Chase Lasater and Decarius Hawthorne all the way back at the Miners’ two-yard line. The visitors would make the game very interesting in the final minutes, scoring with 2:50 remaining and converting the two-point play to cut it to 10. After an onside kick recovery, on 4th-and-13, a 49-yard touchdown reception made it a one-possession game (and took just 48 seconds off the clock in the process). A second onside kick was covered up by the Owls. Though the Miners did get it back once more with 36 seconds left, they were unable to get a first down, and with four seconds remaining, FAU kneeled to ice the victory. Stats and Records Ford gained 93 yards on 13 carries, for an average of 7.2. He added three receptions for 13 more yards through the air Wester was the leading receiver with 50 yards on three catches, five more than Chase on his key catch Eddie Williams led the defense in tackles with a career-high nine, one more than the duo of Antarrius Moultrie and Mungin. Moultrie’s total was also a new personal best, while Mungin’s was one off his The Owls had six tackles for loss and 10 pass breakups. Zyon Gilbert had four PBU, the most in a game in his five-year career Matt Hayball boomed a 62-yard punt among his nine, and averaged 51.7 yards per kick on the night. Four of the nine were inside the 20, and just one went for a touchback What’s Next The Owls’ second of back-to-back home matchups will be against the last team to win a game against them at FAU Stadium, Marshall, next Saturday. The kickoff on Nov. 6 will be 6 p.m., in a game broadcasted on CBS Sports Network and Fox Sports 640AM South Florida. For tickets, and to experience “Football in Paradise,” click HERE or call 1-866-FAU-OWLS. |
