BOCA RATON, Fla. – Rivalry Week is here for the Florida Atlantic University football team (4-5, 3-2 C-USA). Shula Bowl XXI will pit the Owls against the FIU Panthers, who are nipping at the heals of their South Florida foe with a 4-5 record overall and a 2-3 record in Conference USA play.https://fausports.com/showcase/embed.aspx?Archive=12236&autoplay=false
Florida Atlantic, the older of the two programs by a year, holds the all-time series lead at 15-4 and is riding a five-game winning streak versus the Panthers, last falling at FIU on Oct. 1, 2016.
The series will be put on hold in 2023 but will resume starting in 2024 after a recently inked four-year deal.
The Shula Bowl, named for the legendary Don Shula, originated when FAU’s inaugural coach, Howard Schnellenberger sought to name the first game played between what he hoped would be a bragging rights game between south Florida players. Schnellenberger, who served with Shula at several stops including as offensive coordinator for NFL’s only perfect season, called Shula and pitched the idea.
The FAU Owls would square off against FIU, then under the direction of inaugural head coach Don Strock, who was a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins coached by Shula. The two schools have faced off as FCS and as FBS members of the Sun Belt and Conference USA. The 2024 meeting will be the first between FAU and FIU with separate conference affiliations.
QUOTABLE
Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart
On the importance of rivalry games
“They’re huge for your program and your fanbase. It’s that one game you circle on the calendar that everybody is going to pay attention to, and everybody wants. You know how big the game is for you and your program, but you also want to make sure you stay focused on the things that matter and stay focused on the gameplan and doing the thing that it takes to win those games. Sometimes you can be distracted in those games as well because of all the hoopla that comes with it, or because some guys know other guys on the team, and you get distracted by all of the trash talk and things of that nature. You have to stay locked into the play and understand what it’s going to take to win.”
On how practice is going
Our guys had a couple of days off and then we had a good practice Sunday. We’re looking forward to having a great practice tomorrow.”
On FIU’s football team
“You see a football team that has gotten better as the year has gone on. They’re getting comfortable in what they’re doing. They have talent. They’re a young football team. It’s a rival game, so you can throw the numbers and everything else when it comes to games like this. You see a team starting to come together and understand the things Coach (Mike) MacIntyre wants them to do.”
On the FIU offense
“They go up-tempo. Whenever you’re playing a team with tempo, that becomes a problem because you have to be able to line up first and foremost and the defensive coordinator has to get the plays in so we can line up and run. When you go with tempo and you have an athletic QB, that causes a lot of problems for you because you have to defend 11 guys instead of 10 when that guy can run as well. He’s done a good job of running the ball when they have to, and he’s done a good job of running RPO’s and getting the ball out.”
On FIU’s defense
“They’re a multiple defense…They have some athletes on that side of the ball that can really get after the QB and are athletic enough to get off of blocks. They’re athletic on the backend as well.”
On the wide receiver room
“We have to continue to find ways to get our playmakers the ball, especially our explosive playmakers. Find ways to get them the ball and allow them to do the things that they do well. We continue to do those things and get them in position where we can have a mismatch on opposing teams with our talent. Using our strengths against their weaknesses is always a good thing but we have to continue to find ways to do that. They all present something different from a talent standpoint, we just have to continue to find ways to get them the ball doing the best things that they do.”
On FAU’s pass rush
“I think we’re better than what we were. When it comes to the pass rush, a lot of it is dictated on what QB you’re playing against. For us, we’ve been playing some athletic QBs. For the most part, when we have all of our guys in there, when we’re full bore on defense, I thought our pass rush had been a lot better than earlier in the season when we didn’t have everybody.”
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 bye and Shula Bowl XXI. The show will also feature cornerbacks coach Brandon Harris offensive tackle Brandon Bordner is this week’s guest in “Pads Off” and the continuing series of personal stories, “Football In Paradise” spotlights defensive tackle Evan Anderson. Inside the Owls Burrow airs on Thursday and Saturday at 11:30am on Bally Sports Florida.
TICKETS
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