| Florida Atlantic Owls football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 2001; 24 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Brian White | ||
| Head coach | Zach Kittley 1st season, 4–7 (.364) | ||
| Stadium | Flagler Credit Union Stadium (capacity: 29,571) | ||
| Year built | 2011 | ||
| Location | Boca Raton, Florida | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | The American | ||
| All-time record | 129–171 (.430) | ||
| Bowl record | 4–1 (.800) | ||
| Conference titles | |||
| Sun Belt:2007 C-USA:2017,2019 | |||
| Conference division titles | |||
| C-USA East:2017,2019 | |||
| Consensus All-Americans | 1 | ||
| Rivalries | FIU (rivalry) | ||
| Colors | Blue and red[1] | ||
| Fight song | FAU Fight Song | ||
| Mascot | Owlsley the Owl and Hoot the Owl | ||
| Marching band | Florida Atlantic Marching Owls | ||
| Website | fausports.com/football | ||
TheFlorida Atlantic Owls football program representsFlorida Atlantic University (FAU) in the sport ofAmerican football. The Owls compete in theFootball Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in theAmerican Conference. The Owls play their home games atFAU Stadium which has aseating capacity of 29,419.
Florida Atlantic University football began play in 2001 with legendary coachHoward Schnellenberger serving ashead coach until 2011. Schnellenberger was a former offensive coordinator with theNFL'sIndianapolis Colts andMiami Dolphins who, as a head coach, turned around a moribundMiami football program and won a national championship in his fifth season in 1983 after back to back nine win seasons in 1980 and 1981. Schnellenberger also turned around a downtroddenLouisville football program, winning the Fiesta Bowl in 1990.
After competing their first four years as anNCAA Division I-AA independent, the Owls moved toDivision I-A and theSun Belt Conference. Starting withthe 2013–14 school year, FAU athletics have competed inConference USA.
In1998, Florida Atlantic University announced it was pursuing the creation of anNCAAfootball program and thatHoward Schnellenberger was going to lead the charge, as director of football operations and head coach. After his success in rebuilding programs at Miami and Louisville, Coach Schnellenberger now undertook the role of building a program from scratch. Much like his time at Miami and Louisville, Coach Schnellenberger did not shy from placing lofty expectations and high goals on his newly created program. Even before FAU would play an intercollegiate game, Coach Schnellenberger explained the goal of FAU football would be to play the best teams it can schedule, in order for the program to aim for a national championship in Division I-A football. These extreme goals were not unusual from a man like Coach Schnellenberger. At Louisville, facing threats from the administration that the football team would be terminated, Schnellenberger made the bold (and now famous) prediction, "[We are] on a collision course with the national championship. The only variable is time.”[2]
On August 29, 2000, the first practice was held at theBoca Raton campus of FAU, and 164 students showed up to try out for the team. Florida Atlantic joined NCAA Division I-AA, now known asDivision I FCS, as an independent team for the 2001 season. Its first-ever intercollegiate competition was againstSlippery Rock University, which the Owls lost 40–7 in front of 25,632 fans at Joe Robbie Stadium, now known asHard Rock Stadium.[3]
The team finished its inaugural season at 4–6 and followed the next season at 2–9. Major accomplishments in its first two seasons include the program's first win, which came in its second game, againstBethune–Cookman, 31–28, and won in the first meeting with newly createdSouth Floridarival,Florida International University, 31–21.
On September 15, 2007, FAU defeated its firstBig Ten opponent with a 42–39 victory overMinnesota.[4] Led byRusty Smith, FAU beatTroy in the final game of the 2007 season to become Sun Belt Conference champions and received an invitation to the2007 New Orleans Bowl, its first ever bowl bid. As a result, in just the seventh year of the football program's history, and the third year playing in Division I, Florida Atlantic set an NCAA mark by becoming the second-youngest program ever to receive an invitation to a bowl game. They were surpassed only by the undefeated1958 Air Force Falcons, who had played just three years of Division 1 football before being invited to theCotton Bowl, where they played to a scoreless tie against theTCU Horned Frogs onJanuary 1, 1959.
On August 11, 2011, Howard Schnellenberger announced he would retire at the end of the season.[5] The Owls ended the 2011 season 1–11, with the only victory coming from a 38–35 home win over UAB.[6]
On December 1, 2011, FAU hiredCarl Pelini, theNebraska Cornhuskers defensive coordinator to become their new head coach, to succeed Schnellenberger.
On October 30, 2013, Pelini resigned from his position after another coach alleged to school officials that he was using illegal drugs, charges that Pelini denied.[7][8] He, along with defensive coordinator Pete Rekstis, officially stepped down from their positions only three days before the school's homecoming game, which they won 34–17 under interim head coachBrian Wright. Under Pelini, the Owls compiled a 5–14 record.
Wright finished the 2012–13 season as the interim head coach, winning the team's last four games and led the Owls to its first bowl-eligible season since 2008–09. The Owls finished 6–6 for the season but were not invited to a bowl game.[9]
On December 16, 2013, FAU announced it had hiredCharlie Partridge as head coach.[10] Prior to accepting the job at FAU, Partridge was the defensive line coach atArkansas.[11] On November 27, 2016, FAU fired Partridge after 3 consecutive 3–9 seasons.[12]
On December 12, 2016, it was announced that formerUSC andTennessee head coachLane Kiffin would become the Owls' next head coach.[13] Kiffin resigned from FAU on December 7, 2019, after a 49–6 blowout win against the university ofAlabama at Birmingham (UAB) and before FAU's Boca Raton Bowl appearance against SMU Mustangs to become the head coach at theUniversity of Mississippi (Ole Miss).[14] Kiffin left FAU with a record of 26–13 with two first-place finishes inConference USA. In December 2019, FAU tight endHarrison Bryant won theJohn Mackey Award, becoming the first FAU player to win a major collegiate postseaon award, as well as becoming FAU's first consensus, and later unanimous,All-American.[15][16] FAU's first year defensive coordinator,Glenn Spencer, was named the interim head coach to lead the Owls at the Boca Raton Bowl.[17]
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On December 11, 2019, FAU announced the hiring ofWillie Taggart as the next head coach.[18] During a shortened season due to theCOVID-19 pandemic with no prior spring practice, Taggart led the FAU Owls to a 5–4 record, which includes a loss to theMemphis Tigers in the first and onlyMontgomery Bowl. He was fired on November 26, 2022, finishing with a 15–18 record.[19] Defensive coordinatorTodd Orlando served as interim head coach during the transition period to find a new head coach.
On December 1, 2022, FAU announced the hiring of formerHouston andTexas head coachTom Herman as the next head coach.[20] Herman was fired by FAU on November 18, 2024, after a 6–16 record through two seasons.[21] FAU's assistant head coach, tight ends coach, and special teams coordinatorChad Lunsford served as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Zach Kittley, former offensive coordinator atHouston Baptist,Western Kentucky, andTexas Tech, was hired as the next coach at FAU on December 2, 2024.[22]
Florida Atlantic has won three conference championships, two outright and one shared.
| Season | Conference | Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007† | Sun Belt Conference | Howard Schnellenberger | 8–5 | 6–1 |
| 2017 | Conference USA | Lane Kiffin | 11–3 | 8–0 |
| 2019 | Conference USA | Lane Kiffin /Glenn Spencer‡ | 11–3 | 7–1 |
† Co-champions
‡ 2019 Boca Raton Bowl win coached by Glenn Spencer
As a member of Conference USA since 2013, Florida Atlantic competes in the East Division. The Owls have won two division titles.
| Season | Division | Coach | Opponent | CG result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | CUSA East | Lane Kiffin | North Texas | W 41–17 |
| 2019 | UAB | W 49–6 |
Florida Atlantic has played in 5 bowl games, compiling a record of 4–1.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Howard Schnellenberger | New Orleans Bowl | Memphis | W 44–27 |
| 2008 | Motor City Bowl | Central Michigan | W 24–21 | |
| 2017 | Lane Kiffin | Boca Raton Bowl | Akron | W 50–3 |
| 2019 | Glenn Spencer (interim) | Boca Raton Bowl | SMU | W 52–28 |
| 2020 | Willie Taggart | Montgomery Bowl | Memphis | L 10–25 |
| Coach | Tenure | Seasons | Record | Winning % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Schnellenberger | 2001–2011 | 11 | 58–74 | .439 |
| Carl Pelini | 2012–2013 | 2 | 5–15 | .250 |
| Brian Wright (interim) | 2013 | 1 | 4–0 | 1.000 |
| Charlie Partridge | 2014–2016 | 3 | 9–27 | .250 |
| Lane Kiffin | 2017–2019 | 3 | 26–13 | .667 |
| Glenn Spencer (interim) | 2019 | 1 | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Willie Taggart | 2020–2022 | 3 | 15–18 | .455 |
| Tom Herman | 2023–2024 | 2 | 6–16 | .273 |
| Chad Lunsford (interim) | 2024 | 1 | 1–1 | .500 |
| Zach Kittley | 2025–present | 1 | 0–0 | – |
The Shula Bowl is a bitter rivalry game withFlorida International. It was first played in 2002 and has been played every year since then. The winner receives the Don Shula Award. The game and trophy are named after former Miami Dolphins head coachDon Shula. The game is typically either in Boca Raton or Miami, though there have been meetings in other locations in the Miami metropolitan area, includingHard Rock Stadium inMiami Gardens.
In total the two squads have met 21 times with Florida Atlantic holding a 16–5 lead as of the 2023 season conclusion. The 2005 game does not count with FIU having to vacate their victory due to NCAA violations and penalties.
Both schools have stated they will keep the rivalry alive as they will commence a five game series starting in 2024.
| Player | Position | Team | First year | Draft round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azeez Al-Shaair | OLB | San Francisco 49ers | 2019 | Undrafted |
| Brandin Bryant | DE | Buffalo Bills | 2016 | Undrafted |
| Harrison Bryant | TE | Cleveland Browns | 2020 | 4 |
| Trevon Coley | DE | Tennessee Titans | 2016 | Undrafted |
| B.J. Emmons | RB | Las Vegas Raiders | 2021 | Undrafted |
| John Franklin III | WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2018 | Undrafted |
| Trey Hendrickson | DE | Cincinnati Bengals | 2017 | 3 |
| Gregory "Buddy" Howell, Jr. | RB | Houston Texans | 2018 | Undrafted |
| Greg Joseph | K | Minnesota Vikings | 2018 | Undrafted |
| Cre'Von LeBlanc | DB | Miami Dolphins | 2016 | Undrafted |
| Herb Miller | CB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2018 | Undrafted |
| Alfred Morris | RB | New York Giants | 2012 | 6 |
| Sharrod Neasman | S | New York Jets | 2016 | Undrafted |
| James Pierre Jr | CB | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2020 | Undrafted |
| Devin "Motor" Singletary | RB | Buffalo Bills | 2019 | 3 |
| Rashard Smith | LB | Philadelphia Eagles | 2020 | Undrafted |
| Andrew Soroh | LB | 2019 | Undrafted | |
| Adarius(Glanton) Taylor | LB | Carolina Panthers | 2014 | Undrafted |
| Brandon Walton | OT | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2020 | Undrafted |
| Kerrith Whyte | RB | 2019 | 7 |
| Player | Position | Teams | Years played | First year | Draft round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob Housler | TE | Arizona Cardinals,Chicago Bears,Cleveland Browns | 2011-2015 | 2011 | 3 |
| Lestar Jean | WR | Houston Texans | 2012-2013 | 2012 | Undrafted |
| Randell Johnson | OLB | Buffalo Bills,New York Jets | 2014-2016 | 2014 | 7 |
| Michael Lockley | LB | Jacksonville Jaguars | 2011 | 2011 | Undrafted |
| Keith Reaser | CB | San Francisco 49ers,Kansas City Chiefs | 2014-2017 | 2014 | 5 |
| D'Joun Smith | CB | Indianapolis Colts,Tennessee Titans | 2015-2016 | 2015 | 3 |
| Rusty Smith | QB | Tennessee Titans | 2010-2012 | 2010 | 6 |
| Lucky Whitehead | WR | Dallas Cowboys | 2015-2016 | 2015 | Undrafted |
Announced schedules as of May 7, 2025.[25]
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vsFlorida A&M | atFlorida | atFIU[26] | atUCF | atIowa | vsMissouri | |
| atFIU[26] | vsFIU[26] | vsULM | atMissouri | |||
| atMaryland | atULM | atMissouri | ||||
| vsUConn |
| John Mackey Award Best Tight End |
|---|
| 2019 –Harrison Bryant |
10 Florida Atlantic players have been awarded as All-Americans, with one Florida Atlantic player being awarded as a consensus All-American, later becoming a unanimous All-American.
| Consensus All-Americans | |||
| Year(s) | Name | Number | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Harrison Bryant | 40 | TE |
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