Owl’s Win Record Setting Game on Homecoming Night
By: Michael Demyan
Photo Credit: FAU Athletics
The Florida Atlantic University Owls defeated the North Texas Mean Green 69-31 Saturday night at home, which moved them to a 3-0 record in Conference USA.
The 69 points were a school record for the Owls, who took the win on homecoming night. Their 804 yards gained on offense also broke Tulsa’s C-USA record of 791 in 2008.
FAU got off to a quick start, as Devin Singletary rushed the ball into the endzone twice during their first two possessions.
Greg Joseph followed with a field goal on their third drive and quarterback Jason Driskel passed to Willie Wright for another touchdown on their fourth drive. By the end of the first quarter, the Owls were already on top 24-0.
The North Texas offense seemed ready to go at the start of the second quarter however, as they recorded five first downs on their way to bringing the score to 24-7. That would be all for them in the first half though as the Owls answered right back with two more touchdowns and a field goal, bringing the score to 41-7 at halftime.
North Texas started off the scoring for the second quarter in a row in the third with a field goal from Trevor Moore, but FAU once again took control with a Harrison Bryant touchdown.
The Mean Green’s Jeffrey Wilson followed that up by rushing the ball into the endzone for their second touchdown of the night, but by the end of the quarter, the Owls held a commanding 62-17 lead.
After FAU quarterback John Franklin III led off the fourth quarter with the team’s ninth and final touchdown of the game, the North Texas offense was able to score on their final two possessions, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Owls won 69-31.
FAU head coach Lane Kiffin was very proud of the Owls’ performance, who scored in each of their first 11 drives.
“That’s a really good team that we played, who beat a really good team last week in UTSA,” he said. “They have one of the most explosive passing game down the field in the country. Our players really came together in the bye week as a group and executed really well.”
On a night when multiple team records were broken, Joseph broke his own personal record with 15 points, surpassing his previous career high of 14. Singletary also reached 14 rushing touchdowns for the season, breaking a record set by the Owls’ Greg Howell in 2016.
“They played smart,” Kiffin said. “We have a long ways to go. We’re just getting started. We need to keep improving as a team. Hopefully we’re hitting our stride during that part of the year where a lot of new guys who struggled early will be better compared to early.”
The Owls’ next matchup will be on the road against Western Kentucky Oct. 28 at 4:30 p.m.
