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  • FAU Is Bowl Eligible After The Owls Shocked UTSA, Throttling The Roadrunners, 60-29

FAU Is Bowl Eligible After The Owls Shocked UTSA, Throttling The Roadrunners, 60-29

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Football

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic football is bowl eligible for the sixth time in program history, and first since 2020, after defeating (RV) UTSA, 60-29, Thursday night on Howard Schnellenberger Field at Flagler Credit Union Stadium. Six wins are the program's most since 2019, and its best record through nine games since the same year.On a primetime ESPN showcase, the Owls (6-3, 3-2) routed the Roadrunners (7-2, 4-1), the first-place team in the American Conference, with the most points by any team during league play this season. It is also the second opponent FAU has beaten that was receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll at the time, joining the Week 2 win over Navy.


In the midst of a historic stretch, fifth-year WR Easton Messer produced yet another game to remember with four total touchdowns: three receiving and one passing, putting him at 12 in the last three weeks. The Biletnikoff Award, Paul Hornung Award, and Burlsworth Trophy nominee set the single-season program record in touchdown receptions, becoming the first Owl to reach double digits (12).

With the win, the Owls are also now 5-0 this year at Flagler Credit Union Stadium, the best home start in program history.

THE BEGINNING
A sack by senior EDGE Jonathan Bax pinned UTSA at its own 2-yard line, with the ensuing punt returned 33 yards by Messer to the 6-yard line. The record-setting 10th touchdown catch came three plays later, with graduate QB Caden Veltkamp eluding the pass rush and Messer evading a double team. 

Messer's second score of the quarter came via a flea-flicker pass, finding graduate TE AJ Johnson in the end zone. Messer hauled in his second receiving touchdown, and third total of the opening period, with a six-yard grab, ending the first with the Owls up 21-7.

THE TURNING POINT
Using Johnson in a wildcat formation, the tight end received the direct snap and ran five times in the second quarter, including a rushing touchdown. In the half's final minute, a perfectly placed Veltkamp pass to fifth-year RB Leonard Farrow was caught in the end zone to help send the Owls into the locker room with a 35-22 lead.

Right out of the intermission, senior EDGE Deshaun Batiste forced and recovered a fumble at the UTSA 4-yard line. Yet another direct snap to Johnson on the first offensive snap led to the touchdown, with a successful two-point conversion attempt that increased the FAU advantage to 43-22.

THE FINISH
The Roadrunners scored to cut the deficit, but the Owls busted the doors open late in the third when a third-down handoff at midfield to Farrow saw him go untouched into the end zone. 

Messer had more magic left in him in the fourth quarter, scoring to achieve his second game this year, and third as an Owl, with three touchdown catches. 60 points were officially on the board with just under four minutes to go after junior Alex Grace converted his first field goal with Florida Atlantic.

OFFENSE

  • For the first time in program history, the Owls have scored 60 points twice in one season.
  • Veltkamp owns the longest active streak in the FBS with five consecutive games throwing for at least three touchdowns. 
  • Messer has now thrown for two touchdowns in two seasons with the Owls. He is the only FBS player this year with a passing, receiving, rushing, and punt return touchdown. 
  • 339 yards on the ground is the most recorded in a game under Hagerty Family Head Coach Zach Kittley, improving upon the previous high of 234 by more than 100 yards. Farrow led the way with 126 yards on just 12 carries.
  • Johnson and Farrow are tied for the team lead in rushing scores with three each. Johnson's hat trick of touchdowns is the most scored by an Owl tight end in one game since Harrison Bryant's three on Nov. 30, 2019 against Southern Miss.


DEFENSE

  • Six sacks and 11 tackles for loss by the team are both season highs. The sacks are the most by the Owls since Oct. 27, 2023  versus Charlotte and the TFLs are the most since Sept. 28, 2024 against Wagner.
  • All of Bax's 2.5 sacks came in the opening half. 
  • Fifth-year LB Joseph Sipp Jr. had six tackles and a takeaway via a fumble recovery.


SPECIAL TEAMS

  • Messer's 33-yard punt return is his third of 30+ yards on the year.

OWL BOWL HISTORY
2007 – New Orleans Bowl: W 44-27 vs. Memphis
2008 – Montgomery Bowl: W 24-21 vs. Central Michigan
2017 – Boca Raton Bowl: W 50-3 vs. Akron
2019 – Boca Raton Bowl: W 52-28 vs. SMU
2020 – Montgomery Bowl: L 25-10 vs. Memphis

UP NEXT
Though bowl eligibility is secured, there is still work to be done to gain ground in the American standings. The Owls will return to the field next Saturday, Nov. 14, on the road at Tulsa. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.