2024 FTBL Preview: Inside the Schedule -- Florida Atlantic Owls

FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS

2023 Record: 4-8

2024 FPI Projection:7-5

2024 Over/Under: 6.5


BIGGEST GAME: at UTSA (October 19)

If Florida Atlantic is having a solid season like I expect, the Owls should be about 5-1 going into this game. UTSA feels like the team to beat in the American this year with a bunch of returning starters. The Roadrunners also don't lose at home, where they are like 23-4 under coach Jeff Traylor. But I like FAU having a puncher's chance in this game. The offensive line should be gelled and the defensive line, the expected strength of the team, should be firing on all cylinders. A win here puts FAU in position to really make noise in the conference


TRAP GAME: vs. Army (September 7)

The good news for FAU is that this game is early in the season. The bad news is a week after playing a large Big Ten team (Michigan State) you have to get ready for the triple option. Army is always a difficult draw for teams that rely on speed like FAU because they force you to play assignment football and the Black Knight's style often shortens the game. It's going to be a battle in the Owls' home opener.


POTENTIAL UPSET TO WIN: at Michigan State (August 30)

There's no better time for FAU to catch the Spartans than right now. They have a new coach (Jonathan Smith) a lot of moving parts and transfers and are going through a clear rebuild. The opener probably won't be pretty, but it should be a chance for the Owls to kick a blueblood program while they are down, and jump start a season that should lead to a bowl game.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2025 FTBL Preview: The All-Florida HS Team (Power 4 Edition)

By this point most of you know the rules, but things changed a little bit. Instead of putting out a team of 46 (23 on each side of the ball), we've just got 24 players -- 12 on offense and 12 on defense.  The Group of Five All-Florida HS Team MIGHT be here in a few days. There's a damn good chance I'll be adding FCS players to it because many of the good G5 kids last season have transferred into the power four.  Anyway, the offense is 11 personnel with an extra RB and the defene is a 4-2-5 with a extra linebacker. Basically sticking to my formations over the past couple years.  OFFENSE Quarterback : Rocco Becht, R-Jr., 6-1, 210, Iowa State (Wiregrass Ranch); 3,606 yards, 26 TD, 9 INT, 8 Rush TDs Running Back : Isaac Brown, So., 5-9, 190, Louisville (Homestead); 165 carries, 1,173 yards, 11 TDs; 152 receiving yards. Running Back : Desmond Reid, Sr., 5-8, 175, Pitt (Miramar); 183 carries, 962 yards, 5 rush TDs; 52 catches, 579 yards, 4 TDs; punt return TD and fifth in AP-...
Read more

2021 Transfer Portal Class Breakdown (Florida State Seminoles)

One of the many offseason projects I will be working on is a breakdown on transfer portal classes two years in the rear.  In 2021 the transfer portal was still a bit of a new thing and coming out of pandemic there were a lot of moving parts in college football, so I don't think student-athletes and coaches realized the true power of the portal.  Two years out allowed the full impact of a transfer class to be felt. More transfers aren't going to be at their new program for more than two years without making some sort of a mark.  Anyway first team up is FSU. Florida State Seminoles 2021 head coach:  Mike Norvell Transfer Class:  12 (four offense, eight defense) Cortez Andrews, LB (Maryland Marcus Cushnie, Edge (Alabama A&M)) Dillan Gibbons, OG (Notre Dame) Jermaine Johnson, DE/OLB (Georgia) Joe Lang, S/DB (Holy Cross) Jarques McClellion, CB (Arkansas) McKenzie Milton, QB, (UCF) Brandon Moore, CB (UCF) Andrew Parchment, WR (Kansas) Jammie Robinson, S (South Car...
Read more

2021 Transfer Portal Class Breakdown (FIU Golden Panthers)

Butch Davis came out the gate pretty strong at FIU. He was 23-14 with three bowl appearances in his first three seasons. Then the pandemic came and he lost 16 of his final 17 games. FIU was fading a tad before COVID-19, so maybe Davis had already peaked. I am curious how he could have managed the portal if he knew how it was going to work. It's an interesting "what if" to think about. FIU Golden Panthers 2021 head coach: Butch Davis Transfer Class Size: 6 (three offense, three defense) Tyrese Chambers, WR (Sacred Heart) Api Mane, OL (Kansas) Jeremy Passmore, DL (Indiana) Isaiah Velez, QB (Eastern Kentucky) Hal Vinson, LB (Texas State) Pierce Withers, S (Texas State) 2021 Record: 1-11 2021 Starts (40): Chambers (12), Mane (12), Passmore (9), Withers (7) 2022 Starts (22): Passmore (12), Chambers (10) Currently on Roster: Passmore Transferred Out: Chambers (Maryland), Velez (Coffeyville CC) 2021 All C-USA: Chambers (2nd team) Recap: Chambers was so good he flipped S...
Read more