The start of the Owls’ daunting schedule begins Sept. 3, when FAU travels to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators. For the first of their five consecutive road games, the Owls will be visiting Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, also known as “The Swamp,” to play in front of 90,000 fans as they try to take down the 22nd ranked team in the country.
The Gators, who haven’t lost their season opening game since 1989, will look to regain their championship form this season, after a disappointing 2010 campaign in which the team went 8-5 under quarterback John Brantley.
New Gators’ head coach Will Muschamp brought in offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss to run a pro-style offense, marking a shift from the spread offense that saw success in the Gators’ two national championships in 2006 and 2008. Last season, the team finished 88th in the nation in passing yards, averaging only 184.3 yards per game.
The Owls’ offense will be led by redshirt junior quarterback Graham Wilbert. Last season, Wilbert saw action in two games, completed 1 of 5 passes for 41 yards and was intercepted once. Additionally, Wilbert has shown inaccuracy in the Owls’ two scrimmages, having thrown five interceptions.
The Owls will feature a young team, having lost their two leading tacklers from the 2010 season (Michael Lockley and Malik Eugene), as well as their top two wide receivers (Lestar Jean and Avery Holley). DeAndre Richardson is the top returning receiver — and he has only 12 catches for 114 yards.
In order for FAU to stand a chance against the Gators, a heavy dose of the running game is in order. Senior running backs Alfred Morris, Willie Floyd and junior Xavier Stinson will have to carry the load and move the ball down the field effectively.
If the Owls can maintain the time-of-possession battle, and keep the Gators’ offense off the field, the game could be closer then most experts predict.
The Owls’ defense, showcasing its new 3-4 scheme, has been strong in the team’s two scrimmages. The challenge will be preventing the Gators from running the ball and forcing UF quarterback John Brantley to throw the ball. Last season Brantley threw more interceptions than touchdowns, and had a difficult time grasping the offense.
Gators’ offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss, who has coached some of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks including Tom Brady and Matt Cassell, will urge his offense make a strong start and light up the scoreboard.
For the Owls to have a competitive game, they must play mistake-free football, control the clock and dominate in the trenches. The Gators will be looking to make an example of the Owls and send a message to the rest of the country that Gators’ football has returned.
If the Owls are serious about sending Howard Schnellenberger off with a bang it would do the young team good to play a competitive game against the Gators. I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.
Final score prediction:
University of Florida 44, Florida Atlantic University 10
Date: Saturday
Sept. 3, 2011
Location: Ben Hill
Griffin Stadium
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
Radio: ESPN 760
