FAU football remains in Wisconsin following hurricane Irma
In the meantime, the Owls are using the Badgers’ training facilities ahead of their Sept. 16 home game.
Head coach Lane Kiffin and the rest of the coaching staff attracts what could be the cornerstone of the class of 2020. Photo by Alexander Rodriguez
September 12, 2017
After losing to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers, the FAU football team is staying in Madison indefinitely.
The Owls’ Saturday, Sept. 9 loss came in the midst of hurricane Irma approaching Florida’s coastlines, delaying their return trip home.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison offered to help the Owls with lodging and meal costs during their stay, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
Badgers athletic director Barry Alvarez also let FAU use Wisconsin’s campus training facilities.
“I just wanted to make it as easy as possible for them and try to be of assistance. I just decided let’s extend a branch,” Alvarez said. “We take care of housing and food and training facilities, medical facilities, whatever they need. If they can’t go back home, we’ll take care of them here.”
FAU football head coach Lane Kiffin and his team have continued to stay in the hotel they booked before Saturday’s Sept. 9 game.
“Obviously, it’s very different,” Kiffin said. “Wisconsin has been awesome to us, letting us practice over there and they fed us over there. That’s obviously helped. But it’s obviously strange. It’s been a strange, whatever it’s been, four days.”
The University Press reached out to FAU Athletics for comment as to when the Owls will return home, but has not received a response as of publication time.
FAU football media relations representative Katrina McCormack told ESPN.com that the earliest the team will return is Wednesday, Sept. 13.
“Obviously, we don’t know when we’ll be able to go back home,” FAU wide receiver DeAndre McNeal said. “Coach Kiffin told us to pack many pairs of extra clothes and we did. If we have to finish the rest of the week here, we’ll do so. We’ll be ready for the next team.”
While the school is still determining the extent of the hurricane’s effects, FAU Public Affairs tweeted that “The game is scheduled to go ahead.”
The Owls will face the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats this Saturday, Sept. 16 at FAU Stadium.
Benjamin Paley is the news editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected].
