BOCA RATON — Sept. 15, 2007.
That was the last, and only, time Florida Atlantic beat a team from the Big Ten Conference on the football field. That day, the Owls, then a member of the Sun Belt Conference, pulled off a shocking 42-39 upset over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Fast-forward to 2025, and FAU – now part of the American Athletic Conference – will once again try to make history against another Big Ten opponent when the Owls open their season against the Maryland Terrapins on Aug. 30 in College Park, Maryland. They won’t have Howard Schnellenberger patrolling the sidelines this time as they did in 2007, but they will be led by first-year head coach Zach Kittley, who will be ushering in a new era.
Kittley was hired in December to replace the fired Tom Herman. He was formerly the offensive coordinator at Texas Tech, Western Kentucky and Houston Baptist. At 34, Kittley is the youngest head coach in FBS, and he’ll be put to the test right away in his first regular-season game.
“We’re ready to go,” Kittley said. “I think our eyes are set on the mission ahead, and I think the guys are just excited to hit somebody else for once.”
Toppling a Big Ten opponent is no simple task. Last season, the Owls came awfully close to breaking their drought, losing 16-10 at Michigan State in Week 1 despite having a chance to take the lead late in the contest. Now, they are facing another Big Ten team as they go for the upset on the road once again.
Here are three reasons why FAU can come out with a win:
Owls can’t be one-dimensional, must establish the run
Kittley is known for his air-raid-style offensive scheme, but since becoming the head coach at FAU, he has promised that his team will run the ball as well as pass. He harped on not being “one-dimensional,” in their offensive attack, especially against the caliber of opponent they will be faced with Week 1.
Heading into their matchup with Maryland, Kittley emphasized the importance of establishing the ground game, noting that the team’s backfield trio of Gemari Sands, Xavier Terrell and Kaden Shields-Dutton will all play an important role.
“We’re going to have to execute at an extremely high level,” Kittley said. “We’ve got to be ready to run the football, bottom line. I love our three-headed monster we have at running back, and I think all three of those guys are going to have some touches, and then we’re going to ride the hot hand from there.”
FAU needs to play clean, disciplined game defensively
FAU’s offense has earned most of the spotlight for the majority of preseason camp, but its defense will be equally as important for any success against the Terps.
Defensive back Terez Reid says that going up against Kittley’s fast-paced, high-powered offense throughout training camp has prepared him and the rest of the defense for what’s to come.
“I actually think it gives us an edge,” Reid said. “I don’t think that there’s many offenses out there that can keep up the pace with that offense that we’ve seen for three weeks of camp.”
In a matchup such as this, the battle on the line usually makes a large difference, whether it be due to physical advantages, or a lack of experience. Kittley has plenty of confidence that his defensive line can punch above their weight class, and put out a strong showing against the Terrapins.
“I think those guys are going to really be able to hold their own,” Kittley said. “We’re going to have to play really, really fundamentally sound football there, and make sure we’re just doing our job more than anything.”
Caden Veltkamp, Easton Messer give offense an additional edge
A highlight of the Owls’ offseason was landing two former Western Kentucky standouts in the transfer portal: quarterback Caden Veltkamp and wide receiver Easton Messer. Veltkamp was Conference USA’s Offensive Player of the Year last season after throwing for 3,108 yards and 25 touchdowns. Messer was one of his top targets, hauling in 55 catches for 793 yards and four touchdowns. They give the Owls an excellent one-two punch in the passing game.
Off the field, the dynamic duo are best friends, which Kittley says gives his team an upper hand from a continuity standpoint.“There is that chemistry, there’s that continuity there,” Kittley said. “[Veltkamp] feels extremely comfortable with Easton.”
While Veltkamp and Messer figure to be main components in FAU’s offense, Kittley also noted the level of chemistry between Veltkamp and his other teammates has been steadily growing, which could all come to a head at Maryland if everything goes right
“Man, he’s got so much chemistry going with a couple other guys,” Kittley said. “Hopefully, we’ll see all of that come to fruition.”
Florida Atlantic at Maryland
Noon, Aug. 30
TV: Big Ten Network
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 3 reasons Florida Atlantic Owls can upset Maryland Terrapins in 2025 college football opener
Reporting by Justin Backer / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
