The first year of head coach Tom Herman’s tenure in Boca Raton didn’t live up to the hype.
Florida Atlantic landed at fifth in the AAC preseason media poll but finished 10th. After a 1-3 start, the Owls flipped things around and started 3-1 in league play with a shot at a bowl game or a winning season. They went on to drop their final four games including losses to UAB and Rice by three points, finishing 4-8 and 3-5 in conference play. FAU was virtually two plays away from finishing 6-6. It was 1-4 in one-score games.
Much like last year, this year’s roster will be dealing with plenty of new additions, especially on offense. We’ve seen what Herman can do during his stints at Houston and Texas. It won’t be surprising if he has the Owls as a perennial AAC contender in the near future, but I don’t know if that starts this season.
However, with him leading the way, it’s hard to envision another down year for this program.
FAU Football’s AAC Title Odds
FAU’s odds to win the AAC are +2500, via BetMGM.
FAU Football’s Betting Odds & Over/Under Win Total
Florida Atlantic’s win total Over/Under is 6.5, with the Over at +110 and the Under at -130.
FAU Football’s 2024 Schedule
8/30 at Michigan State
9/7 vs Army
9/14 vs FIU
9/21 at UConn
9/28 vs Wagner
10/12 vs North Texas
10/19 at UTSA
11/1 vs USF
11/7 at ECU
11/16 at Temple
11/23 vs Charlotte
11/30 at Tulsa
Bold indicates AAC contests
Key FAU Football Returners
LB Jackson Ambush
CB Daedae Hill
DE Chris Jones
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FAU Football’s Defense Should Be Its Backbone Once Again
Herman is known to be an offensive-minded coach, but it was the defense that kept the Owls afloat in 2023.
The offense struggled and the only guy who was able to make big plays was LaJohntay Wester, who has since transferred to Colorado. FAU scored more than 20 points just five times.
While the defense could have been better, it was more reliable and consistent than the Owls’ offense. FAU’s 25.5 points per game allowed was sixth in the conference and their 397 yards allowed per game ranked eighth. But the Owls bring back eight starters on defense and enter the second season under this coaching staff.
Linebacker Jackson Ambush is one of the main returners from last season where he posted a team-high 86 tackles. Chris Jones returns on the defensive line and started all 12 games last season. Jones is part of a strong defensive line that should pose some problems, especially with Marlon Bradley coming off the other edge.
Prince James Boyd will be an interior defensive lineman and comes from Purdue. Boyd and fellow transfer Phillip Dunnam (Indiana) are big gets for this defense out of the transfer portal. The same goes for Kahzir Brown, a transfer from Maine. The Owls’ secondary was weak last season so there should be some improvement for that group.
At least there is some consistency on the defense because this offense will feature all new faces. Not only is Marshall transfer Cam Fancher the likely No. 1 quarterback after the Owls’ top two QBs from last year are gone, but they also lost their top two running backs, top three wideouts, and four starting offensive linemen.
It’ll be interesting to see who makes a name for themselves out of the transfers stepping in and the young guys stepping up. WR Marlyn Johnson showed some flash the last two seasons at Buffalo and could be one of the offense’s biggest weapons.
2024 FAU Football Season Prediction
FAU’s non-conference slate is much lighter than it was last season. The Owls’ league schedule is also relatively easy since they avoid playing Memphis and Tulane. The Owls start AAC play early in a Week 2 meeting with Army. This game will tell us a lot about what to expect from FAU. A gritty, early test — how will they handle it?
If they defeat Army, there’s a good chance they are sitting at 4-1 heading into their first bye week assuming they lose at Michigan State in Week 1. A 5-1 start is very well within reach as well with North Texas up next. This would set the Owls up nicely heading into the back half of the season where they have a pair of tough outings against UTSA and USF.
Three of their final four games are on the road, but I think the Owls should be able to win two of these — if not three — against Temple, Charlotte, and Tulsa. It will be a grind and it all depends on how they handle this back stretch of AAC games, but behind their strong coaching, defense, and light schedule, I think the Owls can squeeze out at least six wins and reach a bowl game.
