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Florida Atlantic had not won six games in a season since 2019, when Lane Kiffin was head coach and the Owls were still in Conference USA. On Thursday night, in year two under Zach Kittley, they finally reached that milestone in emphatic fashion.
The Owls overwhelmed UTSA, which entered the game with the American Conference's best record at 7-1, in a 60-29 offensive showcase. It was the fourth 60-point performance in Florida Atlantic history and the second this season, as the Owls out-gained the Roadrunners 563-419.
Wide receiver Easton Messer continued to build his All-American case. One week after catching all 16 passes thrown his way for 189 yards and three touchdowns, he delivered another spectacular showing. The nation's receptions leader accounted for Florida Atlantic's first three touchdowns—two receiving and one passing—to build a 21-7 lead, ensuring the Owls stayed ahead for the remainder of the contest.
Messer finished with seven receptions for 85 yards and three touchdowns, added a 14-yard touchdown pass, and contributed 34 punt return yards and eight rushing yards. He became the first player to record three receiving touchdowns and a passing touchdown in a game since former Washington wide receiver Dante Pettis in 2016. Over his last three games, Messer has accounted for 12 total touchdowns: eight receiving, two rushing, one passing, and one on a punt return.
Quarterback Caden Veltkamp, Messer's former Western Kentucky teammate and best friend, may not have filled up the stat sheet as usual, but he was remarkably efficient. Veltkamp attempted fewer than 30 passes against an FBS opponent for the first time this season, completing 17-of-25 for 210 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. A week ago, he attempted 56 passes, tied for the most by any FBS quarterback this season.
This time, the air raid offense received its best run support of the season. Florida Atlantic entered the matchup ranked 121st nationally in rushing offense, averaging just 110 yards per game, but exploded for 339 yards on the ground against UTSA. Leonard Farrow led the attack with a season-high 126 rushing yards, including a 59-yard touchdown in the late third quarter that extended the lead to 50-29. Ethan Ervin added 92 yards and Kaden Shields-Dutton contributed 45, as the Owls repeatedly gashed UTSA for explosive gains.
Florida Atlantic had yet to establish a rushing attack of that magnitude all season, but the offensive fireworks were nothing new. The difference Thursday night was on defense. The Owls had allowed at least 48 points in each of their last three outings, but brought a different intensity against UTSA. They won the turnover battle 2-0, with Deshaun Batiste and Joseph Sipp Jr. recovering fumbles that were converted into 11 points. Additionally, the Owls dominated UTSA's offensive line, registering six sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Roadrunners quarterback Owen McCown still managed 265 passing yards and three touchdowns but spent much of the evening under duress. TCU transfer Jonathan Bax led the effort with a team-high 2.5 sacks.
When Florida Atlantic had a brief offensive lull in the third quarter, the defense forced consecutive punts while holding a 43-29 lead, ensuring no UTSA comeback. The unit was particularly stingy on third down, limiting the Roadrunners to 5-of-16.
With both sides of the ball coming together, Florida Atlantic engineered its strongest performance of the season, knocking off UTSA as a touchdown underdog. The Owls improved to 5-0 at home for the first time in program history, with only a Nov. 21 showdown against South Florida standing between them and an unblemished record in Boca Raton.
UTSA (7-2, 4-1 American) suffered its first conference defeat of the season, becoming the last American team to accrue its second overall loss. The Roadrunners entered Thursday sitting just three spots outside the AP Top 25, but their College Football Playoff aspirations took a significant blow in Boca Raton. The defeat also marked UTSA's first loss to Florida Atlantic since 2020.
Florida Atlantic (6-3, 3-2 American) secured bowl eligibility for the first time since 2020 and reached the six-win mark for the first time since 2019. The Owls have averaged 50.7 points per game over their last three outings, signaling that Kittley's offense has hit its stride. But another dimension was added Thursday. Against one of the American's premier contenders, Florida Atlantic showed a glimpse of its potential when the defense matches the firepower of its offense.
Originally reported by yahoo.