Lexington, KY – The score on the big board at Commonwealth Stadium was not in the Owls favor. By the time the game was over, it was not even close. But it was better than it has been. In years past, games against teams of the caliber of the 2007 Kentucky Wildcats never went this well.
Take a look back to 2005 when No. 11 Louisville beat FAU 61-10 and Minnesota romped 46-7.
Or 2006 when No. 18 Clemson won 54-6 and Kansas State dominated the Owls 45-0.
Even this season, the Owls looked clueless early and uninspired late in a 42-6 loss to Oklahoma State.
On Saturday, Kentucky won handily, 45-17. The score was only a little more respectable than those in recent memory. However, this time the Owls hung tough and, most importantly, they never gave up.
“We will endure, we will bounce back,” Coach Howard Schnellenberger said.
Theoretically and physically, this Kentucky team was one of the best the Owls have ever played. The only higher ranked Bowl Subdivision team the Owls have ever faced was Louisville back in ’05.
“They are right up there, top two or three [best teams],” junior offensive lineman John Rizzo said after being frustrated by the strength of an elite SEC team. “I would say Louisville … then Clemson from last year.”
With FAU down 28-10 at halftime, the Wildcat offense was marching down the field again, vying for their fifth touchdown of the game. Their quarterback, Andre Woodson, hadn’t thrown an interception since last season and had already set the all-time NCAA record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception. This is the point where previous FAU teams have called it a day.
Not Tavious Polo. The redshirt freshman cornerback, who had been burned for two scores by Woodson already, ended the streak and collected his world-leading seventh interception of the season.
“That’s routine for him,” Schnellenberger said.
This loss was lopsided and the Owls aren’t close to the level of a ranked team such as the Wildcats. As recently as the Oklahoma State game, this team has folded up and quit before the final whistle. But since the Minnesota upset at Dolphin Stadium a few weeks ago, it seems some things have shifted.
The players haven’t changed, but their general outlook has. This is largely the same group that was outscored 223-20 in the first four games last season. But since Minnesota, advanced training games are no longer such; they are winnable games from now on.
When the outcome of this game was assuredly not in doubt, Schnellenberger did the smart thing and relieved quarterback Rusty Smith and most of the other starters. Losing Smith to injury would be demoralizing and debilitating to this offense, just as losing Josh Pinnick was for the defense.
Keeping in mind that the Sun Belt title is the real goal, this season is what’s significant. Backup quarterback Clayton struggled and threw a pick-six interception that made the score look worse than it should have been. Schnellenberger could have left the starters in and tried to tighten up the score, especially in his return to his Kentucky.
“It is my alma mater and it is dear to my heart,” he said.
He wisely didn’t coach this game with his heart, but instead with his head, and this team will benefit in the long run.
