FOOTBALL
FAU was run ragged against UAB at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., on Nov. 7, and the Owls (2-6, 2-2 in the Sun Belt Conference) suffered a second consecutive loss, falling to the Blazers 56-29.
The defeat will go down in the history books, as FAU’s defense gave up a school-record 622 yards, 14 more than the previous record set against Louisville in 2005. The loss also forced FAU players to realize that a bowl game is out of their grasp.
“Before the season started, I had my goals,” said tight end Jamari Grant, who ended the game with five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown. “The team had its goals, and [we knew] that being able to go to a third straight bowl game [would be] marvelous for our program.
“Now, knowing we don’t have a chance of getting to a bowl game, it really hurts. It cuts deep.”
In the first quarter, UAB took an early 7-0 lead as Blazers quarterback Joe Webb easily rushed for a 65-yard touchdown on the hosts’ first drive. Scoring on the first drive was not just luck, either, as UAB scored touchdowns on their first eight possessions, with Webb accounting for six of those scores (four passing and two rushing).
“Unacceptable,” said linebacker Michael Lockley. “That’s ridiculous on our part. They dominated us.”
But early in the second quarter, FAU’s new starting quarterback, Jeff Van Camp, threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Cortez Gent, cutting the deficit to 14-7. Van Camp went 24-36 for 254 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for a score.
“[The loss] was not the way I wanted to start off,” said Van Camp.
The defense continued to flounder, however, as Webb and the Blazers offense maintained their dominance over the Owls, taking a 35-21 lead at halftime.
On the first drive of the third quarter, the Blazers came away with another touchdown, this time courtesy of running back Daniel Borne’s 2-yard run.
But UAB would not have a drive stopped until the ninth minute of the fourth quarter, and FAU would come away with a consolation prize, scoring the game’s final touchdown on a Van Camp pass to tight end Jason Harmon from 15 yards out.
“This is the worst beating that we have ever had,” said Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger.
The Owls next play 2-6 (1-3 in conference play) Arkansas State at Lockhart Stadium on Nov. 14 in a Sun Belt Conference match.