Florida Atlantic football’s (4-8, 3-5 AC) season is officially over, with a third loss in a row, a 42-3 loss to East Carolina.
FAU quarterback Caden Veltkamp threw for 183 passing yards, and backup QB Zach Gibson threw for 116. Wide receiver Easton Messer had 10 catches and 86 receiving yards, reaching 1,000 yards on the season. Freshman defensive end Josh Roberts led the defense with a sack and a forced fumble.
ECU started off the game, going down the field and scoring a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Marlon Gunn Jr. FAU fumbled their first play on the next drive, Messer lost the football after a short catch, and ECU immediately capitalized, on a 27-yard passing touchdown from QB Katin Houser to tight end Desirrio Riles, putting ECU up 14-0 four minutes into the game.
After another FAU punt, Houser ripped away a 22-yard touchdown pass to WR Brock Spalding, extending ECU’s lead to 21. FAU kicker Garrison Smith drilled a 33-yard field goal, putting the score at 21-3 to end the first quarter.
ECU came right back down the field, with a 4-yard rushing touchdown from Houser, his eighth of the season, to extend the lead to 25, at 28-3. FAU drove down the field; however, Veltkamp was intercepted by ECU defensive back Teagan Wilk, giving the ball back to the Pirates.
ECU pulled off a trick-play, a 2-yard rushing touchdown from defensive tackle Rion Roseborough to put ECU up 35-3. After another FAU punt, Houser scored his second rushing touchdown of the day, extending the ECU lead to 42-3 going into halftime.
In the third, Veltkamp was intercepted for the second time, this time by ECU DB Ja’Marley Riddle.
FAU freshman defensive end Josh Roberts continued to excel, forcing a fumble, which was recovered by linebacker Tyler Stolsky.
FAU backup QB Zach Gibson came in to start the fourth quarter and made some throws to get the team down the field, but FAU fumbled a handoff, recovered by ECU’s Ja’Marley Riddle.
ECU backup QB Mike Wright Jr. entered the game on the following drive. On FAU’s next possession, Zach Gibson’s pass was intercepted by ECU DB Angelo Ross.
Florida Atlantic ended its first season under head coach Zach Kittley at 4-8 (3-5 AC). The team experienced some improvement offensively under Coach Kittley this season, scoring 31.9 points per game compared to 25.9 points per game last year. However, their defense worsened, allowing 35.8 points per game to last year’s 30.2.
FAU boasted a better record than last season’s 3-9 (1-7 AC). Kittley will return for next season, as FAU football heads into an important offseason for building the future of its program.
Mikai Datilus is a Staff Writer for the University Press. Email him at [email protected] or DM him on Instagram @mikaidat for more information on this and other stories.
