The Florida Atlantic Owls (1-3, 0-1 AC) will look to bounce back from their conference-opening loss to Memphis last week, when they travel to Houston on Saturday to face the Rice Owls (3-2, 1-1 AC), marking FAU’s second American Athletic Conference matchup of the season.

With the youngest head coach in college football, Zach Kittley, and a roster still learning how to win, FAU enters this matchup as a young team facing the growing pains of building a program.

FAU’s performance against the Memphis Tigers last week showed, for three and a half quarters, that they can compete with the best. They corrected many of their earlier mistakes, but Memphis ultimately proved too much to handle over the full four quarters.

In this next game, the University Press staff predicts another challenging game for the Owls on the road. Here are the predictions:

Anthony Ortiz, Staff Writer

After a tight three-and-a-half quarters against the University of Memphis’ Tigers, FAU seemed to have gotten carried away, more than likely let the pressure get the best of them, where the pressure handed the Owls their first loss in conference play.

In a 55-26 loss to Memphis, FAU had a few breakthroughs. They scored on offense in the 2nd half, the defensive line had seven tackles for losses and three sacks, and FAU threw zero interceptions. 

However, FAU didn’t do some things they were doing well in the first few games, such as avoiding a passing touchdown and rushing under 100 yards. For a team that relies on its offense solely for wins, it puts them at a disadvantage when they don’t get a passing touchdown.

The Rice Owls, which Florida Atlantic is facing on Saturday, are a 3-2 team that has also had a record of 3-2 against FAU. The Rice Owls are coming off a 21-13 loss against the Navy, as they hope to bounce back as well. This is a game between two teams with distinct offensive identities. 

FAU wants to win through the air, and Rice intends to win on the ground. It is safe to say that FAU hasn’t been great at dictating the game on its terms.

FAU’s defense is allowing 174 rushing yards a game to opponents, and Greg Desrosiers Jr., a running back for the Memphis Tigers, had a 203 rushing game and three touchdowns. This is FAU’s weak spot, and to control the way teams rush against them, they need more players in the box. 

That might allow a big play for the opposing team, but it also plays right into their playing style. Against Rice, FAU has to force the big play out of Rice and not just let them run the ball at will.

On the other side, FAU needs to have a balanced offensive attack. Passing over 50 times a game isn’t going to cut it either. It’s putting way too much pressure on quarterback Caden Veltkamp. 

This team can be explosive either way; they just need to execute the offense, and this is an excellent opportunity to do so. Rice only allows 171.6 passing yards per game and allowed over 200 rushing yards last game against the Navy, so it’s time to work the run game, underneath, and short passing attack.

Rice QB Chris Jenkins doesn’t throw the ball much or pass it for many yards either. RB Quinton Jackson is the team’s primary weapon, running 4.8 yards per carry all season. However, the real reason they have a winning record is this defense. 

Key players, including linebacker Andrew Awe, defensive lineman Tony Anyanwu, CB Khary Crump, and many more, have made significant contributions to this defense. 

It will be interesting to see a high-flying offense against a stonewall defense. We’ll see which one prevails.

Score Prediction: 30-26, Rice

Sasha Crabtree, Contributing Writer

Rice is a team that knows how to grind out wins and control its games’ tempo. In the “battle of the Owls,” it’s all about whether FAU’s defense can hold throughout this road game. 

In their last matchup, Rice lost a 21-13 battle with Navy. Rice’s defense held Navy to under 300 total yards and forced two turnovers, showing that their physical and disciplined team is intact. 

FAU, meanwhile, is coming off a tough 55-26 loss to Memphis. The Owls found the end zone in the second half, recorded three sacks and seven tackles for loss, and for the first time this season, threw zero interceptions.

Can the up-tempo offense score enough points, and can the defense hold firm to keep FAU ahead in the game?  

Defensively, FAU has struggled. They rank 125th in scoring defense and have given up 17 total touchdowns in four games. This puts pressure on FAU’s offense to win shootouts. 

FAU Coach Zach Kittley’s recent 2025 #Rice Battle of the Owls press conference made it clear that the team has been working on these areas. Kittley referred back to FAU’s struggles with run defense and how opponents have exploited them in past games. He recognized that Rice is likely to force the run early, expecting two-high safeties and daring FAU to run the ball. 

“We’ve got to get better in that facet of the game. I’d be shocked if we don’t look up, and that’s what Rice is trying to do to us,” Kittley said. He gives fans hope by later emphasizing that they have been putting in the work and are aware of the challenges they face. 

Against Rice, the key is to force the Owls into uncomfortable situations: make them throw rather than letting them dictate on the ground. 

If FAU can limit turnovers and slow down the run, it will be a close call. 

Prediction: 30-25, Rice

For more information regarding this and other stories, contact the staff via email: Anthony at ajangus1331@gmail.com and Sasha at scrabtree2024@fau.edu.