Coming off their best win of the season, Florida Atlantic football (2-3, 1-1 AC) is riding high into their next game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers (2-3, 0-2 AC), which would make FAU’s third American Conference matchup of the season.

Led by quarterback Caden Veltkamp, the Owls’ offense got back to their strengths: passing through the air and making the big play downfield. On the other side, the defense got stops when needed last week.

FAU’s performance against Rice showed that they are growing as a team at a faster rate than many people thought. The playcalling by Kittley last week was outstanding, putting Veltkamp in the best position he has been all season. However, UAB represents a significantly different challenge that FAU will face this week. 

The University Press staff predicts FAU will defeat another Conference opponent, except one. Here are the predictions: 

Mikai Datilus, Staff Writer

That win felt good! Last week, Florida Atlantic went into Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas and defeated the Rice Owls 27-21, a feat they had not accomplished since 2022. 

It was a statement victory, and FAU’s biggest win of the year, marking their first win against a team with a winning record, their first road victory of the 2025 season, and their first conference victory. Head Coach Zach Kittley led an impressive game, and he was rewarded for it, earning American Conference Head Coach of the Week.

There’s not much time to celebrate the 27-21 victory, as FAU has to prepare for another American Conference showdown with the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Saturday. 

UAB hasn’t won a game in nearly a month, since Sept. 9, at home against Akron; on the road, they have not won a game all season. FAU can’t speak too soon, though, as UAB, even against tough opponents, has been an impressive scoring team.

UAB put up 24 points against both Navy and the University of Tennessee. Tennessee is ranked No. 12 in the AP top 25, and Navy is undefeated. That is extremely impressive, and judging by the inconsistency of the Owls’ defense, UAB will score points. However, defensively, UAB has struggled mightily, allowing its opponents to score at least 25 points in every game this season. 

UAB has allowed 38 points per game and has a -51 point differential. FAU must exploit their defense. They have been able to move the ball down the field in every game this season, and it was just a few games ago when Caden Veltkamp threw five touchdowns against FAMU. UAB QB Jalen Kitna and Veltkamp are both in the top three in passing yards in the American Conference, and both teams will sling the rock on Saturday. 

Last week, against a good Rice defense, Veltkamp threw three touchdowns. UAB defeated Army the previous weekend and only passed the ball four times; this week, they’ll play one of the best passing attacks in the American conference.

FAU should look to run the ball as well. UAB allowed 247 rushing yards last Saturday in their loss to Army. With the speed of Gemari Sands and Xavier Terrell, I expect FAU to exploit the run defense. 

Ultimately, this should be a massive win for the Owls, as it will help them get back to .500 and string together back-to-back wins for the first time since October 2023.

Score Prediction: 37-24, FAU

Savannah Korb, Staff Writer

After defeating Rice last week, Florida Atlantic will look to expand its winning streak. The Owls will take on the UAB Blazers Saturday night at Howard Schnellenberger Field. FAU (2–3, 1–1 AAC) while the Blazers (2–3, 0–2 AAC) attempt to secure their first conference win of the season under head coach Trent Dilfer. 

Veltkamp has completed passing for 1,488 yards, 11 touchdowns, and eight interceptions this season. His output ranks him among the American Conference leaders in passing yards per game. 

Veltkamp’s skills have helped the Owls remain competitive even when the run game is decreasing. Veltkamp’s chemistry with FAU wide receiver Easton Messer has been crucial to keep the ball moving. Messer, with 473 receiving yards, has been Veltkamp’s most consistent target on third downs and deep routes. 

On the ground, Gemari Sands has taken over the backfield with 254 rushing yards. Although FAU’s offense has been very pass-oriented, Sands’ ability to grind out hard yards on first and second downs has provided balance and paved the way for play-action. Defensively, the Owls are led by linebacker Leon Hart Jr., who leads the Owls in tackles with 33. Hart’s ability to play both run and pass defense will be tested against the balanced UAB offense.

UAB enters the game still seeking answers within the conference following its first loss of its first two conference matchups. QB Jalen Kitna has been the focal point for the Blazers’ offense. So far, he has 1,515  passing yards this season. 

Running back Jevon Jackson leads the way for UAB’s rushing game with 369 yards, providing the Blazers with a consistent solution to make defenses pay attention. On the outside, WR Iverson Hooks has proven to be a consistent playmaker, tallying 338 receiving yards so far this season.

The UAB’s defense is led by linebacker Devin Hightower, whose 35 tackles are the most on the team. Hightower and Eli Ennis will be the ones to try to slow down the speedy-strike offense by putting Veltkamp in situations that may slow down the Owls.

FAU’s capability to produce big plays and capitalize on home-field advantage puts the Owls in the driver’s seat in this game. 

Veltkamp has proven capable of sustaining the offense even when the ground game is stalling, and the Owls’ balance with Sands keeps the defense on their toes. The Veltkamp-to-Messer connection has been the most stable in the conference, and if FAU minimizes turnover, the Blazers will struggle to match up with them.

Score Prediction: 28-17, FAU

Anthony Ortiz, Staff Writer

Florida Atlantic football is coming off a massive 27-21 win against the Rice Owls. This is unarguably the best win of the season for this Florida Atlantic team because of the staff predictors that doubted them last week, and just all the odds that were stacked against them. FAU did not play well against run-heavy teams and that showed. Last week against Rice, the defense got stops.

Multiple players on defense had tackles for losses, including Leon Hart Jr., Eric Brantley Jr., and Jayden Sweeney. The defense might not have gotten any takeaways or forced many turnovers on third down, but they made just enough stops to give the offense more opportunities to win the game outright. They kept Rice inside the numbers instead of giving the threat of an explosive play downfield. 

Sure, Rice broke through a few times, but not enough to overwhelm Florida Atlantic’s defense. 

Getting into the matchup against UAB, FAU’s defense has its hands full. The Blazers’ passing offense is one of the best in the American Conference, led by Jalen Kitna, who leads the conference in passing yards and passing completion percentage. 

Now, one way Florida Atlantic’s defense can slow down the UAB offense is by pressuring Kitna. He is the fourth most sacked player in the conference. 

The Owls’ defense showed that they can defend against a run-heavy team last week; it’s time to show they can beat a pass-heavy team this week.

On the other side, the Owls’ offense is hot. Messer has the most receiving yards in the American Conference with 473 receiving yards, and over the past two weeks, Caden Veltkamp has only had one turnover. Over the past two weeks, FAU has looked like a better team than its record suggests. 

In this game, UAB will present a challenge that Florida Atlantic isn’t prepared for. So far, FAU hasn’t found a way to play well against the pass. They haven’t had an interception this season, and they are going against a quarterback who has only had four interceptions this season. Both teams share similar identities, utilizing the air raid offense, and both quarterbacks have been playing well recently, showcasing their efficiency. However, FAU is going against a better version of themselves, and they are outmatched against UAB.

Score Prediction: 44-35, UAB

Sasha Crabtree, Contributing Writer

Florida Atlantic went on the road and handed the Rice Owls a 27-21 loss at Rice Stadium, a win that snapped a three-game losing streak and marked the Owls’ first road victory since 2022. Things are looking up for the owls, especially for this weekend’s game. Many are expecting a positive outcome for this weekend, given FAU’s recent performance.   

Last week’s win against Rice was a significant victory, marking FAU’s first win over a team with a winning record this season. Head coach Zack Kittley addressed numerous issues with the team, and it showed. They want to keep that momentum going, and they have a great opportunity this weekend facing the University of Alabama at Birmingham. 

After returning from the Rice game, Coach Kittley spoke in his weekly press conference on Tuesday. He highlights the team’s need to improve their running game and shares his hopes for the game. 

“First and foremost, one of our number one goals this week is to really figure out why we’re struggling to run the football. Rice has given us some really light run boxes, and unfortunately for us, we didn’t pop as many as we should have,” said Kittley. “Really good average, very good yards per carry; that’s an area we’ve got to get better.”

There has already been significant improvement lately. QB Caden Veltkamp has been electric, throwing three touchdown passes in his last game. He will be up against UAB’s Jalen Kitna, who is right behind him in passing stats, ranking in the top three in the AAC in passing yards. 

Kitna, a former Florida Gator, has thrown 1,732 yards and 14 touchdowns.  However, Veltkamp currently ranks 2nd in the American in passing yards with over 1,850 yards and 15 touchdown passes. If FAU’s offensive unit can consistently move the ball, the game will be competitive, and FAU has a good chance of winning. 

Score Prediction: 30-23, FAU

For more information regarding this and other stories, please contact the staff via email: Anthony at ajangus1331@gmail.com, Sasha at scrabtree2024@fau.edu, Savannah at savannahkorb14@gmail.com or Mikai at mdatilus2025@fau.edu.