Florida Atlantic football (3-3, 2-1 AC) gained its second consecutive win with a 53-33 victory against the University of Alabama at Birmingham (2-4, 0-3 AC) at home, behind four sacks, explosive plays, and three rushing touchdowns.

Head Coach Zach Kittley was impressed with the team’s performance, sharing his thoughts on their overall performance this season.

 “I’m proud of the effort our guys came to play. We had a lot of areas that I need to be better at, for sure, but I’m excited to get a big win in the American play,” said Kittley in his postgame press conference.

Quarterback Caden Veltkamp played an efficient game, completing 20 of 30 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Kaden Shields-Dutton followed up with 77 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

FAU kicked off the game with an early 14-0 lead with two short rushing touchdowns by Shields-Dutton. FAU then successfully pulled off a unique play, as wide receiver Easton Messer threw his first career touchdown, a 48-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jayshon Platt to make the score 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Kittley expressed his excitement about the play: “He’s a guy that you trust to do it the right way, and we had some fun watching him throw that touchdown pass in practice this week.”

FAU’s defense forced five straight punts to begin the game. In the Owls’ first drive of the second quarter, Veltkamp connected with a 37-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jabari Smith, his first of the season, which gave the Owls a 28-0 lead. 

UAB would get on the board with around five minutes left in the second quarter, with a 14-yard rushing touchdown by running back Solomon Beebe that made the score 28-6. 

Immediately after, UAB linebacker Devin Hightower intercepted Veltkamp’s pass. UAB capitalized on the momentum with another Solomon Beebe touchdown run, his second of the game. A two-point conversion cut the Owls’ lead to 28-14.

To start the third quarter, the teams traded touchdowns. Shields-Dutton scored his third rushing touchdown of the day, and UAB backup quarterback Nate Rogers scored a rushing touchdown, with a successful two-point conversion putting the score at 42-22. 

FAU responded with Veltkamp’s second touchdown pass of the day and a two-point conversion to Assad Wasseem, extending Florida Atlantic’s lead to 50-22 – the Owls’ first 50-point showing since  Sept. 6 versus Florida A&M. 

UAB responded with a touchdown pass to Isaiah Jacobs and another two-point conversion, and a 45-yard Jonah Delange field goal, trimming FAU’s lead to 50-33. A Garrison Smith 28-yard field goal sealed the game with an Owls’ win.

Linebacker Tyler Stolsky led the Owls’ defense with 11 tackles, and defensive tackle C.J. Doggette Jr. punched in two sacks.

Defensive tackle Bryce Langston praised the defense’s performance: “It was just a great night overall, all over the defensive line. We had fun, we came out and fought hard.” 

FAU will travel to Tampa to face the University of South Florida at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

Mikai Datilus is a Staff Writer for the University Press. Email him at mdatilus2025@fau.edu or DM him on Instagram @mikaismh for more information on this and other stories.