Florida Atlantic football is set to open its football season against a Big Ten opponent who knows something about spoiling debuts. 

On Saturday at 12 p.m., the Maryland Terrapins welcome the Owls to SECU Stadium in a matchup that immediately tests inaugural head coach Zachary Kittley’s rebuilt team.

Both programs enter the game with something to prove: FAU looks to showcase progress under a new air-raid offensive system and a promising quarterback, Caden Veltkamp, while Maryland aims to shake off its mid-tier conference reputation and flex against an American Conference foe.

It’s a game that will combine Maryland’s home-field advantage against FAU’s high-powered attack. Although FAU may face the question it didn’t want answered: What happens when you let the Terps out?

Our staff weighed in on the matchup, breaking down strengths and weaknesses. And whether the Owls can rise to the challenge or regret scheduling a Big Ten school to start this season. 

Angelina Martell, Sports Editor

Another year, another chance for FAU football to have a record over .500 for the first time in six years. With a new coaching staff and a majority of new offensive personnel, FAU should be able to put up a great fight against Big 10 competition.

Zach Kittley kicks off his inaugural season as the seventh Hagerty Family head football coach. Even though he has only been the Owls’ head coach for eight months after being hired in December 2024, Kittley has worked hard with his new staff to rebuild FAU’s football program.

Maryland, statistically, possesses a strong defensive team and is very physical in the front seven; FAU counters this with an explosive, air-raid offense led by Boca’s new hometown hero, Western Kentucky quarterback transfer Caden Veltkamp.

Unfortunately for the Terps, the Owls come in pairs; Western Kentucky wide receiver transfer Easton Messer came in at the same time as Veltkamp, and it is safe to say this is a dangerous dynamic duo.

There has been hype around this new team since Kittley’s welcoming press conference and the 2025 Spring Game, but all of the preparation from this summer and fall camp has led up to this moment. 

For students and fans alike, expect the ball to be thrown high and wide and expect lots of exciting plays to be made – and celebrated. 

Score Prediction: 31-28, FAU

Savannah Korb, Contributing Writer 

When the Terrapins and Owls face off for the first time, only one program looks truly ready to take flight. Maryland has turned season openers into an annual routine, winning 13 straight non-conference debuts and protecting its home turf in College Park for over a decade. That consistency and experience across the roster give the Terps a clear edge in this upcoming battle.

The Owls, though, start a new era under head man Kittley and new quarterback Veltkamp, a transferring quarterback learning the system. Kittley has a history of high-scoring offenses, though it can take some time for FAU to get into a rhythm, let alone a hostile Big Ten environment like SECU Stadium.

This is an interesting game, although it’s quite a task for a program in transition to beat a veteran team built to compete in the Big Ten. The Maryland front seven should be able to rattle Veltkamp early and often, and their offense, led by playmakers like wide receiver Octavian Smith Jr., running back Nolan Ray, should have the explosive punch to wear down the defense at FAU.

The Owls flash potential with Kittley, but taking on a seasoned Big Ten opponent, it’s difficult to believe they could maintain a clip for four quarters. Maryland’s experience, bench, and home-field advantage are just too formidable. In College Park, there isn’t much open sky for the Owls to spread their wings.

Score Prediction: 32-17, Maryland

Molly O’Flynn, Sports Copy Desk

Here we are, again. It’s the beginning of the 2025-26 football season, where our students are accustomed to saying “we win tailgates, not football games”. However, things this year are a little different than last season.

The 2024-25 season was a whirlwind of emotions for FAU football fans. We have an entirely new coaching staff, including new head coach Kittley, leading us through this season, and fans have gained more confidence in the potential we could have this season.

We also had 35 FAU players come in from the transfer portal at the end of the season, so we have many new faces on the field this year. This includes the new quarterback from Western Kentucky, Veltkamp, his former teammate and best friend from Western Kentucky, and now wide receiver Messer.

In April, we got a small preview of the upcoming season with our new basically everything. Because they had been former teammates and had already been building their chemistry on the field years prior, we had great offensive connections between Veltkamp and Messer.

In 2024, when playing for Western Kentucky University, he had 3,108 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns. Owls fans are counting on Veltkamp to help turn around this team this season and bring a better offensive side out.

Our defense looked very strong in this scrimmage, with players like linebacker Tyler Stolsky, who made a big play forcing a fumble, leading to a safety made by Kyle Boylston. Boylston also finished the spring game with an interception in the last quarter and added six more points to the score with a touchdown, ending the game 22-9. 

It was the worst way to end the season, between the rollercoaster of emotions with the coaching staff, and ending last season 3-9 overall and 1-7 in the American Athletic Conference.

However, opening up this new season playing a Big Ten team could either be a massive program-changing game for us or only show fans that we got our hopes up with this new “rebuilt” team (I’m really hoping my first option is valid, but I’m a very delusional person).

Maryland also did not do very well last season either (aka they were ranked 17th in the Big 18, so they should thank Purdue for being worse than them). They finished 4-8 overall and 1-8 in conference. Like FAU, Maryland changed their roster and coaching staff with 26 new first-year students, 17 new transfers, and new offensive and defensive coordinators. 

Freshman Malik Washington is the new quarterback everyone is looking at to help the Terps after Billy O’Brien Jr. went to Wisconsin. Still, no one knows if he will be starting or if they will use UCLA transfer Justyn Martin or redshirt freshman Khristian Martin. 

Using Washington will help Maryland tremendously, and if they utilize him right, and with the Owls having the away-game field disadvantage, they will seriously need to step up this game and give it all they have.

However, I am going with my gut and hoping things will be different this year for the Owls. All of my hopes and dreams are in the hands of Coach Kittley right now for a better season this year, but I’m not sure if it will be enough to beat the Maryland Terrapins.

Score Prediction: 32-24, Maryland

For information regarding this or other stories, email Angelina Martell at amartell2023@fau.edu or DM the staff on Instagram: Angelina @angieemartell, Savannah @savannah_k2, and Molly @molly_oflynn_.