Instant classic in Boca Raton! The Shula Bowl, the meeting that both teams have circled on their calendars all year long chomping at the bit to get after each other. A matchup that has seen FAU hoist the Don Shula Award quite regularly with a 16-4 all time lead in the series. FIU not only wanted to start finding success in their conference but had to put a stop to getting spanked by their in state rival year after year. They went out and hired Coach Shiesty who now, in his first season with the team, has a 2-0 record against FAU. After taking it to FAU in Beefy Cup pool play, FIU had to travel to Boca to take on the Owls in week 3 of the regular season. This game was far tighter than their first meeting and even had moments when it looked like FIU was all but done. But after 4 quarters and a sure fire classic, FIU found a way and came out victorious.
FAU came out and took a 14-0 lead fairly quickly. Defense stifling FIU's high powered rushing attack and seemingly having their way early in this football game. QB Keyone Jenkins leads FIU down the field to open the 2nd quarter and put a touchdown on the board for the Panthers. The FIU defense followed that drive up with a score of their own with freshman corner, Mister Clark taking a pick 47 yards to the house.
FAU scores to take a 21-14 lead into the half. FAU receives the ball to start the second half and the 3rd quarter is all Owls. They add 10 more to take a 31-14 into the 4th quarter and FIU at this point looks defeated. FIU finds a second wind driving down the field with ease to cut the FAU lead to 10. FAU goes on to drain most of the remaining time in the game but misses a field goal with 1:55 left and FIU takes full advantage. On the first play of the next drive for FIU, Jenkins hits TE Josiah Miamen for a 54 yard gain, followed up with RB Shomari Lawrence punching it in for 6. FIU still down 31-28 with only 1:22 left in the game decides to try for an onside kick which was unsuccessful. FIU burns their remaining timeouts and the Owls find themselves in a 3rd and 7, a first down away from victory. FAU QB Cam Fancher drops back in shotgun, LB Eddie Walls gets off the line in a hurry, pursuing Fancher and ultimately getting a strip sack, recovering the fumble and rumbling 40 yards for the go-ahead TD with 1:07 left in the game. FAU still has all 3 timeouts and the way their offense has moved the ball, they looked to have a pretty decent shot to get down the field and try to win this ball game. Cam Fancher, as he'd done most of the night, finds a wide open receiver in man coverage for a 20 yard gain. The Owls decide to go no huddle hoping to catch the defense flat footed only to throw the game sealing interception to standout corner Hezekiah Masses.
Coach Shiesty spoke to reporters after the game giving a ton of credit to Coach Parks and the FAU football team. "Thats a different ball team from what we played in the Beefy Cup. They had us on the ropes all night, blow after blow. But our guys rolled with the punches and stayed in the fight and we walked out of Boca with that Shula Bowl Trophy".
This is exactly what you look forward to with heated rivalry games and Coach Shiesty and the Panthers get to have bragging rights at least until they meet again next year.
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