ORLANDO – FAU’s toughest remaining regular season game was in prime time against nationally-ranked UCF.
Led by head coach Lane Kiffin, the Owls did what they could to hang with the Knights in the first half, which included a brief 17-14 lead over the home team. But they couldn’t keep up in the second half of their 56-36 loss to the nation’s No. 16 team, which has extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 16.
FAU running back Devin Singletary was the game’s leading rusher with 25 carries for 131 yards and three touchdowns, two of which came in the first half. His scores came of runs of 11, nine, and five yards, with the last one coming in the fourth quarter.
In terms of yardage, this was Singletary’s best game of his junior season. After four games, he now has 78 carries for 341 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns for FAU (2-2).
Singletary wasn’t the only FAU running back to make an impact on the offensive side of the ball.
Redshirt junior running back Kerrith Whyte was a triple threat for FAU, as the versatile playmaker had nine carries for 84 yards and a late fourth-quarter touchdown against UCF (3-0). He also added 23-yard touchdown catch from FAU quarterback Chris Robinson with 5:29 left in the third quarter.
With six kickoff returns for 157 yards, Whyte finished with a team-high 264 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in tonight’s game.
And redshirt senior running back Gerald Hearns got in on some late action, as he added three carries for 53 yards. The entrepreneur and Dwyer alum helped Singletary, Whyte, and crew get a combined total of 320 rushing yards tonight against the Knights defense.
Aside from a 32-yard field goal from kicker Vladimir Rivas in the second quarter – in addition to his three extra points – the running back duo of Singletary and Whyte had a hand in all of FAU’s scoring in tonight’s game.
However, the Owls outstanding run game wasn’t enough, as the other parts of their arsenal left something to be desired.
Robinson had a game to forget, to say the least. He finished the night 13-of-26 passing for 124 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions.
The entire Owls defense failed to force any turnovers and allowed a combined 545 yards to the Knights offense.
Speaking of the Knights, junior quarterback Mackenzie Milton was outstanding as he picked apart the Owls, as he was 21-for-32 with 306 yards and three touchdowns. He added 13 carries for a team-high 81 yards and three touchdowns on the ground (387 total yards, six total touchdowns).
Other top performers for UCF were wide receivers Gabriel Davis (five catches, 91 yards, touchdown), Michael Colubiale (six catches, 84 yards), and Dredrick Snelson (four catches, 62 yards, touchdown).
Local standout for UCF: redshirt senior long snapper Caleb Perez with one tackle tonight against FAU.
Local standouts for FAU (other than Singletary, Whyte, and Hearns): junior defensive back Davon Brown with six tackles (third on the team), senior defensive back Jalen Young with five tackles (fourth on the team), senior defensive lineman Steven Leggett with one tackle, and senior Ray Wilson Jr. with one tackle.
With all that said, FAU will move on to Conference USA play next week and look to successfully defend its conference title, which it won for the first time last year.
Next game for FAU: Away at Middle Tennessee State (Saturday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m. kickoff; Conference USA opener)
Next game for UCF: Home vs. Pittsburgh (Saturday, Sept. 29; 3:30 p.m. kickoff; final non-conference game of the season)
