In the Owls’ final home game of the season Saturday afternoon, unranked FAU lost to No. 17 Tulane 24-8. The Green Wave were the first ranked football team to ever play FAU in Boca Raton.
“I know the scoreboard feels probably like it did the last couple of weeks, but we fought our tails off,” head coach Tom Herman said after the game. “We didn’t play well. We didn’t execute. When you’re playing the fourth-best rushing defense in the country, a 9-1, top-25 team, you got to play really really well. Not just hard, but really well. We didn’t do that to their level but our guys never quit. Our guys fought from the beginning to the end. I was really proud of that.”
Tulane, led by quarterback Michael Pratt, who is actually from Boca Raton, dominated on all facets of the game.
Pratt, who was enduring a homecoming by being back in Boca, threw for three touchdowns with 252 yards.
“Just a good atmosphere coming into it,” Pratt said postgame regarding his return to Boca. “I knew it was going to feel like home. I had a lot of people here watching. To be able to come out and execute, it was really exciting. It’s always nice to be home. To be able to spend some time with my mom last night, my high school buddies… it was great.”
Pratt’s performance against FAU made him the program’s career passing yardage leader.
Running back Makhi Hughes dominated on the ground, rushing for 72 yards on 21 carries.
Tight end Chris Carter had one of his best games, recording two touchdowns on just three catches; those were his first two touchdowns of the season.
Wide receiver Chris Brazzell, a freshman, recorded seven catches for 103 yards and one touchdown.
FAU quarterback Daniel Richardson, meanwhile, threw for 202 yards with one touchdown, completing 24-of-31 passes.
Richardson’s lone touchdown was a four yard pass to tight end Kahil Brantley, who transferred from Miami back in May.
The Owls’ running back room struggled, rushing for only 32 total yards.
Larry McCammon, who is one of the best running backs in the AAC, had only 32 yards on 10 carries.
Wide receiver LaJohntay Wester had 11 catches for 86 yards, becoming the first FAU receiver ever to have over 100 receptions in a single season.
“We just had to execute better,” Wester said postgame. “We left a lot of plays out there today. We missed a couple of assignments. We are going to go back to the drawing board and prepare for Rice next week.”
Wester’s brother, Jaylen, had six tackles, continuing what has been an amazing season.
“He’s the baby and he’s probably going to be the best out of us three (siblings). Our games have elevated because we fall back on our training.”
Tulane is now 10-1 (7-0 in the AAC) as they look to officially clinch a spot in the AAC Championship Game, which will be on December 2nd. Tulane will face UTSA on Friday at 3:30 in New Orleans.
FAU, meanwhile, is now 4-7 (3-4 in the AAC). The Owls are not bowl eligible and will look to enjoy one final game this season against Rice on Saturday.
FAU head coach Tom Herman spoke postgame about next week’s game against Rice. It will be the first time Coach Herman isn’t bowl eligible as a head coach.
“Most of the seniors, if not all, are going to be putting on their shoulder pads and helmet on for the last time on Saturday. It’s important that they leave this program with a really good taste in their mouth. We got a lot of guys that are coming back, a lot of guys that are going to be counted on next year so I think this can add a lot of positivity.”
