MIAMI – The one-two punch of Palm Beach County football alums Kerrith Whyte and Devin Singletary led FAU to a 49-14 Shula Bowl victory over FIU.
FAU looked like a team to be reckoned with as it struck fast in eight plays for 75 yards, which ended on a 3-yard touchdown run by Singletary to make it 7-0 with 12:31 left in the first.
FIU fumbled at the FAU goal line on the ensuing drive and Owls linebacker Rashad Smith recovered the ball. But nothing would come of the turnover as FAU’s offense was backed up at their own 2-yard line.
The Panthers would finally find some life in the second quarter on a 13-yard pass from James Morgan to Austin Maloney with 7:21 left in the second to make it 7-all.
Johnson gave the Owls a much-needed spark late in the second. Johnson and Singletary would tag team the Panthers defense on an eight play, 75-yard drive that ended with Singletary scoring his second touchdown of the night on a 4-yard run to make it 14-7 at the half.
The Panthers would tie the game for the second time on a miraculous one-handed catch by wide out Bryce Singleton from Morgan with 8:47 left in the third to make it 14-all.
FAU pulled ahead again – and for good – as it rode Johnson the rest of the way. He connected with wideout Jovon Durante for a 28-yard touchdown pass to go up 21-14 with 4:50 left in the third.
Singletary would continue to wreak havoc in the fourth as he scored his third rushing touchdown of the night on a 7-yard run to put FAU up 28-14 with 13:04 left in the game.
Whyte was neck-and-neck with Singletary in rushing, but finally scored on a 6-yard run with 8:35 left in the fourth.
Jalen Young intercepted Morgan’s pass attempt and returned it to the FIU 35. The turnover set up Durante’s second touchdown catch of the day on a 24-yard play to make the score 42-14 with 6:02 left in the game.
FAU would score one more time late as Jake Peavy ran for 11 yards with 27 seconds left in the game to make it a final score of 49-14.
Whyte finished the game with 17 carries for 165 yards and one touchdown, while Singletary finished with 27 carries for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
Winning the Shula Bowl literally put a smile on FAU head coach Lane Kiffin’s face, as he seemed satisfied with the outcome and his team’s overall performance.
“Really good win,” Kiffin said. “That’s how we should’ve been playing all year long. Getting a 35-0 run against a undefeated conference team, it takes a lot of kids doing things right.”
