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BOCA RATON – With the 36-31 loss to Marshall on Friday, FAU lost control of its destiny in Conference USA. Several C-USA match-ups this upcoming weekend could help the Owls.
FAU this week looks for a cleanup game against a weak Old Dominion on Saturday. If FAU’s offensive line can protect quarterback Chris Robison this week – it allowed seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss against Marshall – FAU will be on track as one of the top passing attacks in Conference USA.
Robison, despite the pressure, still threw for 362 yards against Marshall but was not able to get a passing touchdown. He did add two one-yard touchdown runs.
FAU’s defense which gave up 254 yards rushing including 220 to running back Brenden Knox, who earned Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week honors. The Owls surrendered 460 yards of total offense and only created one turnover. Linebacker Keke Leroy grabbed his first interception of the season, but defensive back Meiko Dotson ended his two-game streak of two interceptions.
FAU vs ODU PREVIEW
FAU heads to ODU (1-6, 0-3) to face a Monarch team still looking for their first conference win versus the Owls.
ODU’s struggled in all offensive aspects. The Monarchs rank last in the conference in rushing, averaging 95 yards rushing per game. Monarchs leading rusher, senior running back Kesean Strong, has only 200 yards on 47 carries and three touchdowns. Strong has only one game with more than 50 yards, rushing for 51 yards in a loss to Virginia Tech.
The Monarch’s passing offense is not much better. ODU ranks 12th in Conference USA with 1,031 yards passing. And a conference-low two touchdowns. ODU started the season with Stone Scott at quarterback but after only accounting for 833 yards and one touchdown and five picks, the team moved to junior quarterback Messiah deWeaver. who has completed 14 passes for 182 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his last two games.
The FAU offense face a Monarchs’ squad that’s the worst passing defense in the conference. FAU averages 268 yards per game, and will be going against a secondary who allows 275 yards per game.
The ODU rushing defense versus the FAU rushing game is the best matchup in the game. FAU ranks ninth in the conference, averaging 138 yards per game. ODU’s fourth-best rush defense only allows 130 yards a game.
WEEK 9- C-USA GAME OF THE WEEK
Western Kentucky at Marshall. WKU (5-2) rides a four-game winning streak heading to Huntington, W.V., looking to take control of the C-USA East Division. With a win, Marshall would hold head-to-head tiebreakers over the FAU and WKU, with all three teams having one loss in conference play. The Hilltoppers, on the other hand, control their own destiny at the top of the East. Both teams will rely on their defenses to win games. Marshall’s recorded 15 sacks and 21 tackles for loss combined over in their last two games. WKU is second in the conference in defensive scoring and average yards allowed per game.
FAU KEY STATS
- FAU leads the Conference in rushing touchdowns with 17 on the season despite being ninth in rushing yards.
- FAU has the third-worst passing defense in the conference giving up 271.9 yards per game. Only Southern Miss and MTSU are worse.
- FAU is the 2nd worst with sacks against with 22 after the seven sacks Marshall put on FAU last Friday.
- Chris Robison is 2nd in passing yards and third in touchdowns in the conference with 2,068 yards and 14 touchdowns.
- FAU is fourth in sacks as they have recorded 20 on the season.
- FAU still leads in interceptions with 12 on the season. Louisiana Tech is second with nine.
- Meiko Dotson is 2nd in C-USA with four on the season. La Tech’s Amik Robertson leads the conference with five.
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