How About Fighting Hooters?

Despite being saddled with a crappy name, the FAU Owls (wouldn’t Raging Hooters have been so much better?) are in control of their own destiny entering the final two games of the season. The Owls have improved dramatically under head coach Howard Schnellenberger since entering Division 1-A in 2005, and are now sitting at 5-4 with a chance to win the Sun Belt Conference for the first time. Credit has to go to the offense, specifically sophomore quarterback Rusty Smith; this guy is playing great football, notching 20 TDs through nine games on the season.

But to clinch the conference, the Owls will need to first go through the FIU Golden Panthers, a team famous for two reasons: last year’s ugly on-field brawl during a game against UM, and its losing streak of 21 games stretching back to December 2005. The horrid trend is the longest in all of college football, and it earned the Panthers the number one spot on ESPN’s Bottom 10 after an embarrassing, last-minute loss to Arkansas State. Still, these guys always play FAU tight (they’re scrappers, after all), so a win for the Owls isn’t guaranteed. Plus this is FIU’s second-to-last home game, meaning it’s the second-to-last ball game to be played at the historic Orange Bowl. Tickets cost $20. Pick them up at the gate, or order them at www.ticketmaster.com.
Sat., Nov. 24, 2007