Bulls Return to Boca Raton, Face Owls in South Florida Clash

Oct 31, 20243 min read

Bulls' Jonathan Ross — © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The South Florida Bulls (3-4, 1-2 American Athletic) will take on the Florida Atlantic Owls (2-5, 0-3) on Nov. 1 in Boca Raton, Fla. at 7:30 p.m. EST. The last time the Bulls played in Boca Raton on this exact field, the Bulls walked away as winners of the Boca Raton Bowl against Syracuse 45-0, dominating on all sides of the ball. They will look to do the same against Florida Atlantic, who is coming off two consecutive losses to Texas-San Antonio (Oct. 19) and North Texas (Oct. 12). Both teams will need the win to keep on track for a bowl game appearance.

The Game's Ramifications

For the Bulls, they could get back to even on the season with a win against the Owls. It will bring them closer to a bowl appearance as they need just three more wins to be bowl-eligible as of right now with plenty of opportunities to grab the wins. Star quarterback Byrum Brown is questionable headed into the game. However, backup Bryce Archie led the Bulls to a come-from-behind win against Alabama-Birmingham in Tampa, Fla., before the bye week. It isn't the end of the world if Archie gets the start against the Owls.

For the Owls, they are now in a must-win mode if they want to make a bowl. With several other mid-tier teams on their schedule for the remainder of the season, it starts by knocking off the Bulls at FAU Stadium. In their previous matchup, the Owls blew out the Bulls 56-14 in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. It is very possible that the Owls could win again at home.

Key Players: Florida Atlantic Owls

The Owls are led by Cam Fancher, who has 1,154 yards on the season to go along with 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. On the ground, the Owls have a three-headed monster similar to the Bulls. C.J. Campbell has 400 yards and 6 touchdowns, Zuberi Mobley has 375 yards and 4 touchdowns, and Fancher has 344 yards and 3 touchdowns himself. The top receiver is Omari Hayes with 371 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Several Owls Bring Down Army Player — ©THOMAS CORDY/THE PALM BEACH POST-USA TODAY NETWORK

Defensively, the Owls are led by C.J. Heard, Jackson Ambush and Jayden Williams. Heard leads the team in total tackles with 48. Ambush is right behind Heard with 44 and leads the team in assists with 28. Williams leads the team in interceptions with 2 and also has a fumble recovery to his name.

Key Players: South Florida Bulls

The Bulls have been by the "Four Horsemen" when they are healthy. These members include Brown and running backs Kelley Joiner Jr., Nay'Quan Wright and Ta'Ron Keith. All have multiple touchdowns with 6, 3, 2 and 4, respectively. The Bulls' running game being successful leads to opening up the passing. Once that happens, the Bulls have their opponents guessing what could come next. Unfortunately, with Brown out, the Bulls become a little more one-dimensional. The Bulls' fleet of receivers is all capable of making the catch and scoring; it is just about getting them the ball.

Defensively, the Bulls are led by Jhalyn Shuler, Mac Harris and Jamie Pettway. Shuler returned to the Bulls lineup against the UAB Blazers after suffering an injury in the first game of the season. He helped the Bulls get their first conference win of the season. Harris leads the Bulls in tackles the season and is the only one with 40+ tackles this season. Pettway filled in for Shuler and has earned a regular role on the defense for his efforts. He is second in tackles.