The state of Florida lives and breathes college football every fall, and that includes the Florida Atlantic Owls. The Owls are one of the youngest college football programs in the country, but cheap FAU football tickets are already hard to find. They’ve quickly risen through the ranks and become one of the best mid-major programs in the country. Nowadays, the powerhouse programs of the Sunshine State are afraid to play the Owls while the demand for last-minute FAU football tickets rises.

Founded By a Legend

Howard Schnellenberger, who is famous for his years at Miami and Louisville, as well as his days with the Baltimore Colts, was the first coach in FAU history. He took over the Owls in their inaugural season in 2001, and in the third season of FAU football, Schnellenberger guided the Owls to the 1-AA semifinals. Two years later, he helped FAU transition to the FBS level, ultimately leading Florida Atlantic to the program’s first conference title and a bowl game in 2007.

The Kiffin Effect

Despite initial success, Florida Atlantic struggled late in Schnellenberger’s tenure. Those struggles continued for several years, even as the Owls made the move from the Sun Belt to the more competitive Conference USA. However, things started moving in the right direction under Lane Kiffin, who took over as the head coach in 2017. The brash head coach only stayed at FAU for three seasons but led them to a 26-13 record and two Conference USA championships during that time. When Florida native Willie Taggart took over as FAU’s head coach in 2020, the foundation had already been set for the Owls to become the next great football program in the state of Florida and a powerhouse in Conference USA for years to come.