OwlFamily

NO doubt! I hope we do a good job and the offense performs as expected. My prediciton is: Neb 41 FAU 21 I think we keep it close 1st half, (something like 21-14) but you guys have the depth that will carry you thru the 4th quarter. GO OWLS!

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/i...opening-weekend 8. Florida Atlantic at No. 24 Nebraska: Nebraska should be worried about this game. Florida Atlantic has one of the best offenses in the country led by quarterback Rusty Smith, who is considered a strong NFL prospect. The question will be the FAU defense, which struggled to get into the backfield last season. Ill take any love we can get!

Spot on. 2nd year weve done it, (last year was Bevo for Texas) and is on its way to being a tradition to start the season. This is from our Blogger who summed up the general concept. The Voice is his nickname for Coach Schnellenberger. ------------------------------------------------------ "OK, so it’s just a bonfire, right? Well, I am going to view this through The Voice’s glass-half-full positive hyperbole spin. A tradition has been established. Each year, on the Thursday after the start of classes, there will be a bonfire. A fraternity builds the effigy of the first opponent, wood is collected for weeks, and then it all goes up in flames in front of a big crowd of students. That’s how it will go, year after year. And the crowds will grow as the dorms are built and FAU continues its transition from commuter school into a more traditional type university. " -------------------------------------------------------------- Last year we had a few hundred show up and this year well over a 1000. Nothing personal!

LOL A pep rally upsets you THIS much? Ya gotta understand - Eric is originally from Joisey. That's the way they say, "How you doing..." Got ya, lots of those folks around S. Florida, If I would of known the background I would of turned on my NE translator and set it to Jersey.

I thought it was nice as well, and not for the symbolism eiether. Just a cool pic in general. That was taken by our Local Paper Blogger Sun Sentinel FAU blog He is also the sports writer who covers FAU. Glad you liked it!

LOL A pep rally upsets you THIS much? YES!! Well....when I see a burning N, it's like seeing a burning cross or American Flag. I guess this is where you will tell me I need to get a life because in Nebraska this is all we have. So then i guess this would REALLY upset you? GO OWLS! Ill never rag on ANYONE for passion for thier team. I only wish FAU had a ton of FANS with that attitude.

LOL A pep rally upsets you THIS much?

Correct. Are you coming up for the game, OwlFamily? Sadly not, I dont get to travel much at all to see my Owls. Bewtween Job, Wife and 2 Kids (8 & 4) travelling just isnt much of an option for me. FAU is hosting a watch party at a local sports bar since the game is only on PPV. Ive already lined up Baby sitters (God bless Grandma and Grandpa living in the same city) so the Wife and I will be there rooting FAU on. I cant believe the season is here and only 1 week away!

Correct.

i'm very close to wishing much ill...like charlie weiss ill on that no good fomer canes and sooners coach. i hope suh rips the head of rusty smith off eats his heart and hears the lamentation of their womenfolk. Props on the Conan quote, One of my Favorites!

Just old school pep rally stuff folks. Nothing personal. As noted, we burned BEVO in effigy last year, and this year its you guys. This is the second year FAU has hosted a bonfire and it was a great success. Over 1000 showed up (while that may not seem like a lot keep in mind that FAU only started playing Football in 2001 and has only been FBS level since 05) for our biggest crowd ever. We dont have decades or in some cases over a century of tradition to rely on. We are building it one event and one season at a time. I like this one, its a classic thing to do and get everyone involved. Hey who doesnt like a big fire. (even if it was 85 degrees when it was lit) Almost here Husker fans, last I heard 600 tickets had been sold (thru the University). If that many go it will probably be one of the largest travels weve had outside of the bowl games.

stAte is going to be a tough team. The Preseason favorites to win the Sunbelt is Troy, followed by FAU and stAte. Thanks for the kind words on us and the confrence. We are slowly working our way up to respectability being a VERY young FBS confrence. I personally think we are ahead of the MAC and coming up quickly on CUSA, but we have to prove it this year. As I said before I think well get our points and it might be closer then most Nebraska fans would like up unitl half time. 3rd and 4th quarter will be where you guys pull away IMHO.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-foot...rd/?s=1803 197 Florida Atlantic 198 Nebraska -20 60 So Nebaska favored by 20 with a total point score of 60. Hate to admit it but that sounds about right, although the over might be good to take on that. I think both teams score a ton.

I linked this thread to the FAU website and also the SunBelt web site. Im not sure how many fans from FAU, ULL and ASU will attend but those that do usually like to know where to go for a good time and tailgating. Thanks for the information and please keep them coming.

From wikipedia: "It was listed on early maps as "Boca Ratones". The literal translation of "Boca Raton" is "Mouse Mouth"[7] ("rat" in Spanish is "rata")[8]. One explanation for the origin is the Spanish word boca (or mouth) was (and still is) used to describe an inlet and ratón (literally mouse) was used by Spanish sailors to describe rocks that gnawed at a ship's cable. Another explanation is that it refers metaphorically to the sense of pirate's cove.[9][10] The name Boca Ratones originally appeared on eighteenth century maps associated with an inlet in the Biscayne Bay area of Miami. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the term was mistakenly moved north to its current location on most maps and applied to Lake Boca Raton, whose inlet was closed at the time." Interesting, I didnt know it was that indepth. My version was always handed down so not surprising it was a lil off. Also to note the Examiner has an article up in regards to FAU today. http://www.examiner.com/x-2792-Nebraska-Co...lorida-Atlantic

That is where he moved to train. It did say these people had lived in Boca Raton. (Spanish for Rat ___?) Boca means mouth. Not sure if Raton means rat though. It does, Literal translation is "Mouth of the Rat" Name taken from the shape of the small natural harbour on the coast.

Just out of curiosity will that loss effect how Nebraska Fans re-act to Howard Schnellenberger and FAU? I know if we were going to Oaklahoma, it would be REAL ugly. But Im not sure how NU feels about Howard now and the fact that he led that Miami team to victory.

Someone had asked for a lil more information on FAU, so I give you what we have felt is the most indepth pre-season report. The Quad is doing all of the FBS teams, and so far has been EXCELLENT IMHO in getting into the details. If its too much information I apologize, but I hope it gives you an insight into the team. http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/1...orida-atlantic/ The Quad Countdown: No. 77 Florida Atlantic By Paul Myerberg Location: Boca Raton, Fla. Nearly 20 percent of all resident of Boca Raton are over the age of 65, including Florida Atlantic’s coach, Howard Schnellenberger. Nickname: Owls. Last year’s ranking: No. 68. What was said: The Owls are the most talented team in the Sun Belt, and if they can get similar production from Smith and the rest of the offense are the favorites to repeat as conference champs. It is likely that the offense will actually get better in 2008 – 10 returning starters will do that – so the only question mark for the Owls will be their defense. Looking at their talent, I find it hard to believe they were as sub par as they were in 2007; a marginal improvement seems almost guaranteed due to added experience. While a difficult non-conference schedule may keep F.A.U. from improving upon last fall’s 8-5 mark, I predict a second-straight Sun Belt crown – another step forward for a program on the fast track to conference supremacy. Re-ranking: No. 65. 2008 record and recap: (7-6, 4-3). Florida Atlantic might not have repeated as Sun Belt champs as I predicted, but the Owls did reach and win their second consecutive bowl game, quite a feat for this young program. In conference play, an early loss to Troy – the game I pointed to as the biggest of the conference season – did irreparable damage to Florida Atlantic’s title hopes. The Owls also lost on the road to both Middle Tennessee State and Arkansas State but defeated Louisiana-Lafayette, leaving them 1-3 on the year against the best the conference had to offer. The losses to Troy and Middle Tennessee put F.A.U. at 1-5, with the only win coming over U.A.B. in non-conference play. At that point, it seemed that the Owls were a one-year wonder. But the team made hay against the weaker half of the Sun Belt, which allowed it to reverse its horrid start to finish the regular season 6-6. All told, this Owls team was less impressive than its 2007 version, which beat Middle Tennessee, Troy and Arkansas State in the Sun Belt and upset Minnesota (a weak Gopher team, to be fair) in non-conference play. What changed? The defense made an all-important jump in scoring, allowing 59 less points than the season prior and playing very well against conference opposition. Strangely, the F.A.U. offense did take a moderate step back in 2008 from its breakthrough 2007 season, scoring nearly a touchdown less per game (from 31.2 in 2007 to 25.1 last fall). The offense gets back some key contributors from injuries this fall, but the defense lost eight starters. Can the Owls sneak past Troy and reclaim the top spot in the Sun Belt? High point: The Owls won five of its last six to get back to bowl play. Four of those five wins came against conference foes; a fifth came against Western Kentucky, a program due to enter the Sun Belt full time in 2009. Entering the season’s final week, F.A.U. needed a win over its rival Florida International to become bowl eligible: It took an extra frame, but the Owls topped F.I.U. by 57-50 to win its third straight Shula Bowl. Low point: Losses to its three most talented Sun Belt brethren: by 14-13 to Middle Tennessee State (the Blue Raiders scored with no time remaining to upset the Owls), by 30-17 to Troy and by 28-14 to Arkansas State. Florida Atlantic’s three B.C.S.-conference opponents – Texas, Michigan State and Minnesota – combined to outscore the Owls by 106-13. The program’s not there yet, obviously. Tidbit: Howard Schnellenberger is entering his ninth year as Florida Atlantic’s coach. Of course, Schnellenberger is the first and only coach in the history of the program. Only three current F.B.S. programs had its original coach serve for a longer period of time. Can you name the three programs? The first to correctly answer the question earns the prize of writing a 100-word prediction for his or her favorite team, which the Countdown will include the team’s larger preview. As always, it must be written in a foreign language. If you can also name the three coaches, your word count gets bumped up to 200. Former players in the N.F.L.: 2 – DT Jervonte Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles), LB Frantz Joseph (Oakland Raiders). Top five alumni from Boca Raton, Florida: The Countdown gives Florida Atlantic a pass for its N.F.L. alumni, as the program was only founded in 2001. No Owl has ever played a down in the N.F.L., though Jackson and Joseph, two recent graduates, are currently trying to make pro rosters. Instead, the Countdown gives you the five most memorable people to ever live in Boca Raton. Enjoy. 1. Paul Newman. 2. The former United States Open champion Andy Roddick. 3. The hirsute disgraced hit king Pete Rose. 4. The eight-time Pro Bowl receiver Cris Carter. 5. NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon. Team Conference: Sun Belt. Head coach: Howard Schnellenberger (Kentucky ‘56), the first and only head coach in F.A.U. history and the 2007 Sun Belt coach of the year. Schnellenberger, 48-48 with the Owls, had been out of football for three years when he was approached by F.A.U. in 1998 with a peculiar opportunity: build a football program from the ground up. The choice seemed odd at the time. Schnellenberger was 64 when hired, seemingly too old to take on such an endeavor, and hadn’t stalked the sidelines since 1995. But Schnellenberger’s hiring has been an inspired decision, as the Owls have burst onto the scene as one of the nation’s up-and-coming programs. After shocking many with an 8-5 2007 season, which culminated in the school’s first bowl appearance and victory, Schnellenberger again led F.A.U. to postseason play in 2008. And again the Owls won, giving Schnellenberger a perfect 6-0 career mark in bowl games. Florida Atlantic’s climb from a member of the F.C.S. (2001-5) to back-to-back bowl participant has been rapid, but you should have seen it coming: Schnellenberger is the father of the Miami program, leading the Hurricanes to their first national title in 1983 and a 41-16 record over all from 1979-1983. Schnellenberger has a thing for rebuilding jobs; in addition to his time at F.A.U. and Miami – the ‘Canes had two winning seasons in the decade prior to his arrival – Schnellenberger took over a dismal Louisville program in 1985 and tried his hand at resurrecting Oklahoma in 1995 before being fired after one season. Now entering the twilight of his career, Schnellenberger is writing a fitting coda to a legendary and unorthodox coaching career. Tidbit (coaching edition): There have been some changes to the F.A.U. offensive staff. Last fall’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Gary Nord, left to take the coordinator position at Purdue. To replace him at coordinator, Schnellenberger promoted the wide receivers coach Darryl Jackson. Jackson will continue running a pro-style offense, granting continuity to a strong unit. The team also hired the former Louisville coach Jeff Brohm to coach the quarterbacks. Brohm most notably tutored his younger brother Brian to all-conference honors as the Louisville quarterback. It’s a good hire for the F.A.U. program. Returning starters: 9 (6 offense, 3 defense). Key losses: A sizable number of losses on both sides of the ball. On offense, the backfield duo of Charles Pierre (not to be confused with the 19th century French poet Charles Pierre Baudelaire) and DiIvory Edgecomb combined for 1,483 yards rushing while splitting carries and starts throughout the season. Pierre, with 1,014 yards, became the first Owl to break the 1,000-yard mark. He had at least 500 yards in each of his four seasons, improving his total in each year (517 yards, 756, 782 and 1,014). While Edgecomb ceded the majority of the carries to Pierre, he was a better option in the passing game. While he had 10 receptions for 98 yards as a senior, in 2007 Edgecomb posted 24 grabs for 416 yards (17.3 yards per reception) and 4 scores. Three more starters are lost up front. Though often hampered by injuries – including missing the first five games of 2008 – center Nick Paris was the anchor of the F.A.U. line in each of the last three seasons. He was a second-team all-Sun Belt pick in 2008, as was right guard John Rizzo, who missed the season’s final five games due to injury. Rizzo, a former walk-on, started nearly every game of his career, beginning with the fifth game of his freshman season. Brandon Jackson, who alternated between left tackle and guard as a senior, is the third departed starter up front. The losses pale in comparison to those on defense, where the Owls will need to replace eight starters from a season ago. The unit most hit by graduation? Linebacker, where all three starters – Frantz Joseph, Andre Clark and George Allen – must be replaced. The biggest loss is Joseph, a former Boston College transfer who twice earned all-Sun Belt first-team honors. As a senior, Joseph tallied a team-leading and school-record 154 tackles (9 for loss), an improvement even over his monster junior campaign (131 stops, 12.5 for loss). Despite playing only three seasons (due to his transfer), Joseph departs as the program’s leading career tackler (346); he also departs as the best defensive player in the school’s short history. Three more losses come up front: ends Julian Myers and Michael Hancock and tackle Jervonte Johnson. Hancock, in his first season as the undisputed starter, led the team with six sacks and all defensive linemen with seven and a half tackles for loss. Johnson was a first-team all-conference pick at tackle after posting 41 stops and 1.5 sacks. As a junior, Johnson’s 28 tackles and 2 sacks earned him second-team honors. No, we’re not done yet. More key contributors are gone in the secondary, including the first-team all-Sun Belt cornerback Corey Small, the team leader with four interceptions. That gave Small nine interceptions over his final two seasons, the most on the team. After being stymied by injuries in 2007, strong safety Greg Joseph finished his final season second on the team in tackles (102). Joseph also led the team with 10 pass breakups. Though Carldayle Brantley made only two starts at free safety, he remained an important part of Florida Atlantic’s defensive back rotation. In 2008, Brantley finished tied for second on the team with three interceptions. Players to watch: The senior Rusty Smith leads what should again be one of the top two offenses in the Sun Belt. The group returns all of its key skill players – minus Pierre and Edgecomb – and a number of experienced linemen up front. Smith had another strong season last fall, his third as the starter: 3,224 yards and 24 touchdowns against 14 picks. Still, those numbers fell short of the lofty totals in his Sun Belt player of the year-winning 2007 season, when he set single-season school records in yards (3,688) and touchdowns (32). Smith’s completion percentage also took a slight dip last fall, from 58.7 as a sophomore to 53.8 (of course, chronic drops from the F.A.U. receiving corps didn’t help). Despite the very slight decrease in play, Smith remains the best quarterback in the Sun Belt and, as Florida Atlantic’s career leader in attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns, the best signal caller in school history. His favorite target is the junior receiver Cortez Gent, who led the team with 60 receptions for 935 yards and 9 touchdowns. That marked the second straight season Gent had paced the team in those three important categories, after his all-conference 2007 season. He’s a favorite to earn all-Sun Belt honors again as a senior. Gent is not the only option in the F.A.U. passing game. Simply at wide receiver, Smith can also look towards the senior Chris Bonner (22 receptions for 492 yards) and the junior Lester Jean (25 for 257). But it is at the tight end position that Florida Atlantic is special. Not only does the team return a 2008 second-team all-Sun Belt selection in the senior Jamari Grant (45 receptions for 642 yards) and a second solid contributor in Rob Housler (32 for 519, 4 scores), but it brings back the potential all-American Jason Harmon, who missed all of 2008 due to an A.C.L. tear. Harmon is that good: he was a first-team all-conference performer as a junior (2007), when he finished second to Gent in receptions (63), yards (825) and scores (5). Florida Atlantic has as deep a tight end group as any team in the country. Up front, the junior Lavoris Williams will move back to left tackle after playing most of 2008 on the right side. The Owls also return a pair of potential all-Sun Belt linemen in the senior guards David Matlock and Kevin Miller. There are obviously some concerns with the defense, as one would expect due to the eight starters lost to graduation. Still, there is talent here, especially in the secondary. Cornerback is one position not hurt by graduation, as the Owls returns their 2008 starters in the juniors Tavious Polo and Tavoris Hill. Polo struggled somewhat last fall, but his freshman all-American season of 2007 (seven interceptions, a school record) illustrated his capabilities. After spending his rookie year as a member of Florida Atlantic’s nickel package, Hill stepped in and started all 13 games last fall (41 tackles, 1 pick). Likewise with the junior free safety Ed Alexander (42 tackles, 3 interceptions), who played sparingly in 2007 but broke into the starting lineup three games into 2008. With all new linebackers and three new starters up front, the secondary will be the strength of the F.A.U. defense. That lone returning starter up front is the senior tackle Josh Savidge, who bounced back from a knee injury in 2007 to solidify the interior of the Owl front. He’ll need to continue his strong play while taking on a leadership role with a largely new group. Position battle to watch: Developing a solid running game without Pierre and Edgecomb will be important. The juniors Willie Floyd (38 yards rushing) and Jeff Blanchard (57 yards, 1 score) were two of the favorites entering spring ball, along with Xavier Stinson, a redshirt freshman, and the sophomore Avionne Rolle. But the sophomore Alfred Morris, who was penciled in as a backup at fullback, had a dominant spring and stole the starting role, at least for now. Of course, the team also returns the senior fullback William Rose, who is a valuable part of both the running game (308 yards last fall) and the passing game (23 receptions for 168 yards). On defense, filling three open spots at linebacker will be difficult. The most experienced player currently holding a starting role is the senior Edward Bradwell (41 tackles, 1 sack), who will hold down the weakside. In the middle, Michael Lockley’s limited game experience has given him the edge over the redshirt freshman Alex Patee, but that battle is far from over. I am hopeful that the redshirt freshman Yourhighness Morgan will outduel the junior Malik Eugene on the strongside, as that name deserves a starting role. By the way, Morgan is the heavy favorite to win the Countdown’s prestigious “Name of the Year” award. Yourhighness? Amazing. 2009 schedule: Sept. 5 @ Nebraska Sept. 19 @ South Carolina Sept. 26 Louisiana-Monroe Oct. 3 Wyoming Oct. 17 North Texas Oct. 24 @ Louisiana-Lafayette Oct. 31 Middle Tennessee Nov. 7 @ U.A.B. Nov. 14 Arkansas State Nov. 21 @ Troy Nov. 28 Western Kentucky Dec. 5 @ Florida International Game(s) to watch: Like last year, I see the game at Troy as the season’s most important matchup. Troy is the favorite to win the Sun Belt, but F.A.U. can help its chances by getting the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Owls will also be battling Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee State for second place in the Sun Belt; both of those games come at home. Season breakdown & prediction: The Florida Atlantic offense is too good for the team to be ranked any lower than the second-best team in the Sun Belt, but its defense leaves me concerned. Can the team receive equal production from its eight new starters? Probably not, especially at linebacker. Yes, I’m concerned. But I’m not worried. Does that make sense? And why am I not worried? Because the Owl offense is good enough to win six games on its own, especially in the Sun Belt. Even with a questionable defense, I have F.A.U. as the second-best team in the conference, trailing only Troy. I’m most interested in seeing how the Owls fare early on, as it will be important for this team to avoid another 1-5 start. F.A.U. will drop its first two, but the potential is there for an extended winning streak heading into the Nov. 14 matchup with Arkansas State. Over all, I think the Owls will enter that game with a 5-3 mark, and will – at worst – split its final four to finish 7-5. I think very highly of this offense, and returning to the top of the Sun Belt is not out of the question. The potential is there for eight wins, but with this defense, seven wins is the more logical pick. Dream season: The Owls take back the Sun Belt with a 9-3 regular season. Nightmare season: Despite the best effort of the offense, Florida Atlantic’s losses on defense are too difficult to overcome. The Owls slip to 4-8, its worst mark as a full-time member of the F.B.S. Where do Florida Atlantic fans congregate: Two great independent options. Both The Owl’s Nest and FAUOwlAccess.com are terrific places to catch up on Florida Atlantic recruiting, game stories and message board chatter. Finally, do yourself a favor and check out Ted Hutton’s F.A.U. blog for The South Florida Sun-Sentinel. It’s indispensable to both Owls fans and to outsiders looking for a glimpse into the workings of the Florida Atlantic program. And I get a kick out of the fact he calls Howard Schnellenberger “The Voice.”

Youre most likely right, and I do see Nebraska winning by two touchdowns or more. It could be a close game up till half time or late into the third quarter, but then the depth of your talent will pull it out and seal the deal. Sun Belt teams just dont have the horses yet to go the distance. Troy is a prime example of this. They led LSU 31-3 at the end of the 3rd quarter and then managed to lose the game in the 4th. Depth and playing conservative with a lead did them in. If FAU played Nebraska 10 times, Nebraska wins 9 out of 10. I have no doubt of that. Were just hoping that this time is that 10% chance.

south bama isn't in FBS they are FCS arent' they? Currently USA is FCS division, hence the lighter schedule. They are slated to move up to full FBS status around 2012 or 2013. They have scheduled some pretty good teams. Im looking forward to having them as a full member.

Man that game was INSANE. The weather was just crazy and killed us being a pass first team. Ringer was a beast, he got his yards but we did hold him out of the End Zone till the end. We did have our opportunities, and your right we left them on the field. As for atmosphere, the Owls wont have any issues playing and dealing with the crowd. Howard has had them playing big OOC progrms forever and they are used to that. Texas, Clemson, Michigan State etc. As many have said the Lines and the Depth will be what comes to play. It is the nature of Belt teams to stay competative unitll the second half usually, and thats when we lose becasue of the depth issue. The Line size for FAU HAS gotten better, we are starting to get more beef up front, but talent wise you guys (and BCS programs in general) are way ahead.

FAU does have a LOT of speed on Offense, especially in the TE/WR/FB position. We recruit 95% of our athletes from Florida, and speed is a strong suit in most Florida players. They will be at or slightly below NU in that regard. The REAL diffrence will be on the Lines. FAU and most Belt teams are undersized on the OL/DL compared to BCS programs and thats where you guys will have the strong advantage and depth. Im not saying we are close in talent in totatlity. But in Offense I think we are.

The SunBelt is getting stronger every year. While still at the bottom or close to it (More then a few have stated that we have surpassed the MAC in terms of play) we had 4 teams Bowl Elligible last year and sent 2. We split the bowls 1-1 Troy lost to USM in a thrilling game in overtime. FAU beat Central Michigan in a good game. Now that we have 9 full Football memembers (10 in a few years when USA becomes FBS) we will be having 8 confrence games and 4 OOC games, which should improve the records and create more Bowl elligible teams. The SunBelt has only ONE gurantee Bowl bid, (The New Orleans bowl) that goes to the confrence champion. In 2007 a VERY talented 8-4 Troy team got shut out of a bowl when FAU beat them to win the confrence head to head. This resulted in the rule that if a 7-6 or higher team is available they MUST be taken over a 6-6. Therefore you will hear EVERY SunBelt coach talk about how crititcal it is to WIN the Confrence. It is the ONLY way you gurantee a post season game. If you dont win its a crap shoot to get a at large bid.

None Taken! stAte, Troy, and FAU are all expected to be in the mix for the SunBelt crown. Troy is by far the favorite and SHOULD win it, but in the past 4 years whoever has been the pre-season favorite has NOT been able to repeat as champs. Im looking forward to the game, One thing about playing these games, is that it takes your players and forges them in the crucible. They come out batterd, but not broken and when you come into confrence play you have a wealth of experience ready to go. Oh yeah, the paycheck is nice too. LOL.

More of us every year! Keep in mind that FAU has only had Football in ANY incarnation since 2001. (FCS from 01-05, and FBS from 06 till Present) Takes time to grow a base. As for making the trip I would imagine a few hundred would make it, (we dont travel well for the above reason). This one is a tough sell to travel to. NU has a great tradition and I would imagine a great stadium atmosphere but its tough to fork out Airfare/Hotel/Food expenses for whats most likely going to be an ole fashioned arse whoopping Im a realist, Youre going to beat us and probably by at least 21 points. But our offesne WILL put up some points. We have a lot of talent on that side of the ball. Feel free to drop by our board, www.fauowlsnest.com to chat. Weve been talking about the game with a few Husker fans for a while now.