Matchup: FAU (2-6, 0-4 AAC) vs ECU (4-4, 1-3 AAC)
When: Friday, November 1st, 7:30 PM
Where: ECU
TV: ESPN2
Radio: FoxSports 640
Weather Forecast: Here
The Series: The Owls trail 0-2.
Owl Notes
FAU checks into this matchup against ECU on the heels of 3 straight losses and needing to win out to make a bowl game.
In the Owls last matchup against USF, there was a lot of good that occurred, as the team ran for 190 yards, with CJ Campbell finishing with 168 scrimmage yards and 3 scores, while at QB Cam Fancher threw for 306 yards and a score, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt, benefiting from a healthy Omari Hayes, who finished with 7 receptions for 73 yards. Although there was a lot of good for FAU in that one, it was the 3rd straight game where the good that they accomplished didn’t translate into a victory, as they surrendered a 3rd quarter lead for the 3rd straight game.
It has been tough to pinpoint what exactly is the cause of the Owls inability to finish games, however against USF there was a major collapse in run defense, as USF finished with 319 yards in the ground, over 200 of them coming in the second half as the bulls seemingly got whatever they wanted in the trenches. On the other side of the ball things began to stall for the Owls, as in the first half the they had 4 drives lead to either a touchdown or attempted field goal, while in the second they only had 1 drive of that kind, either turning it over on downs or punting 7 total times.
It’s unknown whether the Owls will be able to win 4 straight, statistically speaking it will be an uphill battle, however both CJ Heard and Cam Fancher spoke about remembering why they play this game and how they can’t take their love of football for granted over these final few weeks. The Owls have played to their best of their abilities at times over the past 3 games, however when adversity struck they were unable to overcome it, but this game is another opportunity for FAU to learn how to win.
ECU comes in also looking to rally the troops down the home stretch of the season, but they have a bit more of a head start than FAU. The Pirates currently sit at 4-4, however coming off a huge victory against Temple where the offense exploded for 56 points this team looks rejuvenated under Blake Harrell, who took over for Mike Houston following his dismissal after ECU’s 45-28 loss on October 19th.
Although ECU may not be a threat to score 50 consistently as they did against Temple, the offense has found its mojo with Katin Houser at QB and with a steady force in the backfield in Rahjai Harris, the Owls defense will need to step up in this one if they are going to complete the first leg of running the table. Temple allowed Houser a lot of time in the pocket to get comfortable, recording no sacks and just 8 pressures overall, a similar stat line to what FAU put up in pass rush against USF. ECU is going to be able to run the ball, as Harris checks in as one of the top backs in the AAC, but where the Owls can frustrate this ECU offense is by making Houser uncomfortable, and forcing the Pirate offense to become one dimensional.
The Owls were able to do exactly that against USF, but only in the first half, as the Bulls instituted a dominating run game in the second half, which in turn let Bryce Archie get comfortable and led to USF scoring the final 30 points of the game.
On the offensive side of things, FAU has been fairly sound over the past 3 games, minus the pass game struggles against UTSA which can be attributed to WR injuries. In 2 out of their last 3 games, Fancher has thrown for 300 yards, while the offense as a whole has rushed for at least 100 yards in the past 3 games, with Campbell Jr providing 150+ scrimmage yards against UNT and USF. In this one they simply have to execute at a consistent rate throughout the game, not getting shut down when the stakes get raised, rather being the force that puts the game to bed in favor of the Owls.
FAU can do a lot on both sides of the ball to compete and stay in games, but what they haven’t shown yet this season is an ability to close out ball games by overcoming adversity, a trait which every good team must possess. Although a bowl game is statistically going to be a challenge, that is a one game at a time approach and in this matchup against ECU, the Owls have to finish strong and find a way to win no matter what gets thrown at them.
Position Group to Watch
The position group to watch in this one is going to be the entire defensive line, as the Owls headed into USF coming off their best pass rushing performance of the season with 20 pressures and 6 sacks, however against the Bulls they only recorded 8 total pressures and 1 sack.
Archie faced little to no resistance and with a flourishing run game by his side, he was able to get comfortable and hit numerous big throws en route to a career day against FAU. Katin Houser for ECU is a much more capable passer than Archie is and it is going to be paramount in this one that the Owls get after him and force this ECU offense to be one dimensional.
The Pirates have a very talented running back room with Rahjai Harris leading the way, however it is not strong enough for them to rely on entirely. If FAU is able to limit Houser and force ECU to be one dimensional, that will give them a solid shot at staying in this game defensively and they will just need to finish the job and execute.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, this is a battle between 2 teams who have had a tumultuous tenure so far this season, however ECU has taken a step in the right direction and are 2 game from a bowl, while the Owls have taken 3 steps back and find themselves with their backs against the wall if they want to make a bowl game.
For FAU in this one, the keys to success are limiting ECU’s pass game defensively and offensively, keep on getting Campbell involved through the air and on the ground, in turn getting Fancher comfortable and in rhythm. That won’t guarantee that the Owls win this game, however it will go a long way in helping FAU accomplish the first leg of running the table.
In the end however, FAU will need to find a way to win this ball game by playing for all 4 quarters and not faltering when adversity arises, rather finding a way to overcome it.
Stat Comparison
ECU Notes
ECU started off the Blake Harrell era 1-0 following a dominating 56-34 victory over Temple, a game in which the team showed an offensive identity for the first time during conference play. Katin Houser took the reins against Army and although it ended in a loss, he finished with 3 TDs, which he upped to 5 against Temple. After failing to rush for over 100 yards in 2 out of their last 3 games, ECU broke out for 231 and 2 TDs against Temple, giving this team a diverse offensive attack.
It hasn’t been consistent, however if this team can get the dual-threat offensive attack that they got against Temple going forward they will have a solid chance at pushing for a bowl and could potentially cause FAU problems. Rahjai Harris is potentially one of the most talented running backs in the AAC, however at times this season he has been bottled up due to the offense’s struggles as a whole, but if they are clicking he has the potential to be a major contributor down the stretch.
Defensively it has been up and down this season, however the loss of Sharon Revel has hurt ECU in the secondary, but against Temple they forced 3 interceptions and they have recorded multiple sacks in every AAC game besides Army. Elijah Morris leads the way with 4 sacks on the year, with Gavin Gibson and Ja’Marley Riddle both having 2 INT’s and a TD on the season.
This squad looked to have rallied around Harrell in the first game under his interim tenure and if they keep that same fire heading into this one, they may be a potentially dangerous team to face. Ultimately, ECU can find success in this one with a consistent ground game and letting Houser get comfortable, and defensively keep Fancher in the pocket and keep the Owls run game in check.
ECU Player to watch
Rahjai Harris remains as one of the top backs in the AAC despite ECU’s up and down start to this season checking in as an explosive weapon in this pirate offense. Harris is a patient runner who will find his hole and accelerate, having great secondary speed and also a bruising ability to grind out yardage when needed.
ECU found success against Temple with a diverse offensive attack as Houser, although a bit turnover prone at times, was able to get comfortable having a solid run game behind him. In this one if they are able to get Harris going early, this offense could potentially continue its momentum against an FAU defense which may find itself on the ropes.
On the season, Harris has rushed for 561 yards and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry, punching it in 4 times with a king of 63. The Owls gave up over 300 yards to USF on the ground last week, and if they’re not ready to bounce back another big day could be in store, this time for Harris.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a game which could go either way, as ECU has struggled at times this season but last week they put together one of their best performances of the season. If they’re able to replicate that performance in this one, that would be a hard task for FAU to stop, however ECU will have to hone in defensively.
If ECU is able to contain Fancher and force him to beat them from the pocket, that will severely limit the FAU offense and make it hard for them to establish anything offensively. That is easier said than done however, and another route to limiting this FAU offense is by shutting down their run and making them one dimensional, which is something FAU has struggled overcoming at times this season.
There is a path to victory for ECU in this one, however they will be facing off against a fired up FAU squad who will be looking to steal a game on the road and kick off their quest to win 4 straight to make a bowl game.