Program Profile: Florida Atlantic

Sunbelt since 2006
Colors: Blue and Red
Mascot: Owls

When the program began in 2001 with the same coach who built up the programs at Miami and Louisville, he stated his goal as scheduling the best teams possible so the Owls could become national championships; they lost to Slippery Rock University (a Division II school) by thirty-three points in their first game ever. It’s a building program, but in three seasons as a IA team they’ve never beaten a ranked opponent, like many schools in their position have. But they do have the Shula Bowl against Florida International, so monikered because FAU’s coach and FIU’s coach have both worked with Don Shula in the past. FAU has won four of five.

They’re represented by Owls because FAU is an owl sanctuary, but they just completely made up the Red and Blue thing.