FAU Football vs North Texas, FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL, September 29, 2012, 5pm. Huge PANORAMA of Half-Time images to be posted Here over the next 48 Hours, check back often.

Boca Raton, FL - Two touchdowns scored with a 1:12 time span of the second half wasn't enough as the Florida Atlantic University football team suffered a 20-14 loss to the University of North Texas in Sun Belt Conference action on Saturday at the FAU Stadium. After trailing 17-0, FAU's offense erupted in the final minute of the third quarter and first minute of the fourth period. The first touchdown came on the team's third trip into scoring territory. Junior running back Damian Fortner capped a nine-play, 73-yard scoring drive with an 11-yard scamper to the right corner of the end zone. Then, junior defensive back Keith Reaser intercepted a Derek Thompson pass on the first play of the fourth quarter. One play later, senior quarterback Graham Wilbert broke away and scored on an 11-yard scamper. The extra point cut the Owls' deficit to 17-14 early in the final period.

North Texas (2-3, 1-1 Sun Belt) came back to score a 28-yard field goal by Zach Olen with 7:29 remaining to build the six-point lead. FAU could never threaten in the final minutes. The visitors went to the air to grab an early lead as Thompson hooked up with Brelan Chancellor for a 68-yard touchdown pass midway through the first quarter. Later, Olen kicked a 48-yard field to give the Mean Green a 10-0 advantage with 12:15 remaining in the first half. Thompson would hook up with Drew Miller for a 14-yard touchdown reception at the 5:03 mark in the third quarter, giving North Texas the 17-0 advantage before the Owls' late rally. Fortner led the FAU offensive attack with 63 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver William Dukes had six receptions, while senior Byron Hankerson and junior Daniel McKinney each caught four passes. Defensively, junior linebacker Adarius Glanton made a game-high 12 tackles for the Owls. Senior linebacker David Hinds had 11 stops, including three tackles for loss.

FAU (1-4, 0-2 Sun Belt) returns to the field on Saturday, October 13, at 8 p.m. at ULM.
The game will be televised on the Sun Belt Network (CSS).

After a three-week stretch on the road that featured back-to-back games against top-tier Southeastern Conference opponents, the Florida Atlantic football team is back home this Saturday against North Texas. Not only is Saturday the first home game for the team in nearly a month, it’s also FAU Pride Day. The athletics department and new AD Pat Chun has a challenge for Owl fans, especially the student body. “If we get 4,000 students in the stands before kickoff, we will distribute rally towels to all 4,000 students after the first quarter,” said Chun. “You did great turning out for the first game, but we know you can do better! Show your Owl Pride by getting to the game before kickoff!” Since the Owls last played at their home field, they’ve gone 0-3. It was all the way back on August 31 when they were last at FAU Stadium, winning 7-3 over Wagner College. The next week, they lost their Sun Belt Conference Opener to Middle Tennessee State, and then played back-to-back games against teams currently ranked in the top five nationally: No. 5 Georgia and No. 1 Alabama. Head coach Carl Pelini is “glad to be home,” and described what a win Saturday would mean to the team. “All the hard work they’re putting in during the week needs to show on the field,” he said. “(A win) would certainly be a boost for everyone: the program, the players and coaches. I’m not going to say we can’t keep getting better if that doesn’t happen. Certainly, they’re pushing themselves, in the meeting rooms and on the field. They’re working at getting better, but a boost would help.” The squad got a fourth quarter touchdown to snap a nearly 13-quarter scoreless streak by the Alabama defense, a span that saw the Crimson Tide score 134 unanswered points.