FAU Football vs FIU, Florida International University, Miami Gardens, Florida - 25 November 2006, Dolphin Stadium, 7:00 pm

MIAMI (AP) - Rusty Smith passed for two touchdowns to lead Florida Atlantic to a 31-0 victory over Florida International in a Sun Belt Conference game Saturday night. The Owls finished with 361 total offense in the regular season finale before 9,655 fans at Dolphin Stadium. FAU finished with a 5-7 record and 4-3 in the conference. FIU, now 0-11 and 0-6 in the conference, and Duke remain the only winless teams in Division I this season. Smith, who finished with 178 passing yards, threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Frantz Simeon in the game's opening drive and a 1-yard score to Aaron Sanchez early in the second quarter. Charles Pierre scored on a 4-yard run with 2:56 remaining in the first half, increasing FAU's lead to 21-0. Warley Leroy converted on a 34-yard field goal 2:30 into the fourth quarter giving FAU a 24-0 lead and B.J. Manley closed the scoring with a 2-yard run with 6:28 remaining in the game. The Golden Panthers had two final opportunities to avoid the shutout with eight seconds remaining from the FAU 14-yard-line but both of reserve quarterback Paul McCall's passes fell incomplete. The Owls scored on the opening drive with an 11-play, 65-yard drive culminated with Smith's flanker screen to Simeon, who outran the FIU defense to the end zone. Smith's scoring strike to Sanchez ended a 76-yard drive to put the Owls ahead 14-0 with 14:08 remaining in the second quarter. The Golden Panthers first reached Owls territory when Julian Reams ran nine yards to the FAU 47 midway through the second quarter. But the Owls held FIU on downs and Smith directed his third touchdown drive of the half, capped by Pierre's run. FAU leads the all-time series 4-1 between the South Florida based schools and avenged a 52-6 loss to Golden Panthers last season.

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