Florida Atlantic Owls

The Florida Atlantic Owls represent one of college football's youngest programs, playing home games at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton. Built from scratch in the early 2000s under legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger, the Owls have quickly climbed from Division I-AA independent status to a competitive spot in the American Athletic Conference. FAU's rapid rise, capped by a Cinderella NCAA Tournament run for its basketball program, has made it one of South Florida's most talked-about athletic brands.

FAU football began play in 2001 under Howard Schnellenberger, who built the program from nothing into a bowl team within seven seasons. The Owls won a Sun Belt Conference title in 2007 before moving to Conference USA in 2013, where they captured back-to-back league championships in 2017 and 2019 under head coach Lane Kiffin. FAU joined the American Athletic Conference in 2023, continuing its climb through the Group of Five ranks.