Well we’re officially less than a week out!

Football season is back, and FAU maybe for the first time is going on the road against a top 10 team and many think FAU has a legit shot to win.
 
I am go ahead and predict this game without having any idea who the QB will be.

I will be making the trip to Norman, and hope to witness the greatest program win in program history! I have made the trips to Madison, Columbia, Gainesville, Auburn and this is the first time I think we have a shot. 

As much as I wanna celebrate a FAU WIN in Campus Corner area in Norman I can’t imagine FAU actually pulling off the win.

I believe FAU plays tough and maybe even holds a lead in the 3rd quarter. Oklahoma’s offense I believe will eventually will be to much for FAU’s defense, and will be set up with short fields by a couple of turnovers by FAU’s offense. 

Oklahoma wins 45-31

What does everyone else say?

FAU covers the current 21 points, which will go lower.

There shouldn't be any above-the-head snaps, Parr won't hit our receivers in the back and Motor will have more than six touches. I predict we'll start the season off better than we did last year.

FAU gets off to a great start and gets off to a big lead. OU comes back late but FAU holds on 42-34.

In 2016, the Houston Cougars took down the Baker Mayfield led Sooners (Ranked #3) on the first game of the season. The Cougers would go on to finish 7-5, while Oklahoma would finish in the Top 10.

Disclaimer - I am an optimist.

WARNING: Rat Poison Ahead

Fast forward to September 1, 2018. The FAU Owls defense is fast and aggressive - they can compete and the stadium knows it immediately during the first series when Oklahoma goes 3&Out following a gang tackle sack of Kyler Murray on 3rd down. The Owls force turnovers and do not allow Oklahoma past the 50-yard line until late in the second quarter. You can hear the Owl players screeching when Norman falls silent as Jalen Young takes an ill-advised pass to the house in the first half. Although many expect the second half to catch up to the Owls, the defense is fresh and motivated rotating in 8-9 different lineman to supplement their LBs and DBs, many of whom will be playing on Sundays. The Owls are stuffing the run and forcing Oklahoma to turn one dimensional as Motor, Willie, and Harrison expose their archaic defense.

The Owls shock the nation and beat Oklahoma 33-23 … matching the Houston/Oklahoma score from two years prior.

Murray is too fast. FAU will fight back but it won't be enough.
Stay healthy, beat UCF, AF, BC and win C-USA.

GO OWLS

I liked the 45-31 score. I'll change it up just a bit so I don't steal straight from Delta. 42-27, OU wins. Murray throws for 2, runs for 1. RBs Rodney Anderson and Trey Sermon do the rest.

How about, let's see your prediction for Iowa State game last year, you got it? 

Well, my post will probably have more questions than answers.

My head tells me Oklahoma will win but my heart is screaming FAU.

There are so many different angles, it's probably best to bullet point.

*We didn't get a chance to truly see how good we were last year.  This is the test for something we really don't know the answer to.
*For all the talk of "forget about last year, this is a new season" we really didn't lose anyone to graduation that would dramatically change the face of the team (much love to last years seniors, just saying the majority of the team is intact on both sides of the ball.  This is a nod to the "reload" instead of "rebuild" kind of year).
*Kiffin and company have had this date marked on the calendar since the Boca Bowl game clock expired.  This game is our Super Bowl though no one internally would admit it.
*We mainly know what to expect from the OU offense and defense, though we understand Murray is a different QB than Mayfield.
*We have a new defensive coordinator with a new scheme (from above).  We know it's heavy on blitzing - how will Murray respond to this in his first game?  Scramble, throw underneath, throw it away, throw an interception?
*Are we blitzing to the run, towards Murray and Anderson, resulting in stops?
*We have a new offensive coordinator that no one knows anything about.  What's his philosophy, tendencies, strengths, weaknesses?  There's no game film out there of him.
*Kiffin and company have not announced the starting QB.  This forces OU to watch film and prepare for three QB's.  (Joey SmartWater).
*If there was a time to knock off a P5, it's the first game of the season.


So many interesting factors.

I don't think we score more than 31.

I don't think OU scores more than 35.

I'm nervous about the blitzing defense but luckily I don't think Murray adjusts to it quick enough.

Someone will win 31-28.

(Give me another day or two…).

My thought is that the score will be OU somewhere in the 40s and FAU in the teens or low 20s   It final score will depend on whether or not the FAU defense can get enough stops against the OU offense.

It is the first game of the season so I will say OU 41 FAU 19.