Five reasons to be excited for Florida Atlantic football in 2026

BOCA RATON — 5-7. 5-7. 4-8. 3-9. 4-8

Those are the records for Florida Atlantic University football the past five seasons. It has been 6 years since FAU’s last winning season. Betting institutions predict more losing, with the Owls over/under being 4.5 wins for 2026. 

Boca hasn’t truly gone bonkers for the Owls since the school’s last conference championship in 2019, and the Owls haven’t played in a bowl game since 2020. 

Since 2019, FAU football has had 3 head coaches and a 26-43 record.  

FAU goes into its second season under Coach Zach Kittley, starting Sept. 5 against Florida in Gainesville as 26.5 point underdogs. The last time the Owls played against the Gators, they lost 35-14. However, this is an experienced Owls team, and there is reason for optimism heading into the season. 

“You see all the work we’ve done, and see how we’ve gelled as a team and how individuals have stepped up in different areas. It’s time for these guys to show the world what they’ve got on Saturday,” Kittley said. 

Kittley is excited about his team and here are five reasons Owls fans also can be excited about their football team in 2026: 

Zach Kittley remains the youngest head coach in FBS

Kittley became the youngest head coach in FBS college football when FAU hired him at 33 years old in December 2024. 

Kittley was formerly the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech, where he coached two future NFL quarterbacks, Behren Morton and Tyler Shough. Kittley, who also coached Patrick Mahomes, led an offense that was explosive and creative, as Texas Tech averaged 38.5 points per game in 2024. 

While a final record of 4-8 was not a great start, FAU football improved significantly offensively. The Owls went from averaging 27.9 points per game in 2024 to 38.7, and from 397 yards per game to 444. 

Kittley also brought the same pizzazz that his Texas Tech offenses were known for to FAU, including a variety of trick plays.

In this era of constant change on the college football front, FAU brought back the entire coaching staff and Kittley was able to have his first full signing class as the school's head coach. 

With Kittley getting even more control over the makeup of FAU’s roster, there’s reason to assume the team could be even more exciting offensively than last season. 

Caden Veltkamp and Easton Messer are back 

In today’s era of college football where transfers are more common than ever before, it’s not often that a team gets to bring back its starting quarterback and wide receiver duo, but the Owls have done just that. 

Caden Veltkamp and Easton Messer have played together since 2022, the duo starting together at Western Kentucky before transferring to FAU in 2025. 

Veltkamp threw 24 touchdown passes last season, six to Messer, before suffering a shoulder injury late in the season. Messer had 104 receptions, which was first in the American Conference. 

“I thought he did a really good job last year," Kittley said. "I think that shoulder being banged up caused some woes for us, but at the end of the day, he was still our best bet to go win us football games." 

Veltkamp was named as one of 40 quarterbacks on the Manning Award Watch List, and Messer was named on the Blitenkoff Award Watch List. 

“Me and Easton had a lot of really good conversations about what he wants for his last year in college," Kittley said, explaining Messer's decision to return for another season. "Ultimately, he wanted somewhere where he could go produce and have his best chance at an NFL roster.”  

FAU’s success will be on the heels of what this duo can accomplish in their senior seasons, and barring unforeseen circumstances, the duo’s last season together. 

“We had a good fall camp, we were really explosive offensively," Veltkamp said. "I feel like my chemistry with the receivers, tight ends and running backs was really good. I felt pretty comfortable with all the transfers we brought in as well as the guys we already had. I’m excited for week one.”  

Home rivalry games dot the schedule

While FAU will be on the road for Week 1, some of the most important games will come at home, under the bright lights at Flagler Credit Union Stadium. 

Last year, FAU had to go on the road for its first conference game, a 38-28 loss to Florida International University. This season, FAU will be at home against Navy in Week 2 for its first conference game and a chance to get revenge from the Owls' 42-32 loss a year ago. 

The Owls will play FIU at home with a chance to win the Shula Bowl after their first loss to the Panthers in seven years. 

Last year, FAU went on the road and lost to another in-state rival, The University of South Florida 48-13. This season, the Owls will host the Bulls in their last home game. 

Owls defense has been retooled

FAU’s offense was electric last season, but the opposite can be said for the defense. The Owls allowed 38.4 points per game, which was the third-worst ranking in the country.  

Three of last season’s standouts defensively, senior defensive tackle C.J. Dogette Jr, senior linebacker Leon Hart Jr. and sophomore edge rusher Josh Roberts, are back.  

“Our mentality every week is to hit and you have to hit hard and attack the ball, all 11 hats on the ball all at once all the time, every game.” Dogette said. 

The transfer portal saw the Owls add senior safety Tyson Rooks, who played in all 13 games last season for Illinois.  Also added were senior linebacker Joseph Sipp Jr. from Kansas, J.K. Johnson and Wallace Foster, from Oklahoma State and Louisiana State University, respectively. 

New edge rusher Kenyon Garner had 15 sacks and 28 tackles last season for Livingstone College. New defensive tackle Blake Burris was on the playoff-bound Southern Methodist University Mustangs two seasons ago. 

It's a wide-open American Conference

Last season, Tulane won the American Conference championship, making the CFP field and eventually losing to Ole Miss. 

This year, the American Conference appears to be wide-open. The Green Wave lost head coach Jon Sumrall to Florida. North Texas and South Florida also lost their head coaches to other job opportunities. 

Some of the conference's best players are elsewhere in 2026. USF lost starting QB Byrum Brown to Auburn, and Navy lost all-conference halfback Eli Heidenreich to the NFL. 

With FAU bringing back a lot of its heavy-hitters, offensively and defensively, this continuity will be vital in competing for a conference championship.  

Saturday's game

FAU at Florida

7:45 p.m., SEC Network

FAU 2026 football schedule

All times Eastern. 

• Saturday, Sept. 5 at Florida | 7:45 p.m. | SEC Network
• Saturday, Sept. 12 vs. Navy | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
• Saturday, Sept. 19 vs. Florida International | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+
• Saturday, Sept. 26 at Louisiana-Monroe | TBD
• Saturday, Oct. 3. vs. Texas Southern | 6:00 p.m | ESPN+
• Saturday, Oct 10: BYE WEEK
• Saturday, Oct. 17 at Army | 12:00 p.m. | CBS
• Saturday, Oct. 24 vs. Rice | TBD
• Thursday, Oct. 29 at North Texas | 7:30 p.m | ESPN or ESPN2
• Thursday, Nov. 5 vs. Tulsa at San Antonio | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN or ESPN2
• Saturday, Nov. 14 at Tulsa | TBD
• Saturday, Nov. 21 vs. South Florida | TBD
• Friday, Nov. 27 or Saturday, Nov. 28 at East Carolina | TBD

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Five reasons to be excited for Florida Atlantic football in 2026