There’s only one college football rivalry that’s defined by Roman numerals like the Super Bowl.
Shula Bowl XXIV kicked off from Boca Raton on Saturday night, pitting together Florida Atlantic and FIU teams that enjoyed strong starts to their 2026 campaign. Both quarterbacks in this matchup — Caden Veltkamp and JJ Kohl — were fresh off 360+ yard, 3+ touchdown showings in Week 2 victories.
But instead of a quarterback shootout, Shula Bowl XXIV was defined by clutch defensive stops. Clinging on to a 16-10
lead, FAU stalled not one, not two, but three consecutive FIU drives with under six minutes remaining to seal the victory.
FIU was nine yards away from the go-ahead touchdown when Florida Atlantic recorded the first of the three stops. Damarius McGhee broke up Kohl’s pass to the end zone, causing a critical turnover on downs. The Panthers received another opportunity in FAU territory, reaching as far as the 44-yard line. But on 4th-and-5, Kohl was overwhelmed by a 5-man rush, and Jay Crable sacked him before he could read through his progressions. It was FAU’s only sack of the game, and it occurred at a pivotal moment.
But two stops weren’t enough. Immediately after the 2-minute timeout, FIU got one more shot at a game-winning drive. The odds were stacked against the Panthers, as FAU punter Reed Chaney booted the ball down to the 1-yard line. However, Kohl and Co. dug out of the disadvantageous field position, one short throw at a time. With four seconds remaining, FIU faced 3rd-and-10 from the FAU 17-yard line. The Owls dropped seven into the end zone, and Kohl couldn’t find an opening. He launched the ball toward Maguire Anderson, but Anderson already stepped out of bounds before the throw reached him.
FAU recaptured Shula Bowl bragging rights after FIU stole the series in 2025. The Owls now own an 18-15-1 lead in the all-time series, which was established in 2002.
Caden Veltkamp, fresh off a 386-yard, 5-touchdown performance against Navy, didn’t replicate that stat-line in the rivalry matchup. However, his connection with Easton Messer helped the Owls stay ahead on the scoreboard from start to finish. Veltkamp recorded 202 yards on a 24-of-36 showing, while Messer led the team with seven receptions for 83 yards. The duo’s main highlight was a 38-yard bomb down the left sideline in the third quarter, which set up an FAU field goal to take a 16-7 lead.
The most important thing Veltkamp and the FAU offense did was refrain from a turnover. Last season, FAU finished dead-last in the FBS with a minus-21 in turnover differential. The Shula Bowl served in great contrast, as the Owls finished a plus-3. On the first three possessions of the game, FAU intercepted Kohl three times. The Owls capitalized on the short fields from the interceptions, creating a 10-0 first quarter lead without needing to travel far offensively.
FIU (1-2, 0-0 CUSA) may have a losing record, but the Panthers’ defense was a thorn in the side of two American Conference opponents. The Panthers held South Florida to 19 points and FAU to 16 and only allowed one touchdown in each game, despite losing the turnover battle 3-0 in both outings. FIU returns to Pitbull Stadium next Saturday to host FCS opponent Long Island.
Florida Atlantic (2-1, 1-0 American) attained a much-needed win driven by its defense. The Owls allowed 66 to Florida in the opener but drastically improved in the two weeks following. FAU resumes non-conference play for the next two weeks, where it will be a heavy favorite over ULM and FCS foe Texas Southern.
