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BOCA RATON – In a weather delayed game – nearly two hours – the debut for Lane Kiffin and Florida Atlantic was rained on literally and figuratively, as the Owls lost 42-19 to visiting Navy Friday night.
The game kicked off at 8:03 p.m. and it didn’t end until 1:47 AM, lasting five hours and 44 minutes. That was after three lightning delays, the last of which lasted for an hour and 43 minutes.
Navy was led by their junior quarterback, Zach Abey, who rushed for 235 yards and 110 yards with one touchdown and an interception.
FAU had a solid first quarter of defense and then came the rain. Navy would go on to amass 526 yards of offense on the extended night.
“There were too many negative plays,” said head coach Lane Kiffin. “This game will not define this team because it’s such an abnormal game.”
Kiffin said that tonight and in the week leading up to this game, seemingly hedging just in case his team performed the way they did tonight. Also, because the triple option offense Navy has is rare and as junior linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair said, you only see it once or twice a career.
Next, Kiffin says his team needs to refocus and get ready for their next opponent. Asked if he gave any thought to calling the game early since the threshold of an official game had been reached prior to the third weather delay, Kiffin was insistent.
“We were hunkered down.”
The Owls travel to play Wisconsin next week and then come home to play Bethune Cookman the following week.
