MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Many might not peg Middle Tennessee and Florida Atlantic as budding football rivals when looking at their series from 1,000 feet.
Get closer to the matchup, though, and you'll see just how close the two teams have been since kicking things off for the first time in 2003.
FAU's program started in 2001, and for the first two editions of the series in 2003 and 2004, legendary FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger — who retired in 2011 — and his bunch were an independent, having no conference affiliation.
The inaugural meeting ended 20-19 in favor of the upstart Owls, and the next season saw another FAU victory, 27-20.