Following last year’s 58-21 trouncing of FIU in Shula Bowl 20, social media video showed several Florida Atlantic (5-5, 4-2) players using the removable FIU (4-6, 2-4) helmet affixed to the Don Shula Trophy as ashtray as they enjoyed victory cigars. Fast forward one year later, the Owls figuratively smoked the Panthers from the opening kickoff en route to a 52-7 victory in Shula Bowl XXI — the largest margin of defeat in Shula Bowl history.
“We got bull-rushed by FAU, they beat us every which way,” said MacIntyre.
After a truncated pregame warm-up session that saw heavy rain and lightning delay both teams’ entry to the field until roughly 36 minutes before kickoff, FIU quarterback Grayson James was picked off on the game’s first offensive play by Florida Atlantic linebacker Jaylen Wester.