Matchup: FAU (4-5, 3-3) vs Tulane (7-2, 4-1)
When: Saturday, November 15th, 4:00 PM ET
Where: Yulman Stadium
TV: ESPN+
Radio: FoxSports 640
Opening Line: FAU +16.5
All-time Meetings: Tulane leads the series 2-1 with previous two meetings being won by the Green Wave. Owls lone win came in 2013 with Florida Atlantic winning 34-17.
It was a rather successful week in Paradise for Zach Kittley’s squad as the Owls’ bowl game push started off with a 40-21 victory over Tulsa. Although the 1-0 start is a needed momentum boost, the schedule only gets harder from here as Florida Atlantic hits the road as the Owls will face Tulane in NOLA.
Florida Atlantic
Offense
The Owls looked great offensively during the first half of last week’s contest and it was obvious that time was spent during the bye week to tighten up some loose ends. However for FAU, there are now concerns regarding starting quarterback Caden Veltkamp.
Dealing with a lingering shoulder injury throughout most of the season, the redshirt junior was taken out of last week’s win early. It was shared that Veltkamp should be good to go this weekend barring something extraordinary.
On the season, the former WKU quarterback is 245/372 passing with 20 touchdowns through the air. Veltkamp’s most recent performance saw his highest completion percentage of the season (71.4), and had only his second game of the year without an interception thrown.
In the running game, the expectation has been a reliance on Gemari Sands, but Kaden Shields-Dutton has stepped up this season. He leads the team in touchdowns while Sands leads the Owls in rushing yards. On Saturday, if the duo can produce together then the Owls should stay competitive, but without a RB 2 option that seems to be capable, FAU could have an issue on the ground against Tulane.
The Florida Atlantic receiving group had their opportunities last week and clearly can find separation against an inferior opponent. The Owls learned earlier this season that what’s on paper does not always translate against South Florida. For Tulane, their passing defense is one of the worst in the conference, but the difference between the Green Wave and USF is Tulane has played many close contests.
That shows that the offensive stats are typically for a full game when both teams are playing for the win. Not garbage time stats, but a legitimate field of work.
Overall, Florida Atlantic will rely on the passing game in this one. The WR duo of Easton Messer and Jayshon Platt will be major factors, but it does not take a rocket scientist to know that’s who the Green Wave will focus on. This means some names will need to stand out to help push FAU to an upset.
One to Watch
WR Asaad Waseem
During the Owls back-to-back victories over Rice and UAB, Waseem earned 31% of his yards on the year in those two games. Now, when FAU is looking for that extra step for a bowl game berth, Waseem showed up earning four receptions for 57 yards last week.
But it has been three games without a score for the redshirt sophomore. If Florida Atlantic contends for all 60 minutes on Saturday, a major factor will be thanks to Waseem being the Owls option if the two slot stars are covered. Hopefully, the former Colorado receiver can end his scoreless streak, but also step up in a major way come kickoff.
Defense
The biggest concern on Saturday defensively will be Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff. The BYU transfer has shown he can be a top quarterback and is the Green Wave’s rushing leader. As recent contests have shown, the Florida Atlantic defense has been unable to stop a mobile quarterback.
Thanks to Retzlaff, Tulane’s production on the ground outweighs the passing game. But, the Owls secondary will need to keep an eye out on those explosive plays. Tulane averages over eight yards an attempt with three receivers making up half of the receiving yards for the Green Wave.
We saw last week how well the defense looked in the first half. Earning two interceptions and a fumble recovered for a touchdown, the Owls played well. However, this week will be on making plays when it matters.
The linebacker duo of Tyler Stolsky and Leon Hart have been the heart of this FAU defense, and this week will not change that. Stolsky has 72 tackles on the season alongside Hart’s 67. The two will be important in stopping the run game and containing those short passes to what they are, short yardage plays.
The defensive backs unit has had multiple names listed on the availability report throughout the year, but hopefully this week’s can remain limited. Regardless of what happens, the unit will need to be okay with allowing the big play. Regrouping and moving on will be the mantra of this FAU defense overall and with the boost of a six pass breakup performance by the DBs last week, the group should come into Saturday’s contest on fire.
One to Watch
The Florida Atlantic front got after it against Tulsa as they were a major player in the Owls five sacks last week. But this week it will be important to contain the quarterback. The true freshman in Roberts has shown he can be called upon, but will need to be a force once again if FAU is to slow down the Green Wave.
Expect Roberts’ role off the edge to consist of a possible drop look and be more so worried about containing Retzlaff than trying to get to the quarterback.
Stats Comparison
Tulane
Routinely a contender for an American Conference title, the 2025 season is no different for Jon Sumrall. His squad’s lone loss and upset over Memphis last week has helped the Green Wave set themselves up with an easier path to the championship game.
Sumrall’s squad is not overlooking the Owls as he shared the issues of facing an up-tempo offense like Florida Atlantic’s.
🗒️ WHAT THEY ARE SAYING 🗒️ #Tulane @CoachJonSumrall spoke about #FAU's offensive explosiveness, how @FAUFootball's style compares to others in #TheAmerican, & spoke highly of QB Caden Veltkamp & the Owls' WR weapons during his weekly presser🦉🏈 pic.twitter.com/2HJe8HMngH
— FAU Owls Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) November 11, 2025
Offense
The Tulane offense runs through dual-threat QB Jake Retzlaff. The redshirt sophomore has started all nine games and accounts for 20 of the Green Wave’s 29 touchdowns (10 rush, 10 pass). He’s one of two players in the American with 500+ rush yards and 1,900+ pass yards, and his 6.4 yards per carry make him a constant scramble threat.
On the ground, it’s a committee backfield but Javin Gordon leads the pack. The freshman has 394 yards and 4 TDs on 89 attempts; no other back tops 200 yards. Arnold Barnes III has been the RB2 option while former Owl Zuberi Mobley has been an addition off the bench.
In the air, three receivers stand out. WR Shazz Preston (25 catches – 414 yards -3 touchdowns) and another former Owl in WR Omari Hayes (25 catches – 376 yards -1 touchdown) are the deep threats—both average 15+ per catch. TE Bryce Bohanon (28 catches – 361 yards -1 touchdown) is the chain-mover and red-zone security blanket with a team-high 28 grabs. Retzlaff spreads it, but these three should see most of the targets on Saturday.
Defense
The Green Wave defense allows 26.2 PPG but brings heat up front with 21 sacks (4th in American). They’ve looked good against many quarterbacks, and for the sake of Veltkamp’s health, it will force Florida Atlantic to get the ball out even faster.
Edge duo Harvey Dyson (5.5 sacks, 8.0 TFL) and Santana Hopper (2.5 sacks, 7.5 TFL) lead the charge; six different linemen have at least 1.0 sack. The front rotates fresh bodies and proves they can get in the backfield.
In the secondary, CB Jahiem Johnson (2 INT, 6 PBU) and S Jack Tchienchou (55 tackles, 1 INT, 2 PBU) form the coverage backbone. The two have been strong in covering top receivers but before the Memphis game were slightly underwhelming compared to preseason expectations.
Final Thoughts
The final road game of the season is going to be a massive test. Tulane announced that their homecoming contest is sold out and they will be wearing their new “city connect” uniforms. All the energy is in the Green Waves favor in this one.
But for Florida Atlantic the true test is how well can the Owls stick around. This game is not a must win for FAU, but if they lose on Saturday it makes the final two games of the season even more valuable. That being said, a great day against Tulane, win or lose, will consist of sticking around for all 60 minutes and showing that this squad has what it takes to make a bowl game for the first time since 2020.