Army Wins First-Ever AAC Game Over FAU in Heat

BOCA RATON, FL – Army West Point football (2-0, 1-0 AAC) played in its first game in Florida in 20 years (A win over South Florida, 2004) when they faced off against the Florida Atlantic Owls (0-2, 0-1 AAC), in the two programs’ first ever meeting as the Black Knights collected a 24-7 victory in what was also Army’s first American Athletic Conference contest as a member of the conference.

With a kickoff temperature of 91 degrees, Army dominated the ground game, outrushing the Owls 405-42 as Army had back-to-back games to open the season with three rushers over 70 yards. Slot back Noah Short had a career-best 160 yards on 11 carries while quarterback Bryson Daily tallied 117 yards on 18 keepers and Kanye Udoh logged 70 yards on 14 attempts.

Special teams played a role for Army once again, as Sean Saturnio went into his bag of tricks with a fake field goal attempt, in which holder Matthew Rhodes tucked and ran 23 yards for a touchdown which made it a three-score game in the second half.

FAU won the toss and chose to receive it to start the game. The Army defense was up to the task, forcing a three-and-out to open the game.

Army’s offense quickly faced a third and long on its opening drive of the game in which SB Noah Short was able to convert on a 13-yard option pitch to the left side from QB Bryson Daily. Three plays later, Short busted off on a 49-yard run down the right sideline in which he was one more block away from a score. Inside the redzone, RB Kanye Udoh finished the drive on a pounding eight-yard run up the middle for a touchdown, his third of the young season. It marked an eight-play, 82-yard drive taking off 4:57 from the game clock.

Florida Atlantic picked up three first downs on the ensuing drive, but Army’s defense got a huge stop as the Owls went for it on fourth-and-nine from Army’s 36-yard line. On the play, DL Jack Latore was able to generate pressure causing Owls’ QB Cam Fancher to throw the ball out of bounds.

The offense led by Offensive Coordinator Cody Worley continued to thrive as Daily connected to a wide-open WR Casey Reynolds for a 44-yard touchdown, Reynolds’ first career touchdown as the Black Knights jumped out to a 14-0 lead.

Army rushed for 130 yards as a team in the first quarter on 11 carries, led by Short who had four rushes for 88 yards.

The teams traded punts to open the second quarter, as the Army defense eventually forced its third three-and-out of the half on the Owls’ second possession of the quarter. On the ensuing Army drive, a third-and-thirteen conversion from Daily on the ground put Army into the Owls’ territory once again, but Army eventually turned the ball over for the first time this season on a third-and-short fumble by Udoh at the FAU 35-yard line.

FAU got the ball back with 3:40 remaining following the turnover and put together a nine-play touchdown drive capped by an eight-yard pass from Cam Fancher to Omari Hayes which made it 14-7 with 53 seconds to go in the half.

Army took the seven-point lead into the half, having outrushed the Owls 194-32 in the opening half hour. Short led the way with 102 yards on the ground on six carries while Daily logged 35 yards on five attempts.

In the first half, the Army defense forced four punts and a turnover on downs.
Coming out of the locker room on the first play, Daily busted through the middle for a 30-yard rush to push Army out near midfield.

Much like the first half, Short busted loose on another long run, this time for 28 yards to push Army inside the FAU 25-yard line. The Black Knights drive would be halted but K Trey Gronotte was able to knock in his first collegiate field goal attempt, from 35 yards out to extend Army’s lead, 17-7.

On FAU’s first offensive drive of the second half, Fancher tried to go deep into double coverage, but S Max DiDomenico soared over the intended receiver for the interception.
Getting the ball back, Army went on an Army-like drive marching 15 plays, 96 yards, and chewing up 10:33 of the game clock going into the fourth quarter.

After Daily missed a wide-open Short in the back of the end zone on a third down from the FAU 23-yard line, Army sent out the field goal team. However, Coach Sean Saturnio dove into his bag of tricks for the second consecutive week as Matthew Rhodes, the holder got the snap and sprinted to his left down the sideline for a 23-yard touchdown run. The trick play gave Army cushion extending the lead to 24-7.

On the Owls’ ensuing drive, they marched down the field with the help of a fourth-down conversion eventually setting up a first and goal at Army’s three-yard line. With third and goal at the one, the Army defense pulled off a true goal line stand, stuffing the Owls on back-to-back plays with DiDomenico making the play on fourth down.

Getting the ball back with 8:42 left in the game and a 17-point lead, the Army offense got first down after first down to bleed the clock down until victory formation was called. Army kept the ball for 38:39 total in the game while the Owls had just 21:21 with possession.

Army secures its first-ever AAC win with the victory and will head into a bye week before an AAC matchup at Michie Stadium against the Rice Owls on Sept. 21.