Florida Atlantic has played eight seasons of major college football and already has a winning streak in bowl games. Howard Schnellenberger's championship experience must be rubbing off. Rusty Smith threw for 307 yards and two second-half touchdowns to help the Owls beat Central Michigan 24-21 on Friday night in the Motor City Bowl. Florida Atlantic began playing in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2005 and is 2-0 in postseason games. The Owls defeated Memphis last year in the New Orleans Bowl. Full story
Team Reports
Florida Atlantic: When Florida Atlantic started the season 1-5, chances of a bowl bid appeared remote. But in a dramatic turnaround, FAU rallied to win five of its last six games to become bowl eligible. And the Owls (6-6) were rewarded with an invitation to face Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26 at Ford Field in Detroit. More
Central Michigan:For the third straight year, Central Michigan's season will end at Ford Field in Detroit at the Motor City Bowl. The Chippewas defeated Middle Tennessee State 31-14 in 2006 and lost a 51-48 thriller to Purdue last year. More -- Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
Photo Gallery
Florida Atlantic's Cortez Gent celebrates with Avery Holley (1) during the Motor City Bowl against Central Michigan. (AP)
"Certainly, this is going to go down as the most meaningful game we've had. I can't tell you how proud I am of our entire football team." -- FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger