Davidson’s Three Touchdown Effort Powers FAU Football to a 37-7 Shula Bowl Victory

Saturday, November 9

Boca Raton, Fla.

6 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

7-3 , 5-1

FIU

5-5 , 3-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

FIU

FAU

Davidson’s Three Touchdown Effort Powers FAU Football to a 37-7 Shula Bowl Victory

11/9/2019 11:06:00 PM | Football

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Malcolm Davidson had career highs in both rushing yards (153) and rushing touchdowns (three) as the Florida Atlantic University football team (7-3, 5-1 C-USA) defeated FIU (5-5, 3-4) 37-7 on Saturday.

Quotable

"Really good win. I'm proud of our guys and how they finished," said head coach Lane Kiffin. "It was a very sloppy first half on offense, especially. I felt like we out gained them. We moved the ball. We gave up one play and it would have been a two score game at halftime. We came out and it was 24 to nothing in the second half. Huge rivalry game and so I'm proud of our players and happy for our fans."

Post-Game Audio

Lane Kiffin

Malcolm Davidson

Meiko Dotson

Deangelo Antoine

Chris Robison

Video Highlights

Quick Hits

The Owls' defense recorded a three-and-out and the offense took over on its own 20
Davidson capped off a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 10-yard run to put FAU up 7-0 early in the game
FIU's next possession ended in a mishandled punt, allowing FAU to take over at the Panther 37 yard line
Back-to-back long completions ended the first quarter with the Owls in FIU territory
The drive stalled, but Vladimir Rivas hit a field goal from 33 yards out to make the score 10-0
FIU responded quickly, scoring on the next play from scrimmage to cut the FAU lead to 10-7
After an exchange of punts, the Owls once again drove deep into FIU's side of the field, but couldn't reach the end zone
Rivas came in to convert his second field goal of the game, this one from 27 yards out to make the score 13-7, FAU
The Panthers got down to the FAU 13 on their next possession, but threw an interception on their field goal attempt to end the last scoring threat of the half for either team
FAU had the ball to begin the second half
Chris Robison hooked up with D'angelo Antoine on a 45-yard completion deep in Panther territory
Harrison Bryant bounced off a potential tackler and ran into the endzone for his second touchdown catch of the year
On the next Panthers' possession, Chris Tooley forced a fumble that was recovered by Noah Jefferson, giving the Owls the ball at the FIU 16
It took just two plays for FAU to take advantage, as Davidson ran in from six yards out, extending the Owls' lead to 28-7 at the 10-minute mark of the third quarter
Both teams had drives reach the opposition's side of the field, but were held scoreless
FAU's final touchdown of the game came after the Owls' defense stopped the Panthers on fourth and two near midfield
After a James Brunson catch put the ball at the FIU 23, Davidson scampered the rest of the way for his third touchdown of the night
Rivas' missed that extra point attempt, but he redeemed himself with 25-yard field goal on the Owls' next drive to complete the scoring

Stats and Records

Robison finished 22-of-37 for 298 yards and a touchdown
Davidson, who was named FAU's MVP in the game, ended the game with 153 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. He is the first Owl to rush for three touchdowns in a game since Devin Singletary had three in last year's Shula Bowl
Antoine had nine catches for 125 yards, his third 100-yard receiving yard game of the season
As a team, the Owls racked up a season-high 579 yards of offense
Rivas' three field goals is his most in a single game since coming to FAU
With the win, FAU improved to 13-4 in the Shula Bowl
The victory also guarantees the Owls their fourth bowl appearance in program history
FAU MVP was running back Malcolm Davidson
FIU MVP was running back Napoleon Maxwell