Posey Sparks Football’s Comeback Victory over WKU

Saturday, November 7

Boca Raton, Fla.

6 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

WKU

11/7/2020 10:44:00 PM | Football

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University football, behind redshirt freshman Javion Posey, scored the go-ahead touchdown with just over two minutes left and remained undefeated at home with a 10-6 win over WKU Saturday night at FAU Stadium.

Quotable

Head coach Willie Taggart:
"(It was) a great win for the Owls. It was good to see our guys find a way to win a tough, hard-fought ballgame. I told our guys all week long that this was going to be a tough, hard-fought ballgame and sure enough, what I told them happened in this ballgame. It's good to see our guys hang in there for four quarters and find a way in the fourth quarter to win. It says a lot about our football team. I was very pleased and happy with our guys for finding a way to win a tough ballgame."

The Turning Point
The two teams had only notched field goals before FAU (3-1, 3-1 C-USA) turned to Posey at quarterback in the fourth. He had a 17-yard rush on the first play of his first series, and though WKU came away with an interception four plays later, and then a field goal to move ahead, a Posey-led 75-yard drive – capped by his 11-yard keeper for a touchdown – proved to be the game-winner.

The Finish
WKU (2-6, 1-3 C-USA) took over, and the FAU defense forced a turnover on downs, with a three-yard loss on the ground along with three incompletions. All that was left was one more first down, by BJ Emmons, and then a Posey kneel-down in the victory formation to close it out.

Gallery: (11-7-2020) WKU vs FAU 11-07-20

Quick Hits

The start of the game was delayed due to weather by a half-hour, to 6:35 p.m.
WKU's first series was a 16-play drive, into the FAU red zone, but it ended on a sack by Caliph Brice and Leighton McCarthy for a loss of 13 on 3rd down, followed by an unsuccessful 50-yard field goal attempt
That was as close as either team came to scoring in the first quarter
Or, for that matter, the first half, as the teams went into the locker room scoreless
The first points of the game didn't come until 8:51 to go in the third, on an FAU series where the Owls started at exactly midfield after a 17-yard punt return by LaJohntay Wester
James Charles had a rush of 10 yards on the drive, and a pass interference penalty on WKU took it to the 16-yard line
Though a sack pushed the Owls back (and out of the red zone), Vladimir Rivas came through with a 40-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead
The Hilltoppers answered right back with three points of their own, on a kick from 32 yards out
WKU went up 6-3 midway through the fourth on another field goal, this one a 49-yarder
The Owls then immediately put together a 12-play, 75-yard drive, with all 12 plays coming on the ground (including 15-yard runs by Posey and Charles)
After Emmons got a first down on 4th-and-1, Posey kept it for an 11-yard touchdown and the lead with 2:27 to go

Stats and Records

Though he was in on just two drives, Posey led the Owls on the ground with 60 yards rushing (6.7 per carry). Emmons had 56 and Charles added 53
TJ Chase was the top receiver with three receptions for 47 yards, including a 26-yarder. Jordan Merrell had the longest play from scrimmage, a 35-yard catch to close out the first half
Matt Hayball recorded a season-long 70-yard punt, and averaged 45.8 yards on the night
Chase Lasater and Teja Young shared the team high with seven tackles each, with Brice just one behind them. The Owls posted seven TFL, with McCarthy and Brice each recording 1.5

Video Recap

What's Next

The Owls are on the road next Friday to take on FIU in Shula Bowl XIX. Following that is a newly scheduled home game, also a Friday night matchup, on Nov. 20 hosting UMass. That night, it'll be an 8 p.m. kickoff and will air on CBS Sports Network. For tickets, visit FAU's football tickets website or call 1-866-FAU-OWLS.