FAU 2023 Future Odds: National Championship, Conference, Regular Season Wins and Player Props

Goodbye Conference USA, hello American Athletic Conference. The Florida Atlantic Owls are one of six new schools joining the AAC in 2023, along with Charlotte, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA. On the heels of a disappointing 5-7 finish, which led to the dismissal of head coach Willie Taggart, more is expected of the Owls in 2023.

Where do they stack up in their new league? Read on as we break down some key 2023 Florida Atlantic Owls stats in our team preview.

Florida Atlantic Owls At A Glance

New Coach, New Conference, New Expectations

Since jumping to Division I-A, FAU has been a spot where big-name coaches have rebranded their image — and the program — before taking on bigger jobs at the Power Five level. No one did it better than Lane Kiffin. Now, it’s Tom Herman’s turn. After an abrupt ending in Texas, Herman will try to revitalize FAU.

The Owls are just 15-18 since winning Conference USA in 2019. They finished 5-7 last season, missing out on bowl contention for the second straight year because of a 32-31 overtime loss to Western Kentucky, per NCAAF scores. However, opportunity awaits. The Owls return some key talent from an offense that averaged 29.8 points, including All-CUSA running back Larry McCammon III. As a junior, McCammon III ran for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns.

Wide receiver LaJohntay Wester and offensive tackle Chaz Neal are also back. Don’t be mistaken, Herman has plenty of work to do. But his track record is impressive. In two seasons at Houston, Herman went 22-4 and led the Cougars to a top 10 national ranking. At Texas, he was 32-18 and won four consecutive bowl games. Should he have been fired? In hindsight, probably not. But that’s a discussion for another day. Herman is positioned to post strong 2023 Florida Atlantic Owls stats.

National Championship Odds: It’s Fun to Dream, but No Chance

Herman is a good coach, but he is not a miracle worker. That’s indeed what it would take for FAU to win a national championship. A miracle. At +100000, the odds say as much. After back-to-back losing seasons, a bowl game seems like a realistic goal in 2023. Maybe, the Owls can even climb the NCAA football standings and contend for an AAC title. Anything more than that is a pipedream.

Conference Odds: Owls in the Mix

At +800, FAU has the fifth-best odds win the AAC. Nobody else is realistically under consideration. On the heels of its stunning Cotton Bowl victory over USC, Tulane is obviously the favorite. The Green Wave returns a bulk of talent, including quarterback Michael Pratt. But FAU is in the mix. That’s all you can ask for after the failed Taggart era. Expect an improvement in 2023 Florida Atlantic Owls stats.

Regular Season Wins: Non-Con is Daunting

The Owls have won five games each of the last three seasons, a steep drop from their conference title in 2019. Despite that, oddsmakers are bullish on the Owls for 2023. At first glance, 7.5 wins — tied for the third-highest total in the AAC — seems a bit high. The Owls will have to make up ground in AAC play because the non-conference schedule is daunting. September closes with back-to-back trips to Clemson (Sept. 16) and Illinois (Sept. 23). Fortunately, the Owls will get AAC favorite Tulane and UTSA at home. Plus, they don’t play SMU or Memphis.

To Make Playoffs: Don’t Count on It

Technically, it’s not impossible. Cincinnati made the College Football Playoff out of the AAC in 2022. But it’s highly, highly unlikely. The conference has dropped in stature after losing Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF to the Big 12. The Owls could go undefeated, and even then, they’d struggle to sneak into the field. Oddsmakers aren’t even considering the possibility.

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