2008 Florida Atlantic Owls football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 2008 Florida Atlantic Owls football Florida Atlantic Owls wordmark.svg 250 Sun Belt Conference Sun Belt 7–6 4–3 Howard Schnellenberger 8th Gary Nord 4th Pro-style Kirk Hoza 8th 4–3 Lockhart StadiumDolphin Stadium Motor City Bowl champion Motor City Bowl W 24–21 vs. Central Michigan The 2008 Florida Atlantic Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University (FAU) as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Howard Schnellenberger, the Owls compiled an overall record of 7–6 with a mark of 4–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the Sun Belt. Florida Atlantic was invited to the Motor City Bowl, where the Owls defeated Central Michigan. The team played home games at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Schedule 2008 AP Eastern August 30 7:00 p.m. l y y Texas 10 Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX PPV 10–52 98,053 September 6 4:00 p.m. w y UAB Lockhart Stadium Fort Lauderdale, FL 49–34 15,143 September 13 12:00 p.m. l y y Michigan State Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI ESPN2 0–17 70,321 September 20 12:00 p.m. l y y Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN BTN 3–37 41,003 September 30 8:00 p.m. l y Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN ESPN2 13–14 25,766 October 7 8:00 p.m. l Troy Lockhart Stadium Fort Lauderdale, FL ESPN2 17–30 17,191 October 18 7:00 p.m. w y y Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY 24–20 14,171 October 25 7:00 p.m. w y Louisiana–Monroe Malone Stadium Monroe, LA CSS 29–28 9,922 November 8 4:00 p.m. w North Texas Lockhart Stadium Fort Lauderdale, FL 46–13 17,715 November 15 4:00 p.m. w Louisiana–Lafayette Lockhart Stadium Fort Lauderdale, FL 40–29 14,338 November 22 3:00 p.m. l y Arkansas State ASU Stadium Jonesboro, AR CSS 14–28 10,845 November 29 4:00 p.m. w FIU Dolphin Stadium Miami Gardens, FL Shula Bowl 57–50 OT 16,781 December 26 7:30 p.m. w y y Central Michigan Ford Field Detroit, MI Motor City Bowl ESPN 24–21 41,399 Florida Atlantic Owls Schedule 2008 https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/2226/season/2008 ESPN August 18, 2025 2008 Florida Atlantic Owls Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/florida-atlantic/2008-schedule.html College Football at Sports-Reference.com Sports Reference August 18, 2025 2008 Football Schedule https://fausports.com/sports/football/schedule/2008 Florida Atlantic University August 18, 2025 Preseason The Florida Atlantic Owls entered the 2008 season defending as defending Sun Belt c-champions. Rusty Smith, a junior, returned at quarterback. The 2008 team also returned an overwhelming majority of starters from the conference champion team, as it only lost four seniors (DB Kris Bartels, OL Jarrid Smith, LB Cergile Sincere, DL Josh Pinnick). In the preseason Sun Belt coaches poll, the Owls were a clear favorite to repeat as champions. Florida Atlantic received 62 total points and 6 first-place votes. Preseason honors Preseason Sun Belt Players of the Year Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, Offense: Rusty Smith (QB, Jr.) Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, Defense: Frantz Joseph (LB, Sr.) Preseason All-Sun Belt honors Rusty Smith (QB, Jr.) Cortez Gent (WR, Jr.) Nick Paris (OL, Sr.) Jervonte Jackson (DL, Sr.) Robert St. Clairhttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/stclair_robert00.html Robert ST. Clair 2008-12-27 2009-01-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090105023929/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/stclair_robert00.html dead (DL, Sr.) Frantz Joseph (LB, Sr.) Tavious Polohttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/polo_tavious00.html Tavious Polo 2008-12-27 2009-01-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20090104195906/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/polo_tavious00.html dead (CB, So.) Corey Small (CB, Sr.) Awards and honors Week 12 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Offense: Rusty Smithhttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/smith_rusty00.html Rusty Smith 2008-12-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20090601093656/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/smith_rusty00.html 2009-06-01 dead (QB, Jr.) Week 12 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Defense: Corey Smallhttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/small_corey00.html Corey Small 2008-12-27 2009-01-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090105021353/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/small_corey00.html dead (CB, Sr.) Week 14 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Offense: Rusty Smith (QB, Jr.) Week 14 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Defense: Frantz Josephhttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/joseph_frantz00.html Frantz Joseph 2008-12-27 2009-01-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20090104193529/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/joseph_frantz00.html dead (LB, Sr.) 2008 Shula Bowl Most Valuable Player: Rusty Smith (QB, Jr.) All-Sun Belt honors First Team All-Sun Belt Conference: Jervonte Jacksonhttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jackson_jervonte00.html Jervonte Jackson 2008-12-27 2009-01-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20090104215633/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jackson_jervonte00.html dead (DL, Sr.) Frantz Joseph (LB, Sr.) Corey Small (CB, Sr.) Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference: Jamari Granthttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/grant_jamari00.html Jamari Grant 2008-12-27 2009-01-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20090104231104/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/grant_jamari00.html dead (TE, Jr.) John Rizzohttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rizzo_john00.html Joohn Rizzo 2008-12-27 2009-01-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090105054943/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rizzo_john00.html dead (OL, Sr.) Nick Parishttp://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paris_nick00.html Nick Paris 2008-12-27 2009-01-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090105031324/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paris_nick00.html dead (OL, Sr.) Charles PierreCharles Pierre (RB, Sr.) New program records Florida Atlantic players broke numerous program records during the 2008 season. Statistic Previous record New record Passing touchdowns in a career) Jared Allen (40 in 2001–2004) Rusty Smith (60 in 2006–2008) Rushing yards in a career Doug Parker (1,981 in 2001–2005) Charles Pierre (3,015 in 2005–2008) Rushing yards in a season Doug Parker (896 in 2004) Charles Pierre (1,014) Rushing touchdowns in career Doug Parker (21 in 2001–2005) Charles Pierre (23 in 2005–2008) Receiving touchdowns in a career Anthony Crissinger-Hill (14 in 2001–2004) Cortez Gent (17 in 2006–2008)http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/gent_cortez00.html Cortez Gent 2008-12-27 2009-01-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090105005701/http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/gent_cortez00.html dead Total tackles in a career Chris Laskowski (294 in 2001–2004) Frantz Joseph (333 in 2006–2008) Total tackles in a season Frantz Joseph (131 in 2007) Frantz Joseph (141) References Florida Atlantic Category:Florida Atlantic Owls football seasons Category:Little Caesars Pizza Bowl champion seasons Florida Atlantic Owls football Category:Long stubs with short prose