Venue & Game Details
Kickoff: 6:00 PM ET
Venue: Pitbull Stadium, Miami, Florida
Surface: FieldTurf
Broadcast: ESPN+
Weather Forecast (Kickoff)
Conditions: Mostly clear skies
Temperature: ~84°F (29°C) at kickoff, cooling to ~79°F by the fourth quarter
Humidity: ~70%
Wind: Light ESE breeze at 5–7 mph
Impact: Warm, humid South Florida evening — stamina and hydration will be factors, but no weather-related disruptions expected.
Injury Report
Florida Atlantic Owls
No players listed on official injury report.
QB Caden Veltkamp healthy after 309-yard, 5-TD performance vs. Florida A&M.
RB Gemari Sands (127 rush yds, 6.7 YPC) available.
WR corps intact, including Asaad Waseem (3 TDs) and Easton Messer (team-high 149 rec yds).
Florida International Panthers
Five players listed as questionable (names not disclosed).
QB Keyone Jenkins (314 pass yds, 0 TD, 1 INT) expected to start.
RB Kejon Owens (149 rush yds, 2 TDs) healthy.
LB Johnny Chaney Jr. (17 tackles) available to anchor defense.
Recent Form
Florida Atlantic Owls
W 56–14 vs. Florida A&M — Veltkamp threw 5 TDs; defense forced multiple turnovers.
L 0–48 @ Maryland — Six turnovers doomed opener.
2024: 4-8 overall.
FIU Panthers
L 0–34 @ Penn State — Offense held to 290 total yards.
W 42–8 vs. Bethune-Cookman — Dominant rushing attack.
2024: 5-7 overall.
Series History
All-time: FAU leads 17–5.
Current streak: FAU has won 7 straight since 2016, by an average margin of 30 points.
Last meeting: 2024 — FAU 38, FIU 20 (in Boca Raton).
Notable: Last FIU win came in 2016 (33–31).
Key Player Matchups
QB Caden Veltkamp (FAU) vs. FIU Secondary — Veltkamp’s deep-ball accuracy will test a Panthers defense allowing 220.5 pass YPG.
RB Kejon Owens (FIU) vs. FAU Front Seven — Owens is FIU’s most consistent weapon; FAU allows just 90.5 rush YPG (32nd nationally).
WR Asaad Waseem (FAU) vs. CB1 (FIU) — Waseem’s red-zone efficiency (3 TDs on 8 catches) could be decisive.
LB Johnny Chaney Jr. (FIU) vs. FAU Run Game — Chaney’s tackling and gap discipline will be critical to slowing Sands and the FAU ground attack.
Special Teams — FAU K Garrison Smith perfect on FGs and PATs; FIU K Robert Czeremcha yet to attempt a FG.
Betting Trends & Angles
FAU: 1-1 ATS in 2025; 8-2 ATS in last 10 vs. FIU.
FIU: 2-0 ATS in 2025; 0-7 SU in last 7 vs. FAU.
Totals: Over has hit in each of last 3 Shula Bowls.
Situational: FIU home opener; FAU on road for first time since Maryland loss.
Game Odds
Florida Atlantic Owls 58.5
Florida International Panthers – 2.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 12, 2025
