With regular season conference play over, the No. 8 Florida Gators (9-1) now turn their attention to Conference USA opponent Florida Atlantic (2-8). The Gators are 2-0 all-time against the Owls, who will return to The Swamp for a noon game on Saturday.
While Florida is expected to win handily, Florida Atlantic’s youthful roster has its share of playmakers. Here’s who to watch for:
Quarterback Jaquez Johnson: Johnson has started eight of FAU’s 10 games this season and has more or less handled himself well. While he hasn’t faced a defense at the caliber of Florida’s, Johnson has managed to throw for 1,356 yards and has thrown eight touchdowns to just four interceptions.
The redshirt senior passed for at least 200 yards in four of those eight games this season. Johnson has also proven to be good with his feet, racking up 227 yards and a touchdown on the ground this season.
Wide receiver Jenson Stoshak: Among a group of freshman and sophomore skill players, Stoshak has proven to be the reliable veteran for this Owls offense. A senior from Jacksonville, Stoshak has a team-best 46 catches for 680 yards this year.
His 167 career receptions are a school record and his 2,425 career receiving yards rank second all-time in FAU history, just 66 yards shy of Cortez Grant’s school record.
Defensive end Trey Hendrickson: Hendrickson has been a terror in opposing backfields this year. The junior ranks second in the Conference USA with 7.5 sacks and tied for 12th with nine tackles for loss.
Hendrickson paces an FAU defense up front that has 23 total sacks (third in C-USA). Florida’s offensive line has given up 28 sacks today, which is tied for the 21st-worst in the 128-team FBS.
If the Gators slack off, Hendrickson and the rest of FAU’s defensive line could end up having a field day.
Defensive backs Cre’von Leblanc, Jalen Young and Ocie Rose: Florida Atlantic’s trio of defensive backs have been the anchors of the Owls’ ball-hawking secondary.
The three have recorded 10 of FAU’s 13 interceptions and are responsible for 26 of the team’s 53 defended passes.
Young and Rose — both freshmen — have recorded all three of FAU’s defensive touchdowns this year, with Young recording a 58-yard pick-six against Florida International and Rose bringing interceptions against Charlotte (60 yards) and Marshall (95 yards) to the end zone.
Punter Dalton Schomp: If Florida’s defense continues its dominance this weekend, Florida Atlantic’s punting unit will make plenty of appearances in The Swamp. Luckily for the Owls, Dalton Schomp has been a rock. FAU’s redshirt junior punter has been a solid playmaker for the Owls this season, averaging 47.5 yards per punt.
Of Schomp’s 33 boots this year, 13 have pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line, 16 have gone for at least 50 yards and just two have rolled into the end zone for touchbacks.
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
Florida Atlantic quarterback Jaquez Johnson (32) is tackled by Western Kentucky defensive back Branden Leston (31) during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, in Bowling Green, Ky. (Austin Anthony/Daily News via AP)
