Greetings from Paradise! I hope this note finds you well and that you and your families enjoyed the holiday weekend. This is such a special time with classes beginning and fall sports underway, creating an exciting atmosphere and energy on campus.

I want to extend my appreciation to Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Tom Herman and his team for a gutsy effort Friday night in the season opener at Michigan State. Like Coach Herman said following the game, "there are no moral victories," but the Owls played the Spartans tough in front of 71,000 in a hostile environment with two different possessions in the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead. All of us should be proud of the fight.

Now the team turns its attention to Saturday afternoon at FAU Stadium when the Owls welcome Army at noon in the American Athletic Conference opener for both squads. The team will be busy preparing this week for a tough Army squad, and our Athletics staff has been preparing all off-season for Saturday's home opener.

Tickets are going fast! Single-game seats start at $20 and can be purchased here or by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS.

It is Military Appreciation Day, and for those that have served or are serving, it's not too late to take advantage of our free ticket offer. For more information, click here. We look forward to welcoming local military members and showing gratitude from the entire Florida Atlantic University family for their service.

Our campus has deep military ties, as the Boca Raton Army Airfield occupied the land that is now FAU. The base proved pivotal to winning World War II as it was a training site for new radar technology deployed by the U.S. Army in the 1940s. Click here to learn more about this fascinating story.

As we countdown to kickoff, I'm encouraging our fans to arrive early as a near-capacity crowd is expected. Your comfort and safety is our No. 1 priority. Please familiarize yourself with FAU Stadium policies pertaining to entry and security that can be found on the stadium's A-Z guide page, located here.

Another reason to arrive early – an aerial jump team from FrogX will sky dive into the stadium at approximately 11:30 a.m. as part of the day's celebration of Military Appreciation Day. A large American flag will be on the field for the national anthem and military vehicles will be staged in the Fan Zone to view and tour, along with a number of other game day activations to salute are heroes.

As it normally is in Paradise – Saturday's weather calls for sun, heat and humidity. Please take precautions by staying hydrated and protected from the sun. Concessions will be stocked with plenty of water and other beverages, while cooling stations will be located both inside and outside the stadium gates. Fans may bring one unopened bottle of water per patron into the stadium.

Patrons will also notice a myriad of offerings at our concessions stands, from your standard fare hot dogs and hamburgers to more custom offerings like Tacos Al Carbon, Boca Latina, Jeremiah's Ice Cream, Funky Love and 305 Crepes.

Two locations in the stadium are Paradise Pricing concessions stands (behind sections 215 and 226) offering fan-friendly prices on beer, seltzers and mixed drinks, along with soda, snacks and hot dogs. The Paradise Pricing menu can be viewed here, with the complete concessions map here.

We're proud to continue the popular Paradise Pricing options as we strive to make Florida Atlantic Football one of the most affordable entertainment options in this market.

Saturday is just the start of an exciting home schedule that also includes in-state rivals FIU and South Florida. FIU is here next Saturday night, with USF in town for a Friday night showdown on Nov. 1 on national TV.

I look forward to seeing everyone here on Saturday afternoon in what should be an electric atmosphere at FAU Stadium. Parking lots open at 8 a.m., join us for the Owl Walk that occurs through Lot 5 at 9:30 a.m., general admission gates open at 10:30 a.m. with sky divers entering the stadium approximately 30 minutes before kickoff.

Remember: arrive early, tailgate responsibly, be loud and enjoy the return of FAU Football!

Thanks for your support and Go Owls!
 

Brian White
Vice President and Director of Athletics