FORT LAUDERDALE - This nationally televised thing is not working out too well for Florida Atlantic.

In another mistake-filled game, the underachieving Owls lost for a second straight Tuesday and saw their hopes to repeat as Sun Belt Conference champions virtually die, losing 30-17 to Troy before 17,191 at Lockhart Stadium.

The Owls fell to 1-5 and are 0-2 in the Sun Belt Conference, with the two conference losses coming in the past eight days on ESPN2. FAU was 6-1 in the Sun Belt last season, earning the automatic bid to the New Orleans Bowl.

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BOCA RATON - Since winning its first conference title and playing in its first bowl game last season, expectations have been raised at Florida Atlantic University.

Now the Owls (1-4) are one loss from seeing such promise all but crushed.

With three consecutive losses and, more importantly, an 0-1 start in the Sun Belt, FAU’s season is likely on the line when it faces Troy (2-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) at 8 tonight at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

It’s the Owls’ second consecutive weeknight game televised nationally by ESPN2. Last Tuesday night, the Owls suffered the most disappointing regular-season setback in their eight-year history when Middle Tennessee State completed a 32-yard Hail Mary pass with no time remaining and added the extra point for a 14-13 victory.

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Owls’ coach Howard Schnellenberger met with his players Sunday and said he found a “very somber group.”

That is be expected after they were trounced 37-3 by Minnesota the day before, and that followed a 17-0 loss to Michigan State.

“I don’t think our team has gained anything from the last two losses,” said Schnellenberger, who usually finds positives in even the worst defeats.

There is some good news, as the Owls have 10 days until their next game when they play Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro in an ESPN2 game.

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Forget about what Florida Atlantic coach Howard Schnellenberger said about Texas not being a tough team.

The No. 11 Longhorns were tough enough to roll to an easy 52-10 victory against FAU in front of 98,053 at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

“I can tell you one thing, they are a lot tougher than we are, and we are going to work to be tough as they are,” Schnellenberger said.

Seemingly inspired by Schnellenberger’s statement that the Longhorns weren’t a “tough team,” FAU players weren’t shy about saying they were coming to Texas to pull an upset.

However, saying it and doing it are two different things as the Longhorns taught the Owls.  (more)