Box Score

 • Final Statistics

Jared Allen passed for 311 yards and two touchdowns as Florida Atlantic won the third annual Shula Bowl, 17-10, played at Pro Player Stadium, Saturday afternoon in Miami.

Josh Padrick completed 26 passes for 277 yards for the Golden Panthers, finishing his second-consecutive 2,000-plus-yard season while Rashod Smith rushed for 48 yards on the afternoon to end the season with an all-time best 1,133 yards.

With 2,269 passing yards in 2004, the redshirt sophomore has 4,762 yards in two seasons.

FIU finished the hurricane-ravaged season with a 3-7 record while Florida Atlantic ended 9-3 on the year.

After a scoreless first quarter, FAU knocked on the door with a first-and-goal from the FIU one-yard line. But after an illegal procedural penalty pushed the Owls back to the seven, kicker Mark Myers' 24-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright.

Myers earned a reprieve on FAU's next possession and this time, he converted from 32 yards away giving the Owls a 3-0 lead with 7:19 to play in the first half. FIU had a chance to tie with a 25-yard field goal attempt, but the kick sailed wide right and the Owls held on to their advantage.

FIU did tie the score at 3 on the final play of the first half as Adam Moss redeemed himself with a 25-yard field goal. After forcing FAU to punt, the Golden Panthers started from their own 45 with 1:20 to play. A holding penalty pushed them back to the 37, but then Padrick found Cory McKinney for 37 yards to the FAU. Two more pass completions to McKinney for eight and Chandler Williams for 10 put the ball at the seven with three seconds left before Moss' game-tying kick.

McKinney, named FIU's MVP in Shula Bowl voting done by the media, caught eight passes on the day for 139 yards.

Florida Atlantic grabbed the lead again on its opening drive of the second half. Despite a pair of holding penalties and a false start call, the Owls overcame their own miscues and drove 88 yards on 15 plays that ate up 7:30 of the quarter. Parker found Roosevelt Bynes on a five-yard scoring pass and a 10-3 lead with 7:11 to play in the third quarter.

FAU extended its lead to 17-3 early in the fourth quarter when Allen, who was named FAU's MVP on the afternoon, was flushed out of the pocket, was forced to scramble to his right but then found Bynes, who had gotten behind the FIU defense, for a 51-yard TD reception.

That proved to be the final margin of victory. FIU scored one last touchdown on 15 plays that ended with a five-yard pass from Padrick to Williams with 11 seconds to go in the game.

The Golden Panthers recovered the ensuing on-side kick, but two heaves deep toward the goal line went incomplete and FAU held on, 17-10.

"Obviously, we came up short but we played hard the whole game. We had opportunities, but once again we couldn't take advantage of them," said FIU head coach Don Strock. "It was discouraging. We kept it close to the bitter end but we didn't make a play when we had to defensively or offensively, we had opportunities all day. It was the same old story.

"But give FAU credit. They played well and controlled the ball early in the second half. They put points on the board and even overcame some penalties. But that's what you have to do.

"You might say we're closing the gap on them. Next year, we'll both be in the Sun Belt and hopefully this game will mean something at the end," Strock said.

The Golden Panthers will now pack their bags for the winter, say farewell to eight seniors on their roster and begin preparations for next season that will include games against Texas Tech, Kansas State, Florida A&M and a full slate of Sun Belt Conference opponents.