The Lane Train has made its final stop in Boca Raton, FL.
The final destination, the Conference USA championship.
FAU went on to dismantle UAB after a 49-6 win in the conference title game on Saturday.
Owls quarterback Chris Robison threw for 267 yards and four touchdowns, running back BJ Emmons ran for a pair of touchdowns.
It was Lane Kiffin’s final game and his second league title in three years.
Kiffin is taking his talents back to the SEC, Mississippi, announced his hire moments later on social media, coincidently with a video montage showing a train traveling to Oxford, Mississippi. Defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer is the Owls’ (10-3) interim coach.
“They’re champs again,” Kiffin said. “That trophy is back here. That’s pretty neat.”
Kiffin improved to 26-13 in his three seasons with the Owls. In the eight seasons, before he arrived, FAU went 28-68. And in his time with the Owls, Kiffin had more 10-win seasons — two — than he had in his five years combined at Tennessee and USC. He went 10-2 with the Trojans in 2011.
Kiffin will get to redeem himself with a remodeled train.
UAB (9-4) the top defense in the conference entering the game, allowed a season-high in points and a season-high 585 yards.
“I think for our program, to be where we are, I humbly say how proud I am of coaches and players,” UAB coach Bill Clark said. “And then on the other side, same thing for him. To be two-time conference champs out of three years says a lot about them.”
UAB came into the game Saturday, having allowed 11.3 points per game. It was only the second time since the Blazers brought their program back in 2017 that they allowed 28 points by halftime. North Texas scored 30 in the first half on UAB back on Sept. 23, 2017.
The beat goes on.
Both teams await their respective invitations to go to play in a post-season bowl game.
Photo/KeithForde/WORLDWIDEWEST
