BOCA RATON, Fla. – Chris Robison threw for three touchdowns as Florida Atlantic beat Southern Mississippi 34-17 on Saturday to clinch the Conference USA East Division title.
Robison had 156 yards passing for the Owls (9-3, 7-1), who will host the Conference USA Championship game on Dec. 7. BJ Emmons ran for 71 yards and a score. Harrison Bryant had 75 yards receiving and caught three touchdown passes.
Vladimir Rivas scored for the Owls with a 40-yard field goal with 8:07 left in the first quarter. Robison followed up with a pair of touchdown throws to Bryant, of 38 and 15 yards, and FAU led 17-0 early in the second quarter.
Golden Eagles (7-5, 5-3) scored a field goal and a touchdown before the break, closing to 17-10 at halftime.
Akileis Leroy picked off Jack Abraham on the Golden Eagles’ first play of the second half and returned it 24 yards to the Southern Miss 3, setting up Emmons’ touchdown run and a 24-10 lead for the Owls.
Abraham threw for 182 yards and ran for a score for the Golden Eagles (7-5, 5-3). He was intercepted four times.