Defense has had trouble stopping the run

Boca Raton - While Middle Tennessee has had trouble running the ball this season, expect them to test the Owls defense.

FAU has not held an opponent under 156 yards rushing in any game this season, and three teams have run for 206 or more yards.

The Owls are giving up 213.2 yards per game on the ground, and 230 through the air, for 443.2 per game, 109th of the 119 Bowl Subdivision teams.

What FAU is hoping is that the offensive line of the Blue Raiders will not resemble those of the Big 12 and Big Ten teams that have plowed through them, as Texas rushed for 232, Michigan State 259 and Minnesota 206 in the Owls three losses.

Alabama-Birmingham had 156 yards rushing in FAU's only win this season.

Teams are averaging 4.8 yards per rush against FAU, while MTSU (1-3) is averaging 2.0 yards per rush.

LIGHTS ON: FAU practiced under the lights Sunday on the artificial turf field at the track complex, similar to the what they face Tuesday in Murfreesboro, when they play the Blue Raiders at Floyd Stadium with an 8 p.m. kickoff.

OWLS IN SPACE: When coach Howard Schnellenberger was asked about the importance of being on ESPN2 Tuesday, when it will be the only college game broadcast to a national audience, he gave a global perspective.

"If they have an antenna on the Russian space station, they can get our game, as well as in Guam and Asia, and what a wonderful thing that is for us upstarts," Schnellenberger said.

Schnellenberger has always been a fan of exposure, and feels being on TV is important, no matter the result.

"For three hours, [you a hearing] the name FAU over and over again. Sometimes it is spectacular and sometimes it is dreadful, but it is all the same. It is exposure," Schnellenberger said.