Florida Atlantic will host Navy on Saturday at Howard Schnellenberger Field at Flagler Credit Union Stadium, turning the matchup into more than an American Conference opener for both teams. The game is also the Owls’ annual Salute to Service event, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
That makes the game a full-day draw for fans who want the football and the pageantry around it. General public tickets start at $15, FAU students can claim free tickets, and fans are being urged to download tickets digitally on a smartphone or mobile device before they arrive.
The pregame schedule starts long before kickoff. Parking lots open at 3:30 p.m., and tailgating may begin then. Publix Paradise Plaza opens at 5 p.m., the first Owl Walk of the year is set for 5:15 p.m., and Owls Pregame Live featuring Homegrown begins at 5:30 p.m. The Marching Owls will perform before the game, and Jillian Flaherty will sing the national anthem alongside a giant American flag on the field.
Military and first responder vehicles and activations will be set up in Publix Paradise Plaza near Gates 1 and 2, where recognition for local first responders and those on active duty is scheduled during the game. A military swearing-in ceremony is slated for the second quarter, and a pregame flyover from HSM-72 is planned before kickoff.
The weekend also comes with a tighter game-day operation than the celebration on the field might suggest. Flagler Credit Union Stadium will use a Clear Bag policy, and the National Guard will be stationed in the Fan Zone handing out 2,000 clear bags on Saturday. General stadium gates are listed as opening at 10:30 a.m., a sign that the venue is preparing early for a crowd that will spend the day moving between football, ceremonies and pregame events.
Radio coverage begins at 7 p.m. on FOX Sports 640 South Florida and the Florida Atlantic Sports Network, with Ken LaVicka, Chris Newbold, Mike Mreczko and Frank Forte set for the pregame show. By the time the teams line up for the opening series, the rest of the night will already have been built around the game.
