BOCA RATON, Fla. – Western Kentucky was right in the game at halftime Saturday, trailing host Florida Atlantic by only a point.

Then, as has become common this season, the Hilltoppers were outplayed in the second half and fell to another defeat.

The Owls outscored WKU 24-6 over the final two quarters Saturday and rolled to a 34-15 victory. It was the sixth straight defeat for coach Mike Sanford’s Toppers (1-9 overall, 0-6 Conference USA), who have lost 14 of their last 16 games dating to last October.

Opponents have outscored WKU 172-86 over the second halves of games this season. That isn’t a figure that sits well with running back Joshua Samuel.

“That’s been the message all week, every week is just finishing,” the redshirt freshman Samuel said. “Having a strong first half and coming out and having a good second half, we’ve just got to learn to put it all together.”

Hilltopper punter/kicker Alex Rinella booted a 40-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter. That made it a 10-9 Florida Atlantic lead at halftime.

WKU, an 18-point underdog coming into the game, received the ball to start the second half and had the chance to take a lead.

That first third-quarter series fizzled out. FAU’s powerful running game then took over as the Owls scored the game’s next 17 points.

Florida Atlantic outrushed the Tops 315-123. Running backs Kerrith Whyte Jr. (21 carries, 163 yards, two touchdowns) and Devin Singletary (22 carries, 148 yards, two TDs) each accounted for more rushing yards than WKU’s entire offense.

“That was going to be a big part of the game,” Sanford said. “We knew that was their strength. To get outrushed by over 150 yards, that’s going to be what’s going to cost you in the end.”

Both teams scored a touchdown and kicked a field goal in the first half. The Hilltoppers’ TD came on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Steven Duncan to tight end Mik’Quan Deane, while the Owls scored theirs on an 8-yard Whyte carry.

The only difference between the teams in their first-half scoring was the result of WKU kicker Ryan Nuss getting his extra-point attempt blocked following Deane’s touchdown catch. Nuss has combined to have four PATs or field goals blocked this season.

FAU turned the ball over twice in the first half. Nickelback Ta’Corian Darden intercepted a De’Andre Johnson pass and defensive tackle Evan Sayner recovered a Chris Robison fumble forced by WKU defensive end DeAngelo Malone.

The Toppers failed to convert a pair of fourth-down conversions in the first half. Duncan also threw an interception to Owls cornerback Shelton Lewis.

After WKU punted on its first second-half series, Florida Atlantic marched 78 yards over nine plays, capped by a 40-yard Singletary rushing touchdown. Vladimir Rivas’ PAT made it 17-9 with 7:55 left in the third quarter.

“The first half, we were containing pretty good,” the sophomore Malone said of his team’s rush defense.

“But I think the second half, that’s when they really broke out. They’re pretty good backs and we just have to tackle them better. That’s something we didn’t do.”

FAU ate more than six minutes off the clock on its next drive, which ended with a Rivas 22-yard field goal. That stretched the Owls’ lead to 20-9 with 13:27 left in the game.

WKU went three-and-out on its next series, and coach Lane Kiffin’s squad quickly answered. Robison found wide receiver Tavaris Harrison for 49 yards down to the Topper 5-yard line.

Two plays later, Singletary crashed in for a 1-yard TD that made his team’s lead 27-9 with 10:28 left and effectively sealed the outcome.

Duncan led the Hilltoppers 75 yards over 10 plays on their next series. Running back D’Andre Ferby found the end zone from seven yards out and, after a failed 2-point conversion, WKU trailed 27-15 with 6:17 to play.

Wide receiver Lucky Jackson then recovered Rinella’s onside kick, allowing the Tops to keep possession. Duncan hit Deane on a 22-yard completion to the Owls’ 10-yard line, but WKU never got any closer and came up short on another fourth-down conversion attempt.

Whyte put the icing on the cake with a 77-yard touchdown run with 2:19 to play that made Florida Atlantic’s lead 34-15.

“That’s a tough team to come back against, not easy,” Sanford said. “Devin Singletary is an outstanding back. Kerrith Whyte is a great back. I thought their quarterbacks played well. Chris Robison played particularly well. …

“Obviously, hats off to them. They have some really good skill players on offense.”

Duncan on Saturday became the third WKU quarterback to make his third start of the season, joining teammates Drew Eckels (three starts) and Davis Shanley (four).

The redshirt sophomore Duncan finished 25-of-42 passing for 228 yards with one TD and one INT. His top target was Deane (10 catches, 112 yards, one TD).

Sanford said he elected to start Duncan because the QB gave his team “a spark” in its previous game, a 29-10 loss Nov. 2 at Middle Tennessee. Duncan came off the bench that night and threw WKU’s only touchdown pass.

“I thought Steven Duncan really battled tonight,” Sanford said. “There’s going to be some stuff he’ll learn from this film, from this game, that will help in his overall progress as a quarterback.”

Samuel carried 15 times for 101 yards with a long rush of 61 yards. He became the first Topper in Sanford’s 23-game tenure to rush for 100 yards in a single game.

The last WKU player to do so before Samuel was Anthony “Ace” Wales, who accomplished the feat in the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl. That game was played at the same stadium where the Hilltoppers lost Saturday.

“I feel like our O-line was crushing them at certain points of the game,” the redshirt senior Deane said. “We were trying to keep pounding the ball in and do whatever we could do to get positive yardage.”

Defensive standouts for WKU included linebacker Ben Holt (16 tackles, three tackles for loss), Malone (career-high 11 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one pass breakup) and Darden (five tackles, one interception, 38 return yards).

D-tackles Jeremy Darvin and Jalen Madden also notched sacks for WKU in its 19-point loss.

Up next

WKU plays its final home game of the season Saturday against Texas-El Paso. Kickoff from Houchens-Smith Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m., with the game broadcast by BeIN Sports.

The Hilltoppers are 0-4 so far at home this season. A loss to the Miners (1-9, 1-5) would seal WKU’s first winless home record since 2010.

Notes

Sanford is 7-16 in his second year at WKU and overall in his coaching career. Duncan is 0-3 as a starting quarterback. … The Hilltoppers are now 3-7 all time against Florida Atlantic. WKU is 2-3 against the Owls in Boca Raton. … Saturday marked the first time two opponents have rushed for 100 yards against the Toppers since South Florida accomplished the feat in the 2015 Miami Beach Bowl. … WKU had only two penalties for 10 yards, both numbers marking the fewest in a game this season. … Announced attendance at FAU Stadium was 14,400.{&end}