Entering their 10th year in existence, the Florida Atlantic Owls have played two bowl games and have established themselves as a formidable contender in the Sun Belt.

Failing to secure a bowl appearance on the heels of last year’s 5-7 finish was a huge disappointment for the driving force behind the Owls' success—head coach Howard Schnellenberger.

The father of Florida Atlantic’s football program has set a goal of reaching a .500 record before moving into the team’s new stadium in 2011.

Can Schnellenberger take the Owls back to the postseason after falling short in 2009?

The team boasts a multitude of strengths, but their weaknesses are sufficient enough that if not addressed, they could derail any efforts to improve upon last season’s performance.

With a schedule that is heavily loaded with road games and only four home games, with matchups against non-conference rivals Texas, South Florida, and Michigan State, Schnellenberger’s Owls will definitely be put to the test. 

Here’s a closer look at the 2010 Florida Atlantic Owls to help make your college football wagers winners.

Offense

The Owls enter the 2010 season with the fewest returning starters in the conference with three. Starting at the line, all five starters must be replaced. Much like last season, FAU may be forced to double-start players on both sides of the football if Schnellenberger can’t find at least 10 starters in his underclassman group.

This won’t make it easy on senior quarterback Jeff Van Camp (1,372 yards, 12 TD, two INT), who started the final five games last season and will have some pretty big shoes to fill for the exiting Rusty Smith, whose collegiate career with the Owls was sprinkled with accolades until it all ended with a sprained shoulder late in the 2009 season.

Van Camp was immediately thrown in for the injured Smith and led the Owls to a 3-2 closing record. So to say the Owls are solid at the position would be a fairly safe bet.

He will be joined in the backfield by the Sun Belt’s leading rusher and All-Conference selection Alfred Morris, who rushed for 1,392 yards and 13 TDs in 2009. It was a breakout year for the sophomore as Morris took advantage of the opportunity, finishing 13th in the country in rushing.

Completing FAU’s big three is senior receiver Lester Jean, who snagged 38 passes for over 500 yards and four TDs last fall. But the remaining downfield targets are young and lack experience.

The Owls offense produced an average of 28 points per game last season, and if they can find a few diamonds in the rough, they may be able to reproduce those numbers. Schnellenberger seems to have a knack for getting players to perform above expectations.

Defense

Contrary to the Owls offense, the defense will return nine starters. However, they formed the nucleus of a unit that yielded a garish 453.2 yards per game last season, the worst performance in the short history of the program. FAU also allowed 30 or more points in half of the 12 games on the 2009 schedule.

Now Schnellenberger will have to hope for some major improvement this season, as the defense will most likely be the deciding factor in keeping FAU in most of its games. In order to ensure those improvements, he has given assistant head coach Kurt Van Valkenburgh control of the defense.

It begins with a line that returns three upperclassman starters who should be much better this season, especially the junior DE tandem of Kevin Cyrille and Jamere Johnson. Senior Michael Lockley, who had 97 tackles in 2009, will be the go-to guy, while Cyrille and Johnson will be expected to have breakout seasons.

The linebacking corps will be led by Lockley, who will also be expected to make a lot of big plays in the second row, especially against the run.

Finally, the Owls’ secondary will return all of its starters, including three seniors, led by safety Marcus Bartels, the team’s top tackler in 2009 with 112 stops.

2010 Prediction: Fourth in the Sun Belt

The Owls must find a way to limit attacks both on the ground and in the air in an effort to keep the opposition within striking distance, making up for their lack of experience on offense. For the past decade Schnellenberger has raised the program to its current Division I status, and mediocrity is not an option as the team chases its first Sun Belt Conference title.

If the Owls can get off to a good start, it could help in their 2010 campaign, but with a tough schedule and a lot of questions and youth, I just don’t see them besting their 5-7 finish of last season.

For a detailed look at the 2010 Sun Belt Football Predictions, check this out.

Also be sure stay up to date on all the college football odds right here this season, and check in often for more college football picks to help make your betting experience a winner.