Photo: AFP
An annual college ball game named after a legendary NFL coach will continue to be played.
The "Shula Bowl" is a yearly competition between Florida Atlantic and Florida International Universities and it's named after late Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula. But whether both teams would continue playing it was in question because FAU is leaving Conference USA for the American Athletic Conference.
Both schools on Monday have agreed to a four-game non-conference series from 2024 to 2026.
Florida Atlantic's Owls will host the even years in Boca Raton while Florida International's Panthers will host the odd years in Miami.
FAU leads the series 15 to 4 and has won five straight.
The name came about because the first coach for each school's football program had ties to the winningest coach in NFL history. Howard Schnellenberger was an assistant for Shula in the 1970s and years later would start FAU's program. Don Strock played quarterback for the Dolphins under Shula in the 1970s and '80s before starting the FIU program.
Don Shula passed away in May of 2020 at the age of 90.