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Lane Kiffin gets new deal after most successful season in FAU history

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Kiffin pumped for 10-year extension (1:41)

Lane Kiffin says FAU is a great place for him and his staff, despite what people might perceive about the smaller program. (1:41)

Lane Kiffin, who has resurrected Florida Atlantic's football program in just one season, has agreed to a new deal designed to keep him with the Owls through 2027.

"This is further proof of FAU's unbridled ambition," FAU president John Kelly told ESPN on Tuesday.

Florida Atlantic (11-3) defeated Akron 50-3 on Tuesday night in the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl for the team's 10th straight win. FAU captured the Conference USA championship earlier this month.

"We expect to play this way, and we're just getting started," Kiffin said after the bowl win. "This ain't about me. I feel great for our players and fans. They haven't won in a long time here.

"This has got to be the hottest team in the country."

The 11 wins are the most in program history for the Owls in their 13 years as an FBS school. Before Kiffin's arrival, FAU had suffered through three straight 3-9 seasons.

"We are grateful that the president and university are this excited about what we are doing here at FAU and into the future, although our focus remains completely on the team and this historic season finale tonight on ESPN," Kiffin told ESPN on Tuesday.

Kelly had earlier told ESPN West Palm that the two sides were working on a new contract.

"I've told Lane that when I met with him, I thought we could be a top-25 program and we need a coach who can do that," Kelly said in a TV segment. "He's on the verge of doing that. We're obviously looking toward keeping Lane long term."

The Owls' 10-game win streak is the second longest in the country, behind the 12-game streak put together by Central Florida. FAU now is the only FBS team thus far this season to go unbeaten against conference opponents and also win a bowl game.

The only other team with a chance to claim that distinction would be UCF, if the Knights can beat Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Jan. 1.

Kiffin's initial deal, which was for five years, paid him $950,000 annually. His new deal will run through December 2027.

Since his coaching career began in 1997 as an assistant at Fresno State, Kiffin's longest stop at one place was six seasons as an assistant at USC from 2001 to 2006. As a head coach, his longest stop also was at USC, where he was fired five games into his fourth season.

Kiffin, 42, told ESPN earlier this month that he was "at peace" coaching at FAU.

"I can go wherever I want and not many people recognize me, and who wouldn't love living in Boca?" said Kiffin, who bought a place on the water and owns a boat and two jet skis, along with a dock where he can fish.

"There's no entitlement with these kids. They're hungry, and every time we win, it's like they've just won the Super Bowl. That's a great feeling, seeing them get what they deserve. There's a brotherhood that we've created here, and I think we've got a chance to be even better next year."

Kiffin's impact has transcended football. Kelly told ESPN earlier this month that FAU's out-of-state applications for the 2018 fall semester were up 35 percent.

"And we haven't done anything else differently, so it has to be Lane," Kelly said. "He just gets it, both as a football coach and being able to attract attention to our university. I laugh just about every day at something he puts on Twitter and understand that he's about the good of the institution and is thinking about what appeals to a 17-year-old kid and not a 60-year-old guy."

"Obviously, the university feels really good about what is going on here, and we are changing the way people think," said Kiffin of his extension after the bowl win. "I'm just glad our players can play on this stage on ESPN, the only game of the day and completely dominate a good team. They wanted to leave no doubt and the seniors wanted to keep playing, and we want to make sure that within a year everybody is saying we don't want to play FAU."

ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.