By: Anthony Calatayud/Contributing Writer
Conference USA play opened this weekend for FIU when they traveled to the University of Alabama-Birmingham to play the Blazers. The Panthers, who had opened 1-3 on the year, were looking to right the ship heading into the meat of their conference schedule. They did so in record fashion with a 34-20 win at UAB, forcing six turnovers and two interceptions being returned for touchdowns. The six turnovers tied a school record set vs. Florida A&M on Nov. 27 2004.
The Panthers offense also added two long yard touchdown passes to break the game open.
UAB drew first blood. On the games first possession, they marched down the field scoring a two-yard touchdown run by D.J. Vinson with 13:36 left in the first quarter. The UAB drive was five plays for 74 yards and took only 1:24 off the clock.
Exchanging punts until the middle of the second quarter, both offenses looked mediocre at best. FIU’s defense would stand tall and deliver when the team needed a boost. Junior cornerback Richard Leonard tied the game up through an interception return for a touchdown from 25 yards out with 8:44 left in the first half. This was Leonard’s second return of the season and fourth of his career.
UAB would come back to score behind the arm of quarterback Cody Clements who threw a 29 yard touchdown pass to Gerald Everett, the extra point attempt was blocked by FIU but it capped off an eight-play 52 yard drive late in the first half.
With 3:37 left in the first half down 13-7, FIU had a Game Altering Play that opened the door for the Panthers to blow the game wide open in the second half. Freshman quarterback Alex McGough connected with sophomore tight end Jonnu Smith on a bubble screen that Smith took 75 yards to the house. Lifting the Panthers lead to 14-13 going into halftime.
FIU did all of the scoring in the third quarter, led off by another GAP by Alex McGough. This time he hooked up with redshirt senior Glenn Coleman for an 85-yard touchdown strike that elevated the lead to 21-13.
Sophomore kicker Austin Taylor added a pair of field goals from 35 and 25 yards out going into the fourth quarter extending the Panther lead to 27-13.
The final FIU score was Demarkus Perkins’ late interception that went 31 yards the other way and right into the end zone locking up the win for FIU, 34-13. Cody Clements would add a 15-yard scamper into the end zone with 1:21 left in the fourth for a garbage time touchdown, which would help if he were playing fantasy football, but not in the real world.
FIU moves on to (2-3), (1-0) in C-USA play. McGough went 9-of-24 for 204 yards and 2 TD’s. Alex Gardner carried the ball 19 times for 62 yards and Glenn Coleman had four receptions for 106 yards and a score.
FIU plays Florida Atlantic University in their annual rivalry game on Thursday, Oct. 2. at 7 p.m. on Ocean Bank Field. The game will be broadcast on FSN.
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