Adrian Benitez | Staff Writer
The Panthers’ defense had a lot of weight on their shoulders.
Though the FIU football team was leading the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 17-10 with 2:45 on the clock, the 540 yards that the unit gave up against Monmouth still loomed large in the minds of everyone watching. They couldn’t afford anything else like that.
They had been up to the task throughout the game, but the Bulldogs still had one drive left in them. This drive would make the difference between a crucial win to begin the CUSA schedule or a loss that would send the Panthers’ season down the drain.
This was the climax of the showdown between the Panthers and Bulldogs, which took place on Saturday, Sep. 28, 2024, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.
After the two teams exchanged punts to begin the game, the Panthers trickled down the field on offense, eventually culminating in junior wide receiver Eric Rivers catching a touchdown pass to give FIU the early lead.
In the second quarter, the Bulldogs consumed over eight minutes on a drive which they took all the way down to the 1-yard line. However, they would come away empty-handed after going for it on 4th and goal, a vital stop for the Panthers’ defense.
On their first drive of the second half, the Panthers quickly advanced down the field once again, mostly catalyzed by a 25-yard catch from junior wide receiver Dean Patterson.
Eventually, senior running back Lexington Joseph finished the job, scoring from six yards out to give the Panthers a 14-0 lead. The score on the ground was a welcome one, as the Panthers only rushed for 13 yards on 13 carries in the first half.
Louisiana Tech responded quickly, with freshman quarterback Evan Bullock throwing for 52 yards on the drive. Senior wide receiver Jimmy Holiday ran it into the endzone on a reverse, cutting the lead in half.
Tech cut the lead further with Bullock continuing to work well through the air. The Bulldogs finished off the drive with a successful field goal.
FIU’s defense made a big momentum play, with junior defensive back Hezekiah Masses forcing a fumble and junior defensive back JoJo Evans falling on it to give great starting field position to the Panthers offense.
However, the drive would have an ironic end as junior running back Kejon Owens fumbled it right back to the Bulldogs. Thankfully, the defense would bail the team out by forcing a three-and-out.
FIU’s offense rebounded by driving inside the 10, initially getting into the endzone but having the play rescinded due to a false start.
The Panthers would settle for a field goal to make the score 17-10. It was senior kicker Alejandro Prado’s first-ever field goal made for the Panthers.
With less than 5 minutes remaining, the Panthers’ offense took the field looking to ice the game. Instead, they went three and out and punted it back to the Bulldogs with 2:45 on the clock. It was now up to the defense to close the deal.
Despite the Bulldogs gaining a first down off a 16-yard pass, the defense would hold for the next three plays. Then, on 4th and 4, Bullock couldn’t find his man. The Panthers defense came through with the stop.
On offense, Joseph would seal the win with a 20-yard run into the open field. Despite having a clear lane for a touchdown, Joseph dropped to the ground in a selfless move that secured the Panthers a crucial win in their conference opener.
The defense’s bounce back was critical in the win, with them holding the Bulldogs scoreless in their last four possessions and final 17:43 of the game. In addition, the Panthers’ defense held a team scoreless in the first half for the first time since 2019.
Standout offensive performances came from Rivers, with seven catches for 97 yards and a touchdown, Patterson with five catches for 74 yards and Joseph with 73 rushing yards on 13 carries as well as a touchdown.
On defense, junior linebacker Travion Barnes led the team in tackles for the fourth consecutive game with a total of 14. He also recorded two tackles for loss and half a sack.
The progression in the passing game from the last time the Panthers played the Bulldogs can be summarized in one stat:
Panthers sophomore quarterback Amari Jones had more passing yards on his only snap of the game with nine than former starting quarterback Grayson James had in the entire game against the Bulldogs last year with four.
The importance of this win cannot be overstated in terms of the rest of FIU’s season. This victory keeps a bowl game in the realm of possibility and will give the team renewed confidence heading into the thick of the conference schedule.
Head coach Mike MacIntyre spoke on the defense’s improvement:
“We worked on some things we messed up last week. Kind of changed up a few things we were doing defensively to help us a little bit and be able to disguise a little bit better pre-snap. The kids did an excellent job and the coaching staff did a great job.”
MacIntyre also spoke on Joseph’s performance.
“I tell you, I got a tear in my eye. I saw the old Flex tonight, and it was fun to see him overcome that barrier. He’s been overcoming it but tonight he just broke through it. When you see a young man do that, that’s not only his athletics but it’s mainly his character, his core, his soul, his commitment to the team and his love of the game. He inspired us tonight.”
MacIntyre also spoke on a humorous halftime moment from Evans, who recorded two tackles and a PBU after being ejected for targeting in each of the Panthers’ previous two games.
“So we’re going out at halftime and he’s just like ‘I made it through the first half! I made it through the first half!’ He got everybody loosened up. ‘Alright, I’m gonna make it to the next half!’”
With the Panthers’ season having a new lease on life, the team will have a week off before their next game against the undefeated Liberty Flames. The game is on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, and will take place at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia.
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