Adrian Benitez | Staff Writer
With three games left in the season, the FIU Football team sits with a 3-6 record, needing to run the table to qualify for a bowl game.
The Panthers have a particularly tough road test coming in their next game against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, who have won their last five games in a row.
With the Panthers having this week off, there are many questions that will be answered in the final quarter of their season. Here are five of the biggest.
Will the Jenkins and Rivers connection continue flourishing?
Sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins and junior wide receiver Eric Rivers have proven to make an effective connection throughout the season. This was no more apparent than in the Panthers’ most recent game against New Mexico State.
In that contest, Rivers had 295 reception yards, breaking the Panthers program record for receiving yards in a game. Jenkins went 18-27 with 338 yards and four touchdowns in the contest.
As a result of his performance against NMSU, Rivers was added to the 2024 Biletnikoff Award Watch List.
Given the offense’s inconsistency throughout the season, Jenkins and Rivers will most likely need to continue producing to give the Panthers the edge they need against CUSA defenses in their last three games.
Will Barnes continue his amazing season?
Junior linebacker Travion Barnes is playing like the best defender in the CUSA. He leads the conference and ranks second among all players in the nation in total tackles, with 109.
In addition, he’s also recorded 10.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, one fumble recovery and a pick-six.
Barnes has been both the Panthers’ best player and the anchor of the defense during the 2024 campaign, and his presence will be sorely needed entering the final stretch of the season.
Can the run defense make necessary adjustments?
The Panthers’ run defense is giving up 196.9 yards per game so far this season, ranking second worst in the CUSA. Despite the Panther’s defense being their better side of the ball throughout the season, the lack of ability to defend the run is a major crutch.
This problem is particularly important when discussing the Panthers’ next game against Jacksonville State, as the CUSA’s two leading rushers play for the Gamecocks.
In order to pull off the miraculous march to bowl eligibility, the biggest fix needs to come through a more effective run defense
Can the Panther’s offense be more effective on critical downs?
The Panthers have only converted 30 of their 106 third-down attempts all season, which translates to a dismal 28.3% conversion rate. This is the lowest among all teams in the CUSA.
The Panthers have had their ups and downs on offense this year, and this is among the most noticeable of their downs. This statistic can definitely be attributed to making the difference in some of the Panthers’ losses this year.
These 3rd downs become more and more crucial for the Panthers every week. In the last few games, these are the plays that can decide whether or not the team goes bowling in December.
Can the FIU football team show the resiliency they need to win out?
This is easily the most important thing for the Panthers in their final three matchups. Can they show the necessary resolve to run the table?
We’ve seen the Panthers bounce back from bad defeats before. They responded to a loss against FCS Monmouth with a win against Louisiana Tech. The week after that, they took an undefeated Liberty team all the way to overtime.
However, that Liberty game ended in a loss. If the Panthers want a bowl, they can’t lose anymore. The biggest thing we’ll learn about the Panthers in their final three games of the year is what they’re made of.
The Panthers will look to move closer to their ultimate goal against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Huntsville, Alabama.
Follow Adrian Benitez on X: @ab305FIU
About Post Author
