DeSantis hosts press conference at FIU on Amendment 3 before Election Day
Brian Olmo | Editor-in-chief
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a roundtable press conference encouraging people to vote against Amendment 3 in the Graham Center Ballroom on Nov. 4, 2024.
DeSantis emphasized early on in the conference that once the amendment is passed, it won’t be easy to overturn.
“The way I view it is like a constitutional amendment is permanent… You can’t change a constitutional amendment through normal legislation… If you aren’t 100% convinced this is a good idea, you got to vote no,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis then spoke about the origins of the amendment.
“This amendment was written by the CEO of a major weed megacorporation. This amendment has been sponsored by that corporation to the tune of $141.9 million.”
“I don’t think any single corporation has ever put in so much money to amend a state constitution in the history of the United States of America.”
DeSantis claims that weed is already legal in Florida through the medical marijuana program and said that not everyone who is on the program is using it for medical purposes. He also said that zero people are incarcerated for weed possession charges in the state.
One of DeSantis’s main claims against the amendment is that it will grant marijuana megacorporations blanket immunity from criminal and civil liabilities with limited economic and educational benefits for the state.
“There is nothing in this document that allocates a single provision to education,” said DeSantis.
“I don’t care if you love weed or you hate weed, this is a horribly written amendment.”
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Season preview: How will the men’s basketball team bounce back?
Brandon Gonzalez | Staff Writer
The FIU men’s basketball season is about to kick back into gear on Tuesday, Nov. 5 against a familiar foe, Rice of Houston, Texas.
For the Panthers, the 2023-2024 season was one of few highs and many lows. They regularly kept games close against divisional opponents but struggled against higher-ranked teams, with their worst performance being a 34-point loss to the FAU Owls on Dec. 13, 2023.
Entering his seventh season with the team, head coach Jeremy Ballard’s all-time winning percentage is a low 46% according to Sports-Reference.com. Ballard’s last winning season was 2019-2020, where the Panthers finished with a 19-13 record and defeated Rice in a Conference USA basketball championship series.
FIU will have to make up for the loss of sophomore guard Arturo Dean this season, as he finished as the team’s leading scorer. On the year, he averaged 13.4 points per game, 4.0 assists per game, and a nation-leading 3.3 steals per game.
Upon the 2023-2024 season’s conclusion, he entered the NCAA transfer portal and joined forces with the Oregon State Beavers.
Between Dean and his backcourt partner, senior guard Javaunte Hawkins, they generated much of the offense for a team that averaged under 75 PPG for the season.
Hawkins was second in scoring for the Panthers and was as important if not more so to FIU’s offense alongside Dean in the backcourt. Hawkins was FIU’s most productive threat from deep, averaging 38% on 3-point shots and making 88 with 229 attempts.
Without their presence and an offseason full of roster turnover, both new and familiar faces will have to step into bigger roles.
One such player could be senior guard Onyx Pastoriza, who could be primed for a breakout season and establish himself as a key part of the Panther’s rotation after getting almost no playing time last season.
In his only game last season, Pastoriza shot 75% from 3-point range and made 3 out of 4 3-point shots.
Someone different who played more games and has also shown a proclivity for hitting 3-point shots is senior guard Jaidon Lipscomb, who shot 36% from 3 last season on 127 attempts, making 46.
Making 3-pointers at a consistent rate was a major issue for the Panthers as a whole last season, so if Lipscomb or Pastoriza can get more minutes be prepared for either to let the ball fly.
Aybar’s season last year was unfortunately cut short due to an injury in his ankle, but he was averaging 7.2 PPG on 55% shooting while nabbing 3.6 RPG during his 21.8 MPG on the court.
In a recent interview with Kevin Barrel on the FIU Men’s Basketball X Page, Aybar made it clear that he’s excited to get going this season and prove that the Panthers are ready to shock some of their doubters after last season’s finish.
These two teams have not met since March 4, 2023, almost two seasons ago, when the Panthers beat the Owls by 7 for a final score of 90-83.
With last season’s final regular loss-to-win ratio of 11-22, playing a familiar opponent in Rice might be the away game pick-me-up the Panthers need to start their season off right.
Rice is coming off a season just as perilous as FIU, with a five-game losing streak to close out an 11-21 season for the Owls.
Their previous battles have generated high-scoring nights from both sides. But, without knowing who will be the primary offensive creator on either side, the defensive plan for both teams will have to be full-court and cautious at best.
Prediction:
FIU: 80
Rice: 78
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Global First Year is potentially hindering International students
PantherNOW Editorial Board
PantherNOW has published its investigation into Global First Year, a partnership between FIU and the higher-education company Shorelight— and the results are alarming.
The program allows international students to take courses at the university as non-degree-seeking students and then transfer to FIU once they’re done.
On the surface, it doesn’t seem like a bad thing — but in our investigation, we’ve uncovered facts that make G1Y a concern.
For one, the incredibly lax admission requirements are a joke.
The main appeal of the program is the fact that you don’t need to submit any standardized test to get in. No SAT, ACT, CLT, nada.
You do have to take one of these tests at the end of the program, but guess what? G1Y students are being encouraged to fail just so they have a score on record.
Is that really a good look for an academic program at any university – encouraging students to fail a test on purpose? This is a blatant attempt to circumvent the university’s admission standards and requirements.
Our investigation also revealed that G1Y does not check on a student’s English proficiency after they complete the program. Sure, they’ll take some English classes during it, but that just isn’t enough.
If the program isn’t retesting or in any way evaluating a G1Y student’s English proficiency after they graduate, they’re being set up for failure because they won’t be able to keep up. They’ll be expected to do the same work as a typical FIU sophomore without fully knowing the language in which their coursework or instructions come in.
G1Y also costs significantly more to do with additional fees
The worst part is that none of the extra money covers the Panther Book Pack.
As a result, these students lack a safety net. International students who just want to come to FIU through G1Y can find themselves in trouble after they move on while the program continues to make a big profit.
The contradictions in the interview answers from those in charge, the testimonials from former students and the lack of transparency when it comes to additional fees and what they’re being used for should be seen as a bright red stop sign for international students looking to get into FIU.
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Season preview: Does women’s basketball continue its turnaround?
Brandon Gonzalez | Staff Writer
The women’s basketball season is about to get under way at home in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center against the Florida National University Conquistadors on Monday, Nov. 4 – a repeat of last season’s home opener.
In their last matchup, the Panthers beat the Conquistadors by 87 points to kick off a 2023 – 2024 season that brought renewed expectations for a team that had been floating around a 34% winning percentage for the past two seasons under fourth-year coach Jeyska Burks-Wiley.
Burks-Wiley, who led the Panthers to a 21-12 win season and made the Conference USA tournament after missing out on it the year before, has been instrumental in the Panther’s turnaround these last few seasons.
Despite losing to Troy in the WNIT playoffs, the 2023-2024 season was a success on all levels.
Credit for the team’s winning ways goes as much to her as it does to the balanced scoring from the entire team, with the points-per-game for the Panthers’ top eight scorers all being within 1 point of each other.
Senior point guard Tanajah Hayes was the Panthers’ primary facilitator when she was on the court, with her 103 Total Assists being almost 50 more than the next-highest player.
On the defensive end, her team-leading 60 Total Steals more than solidified her ascension as one of FIU’s top two-way players.
However, Hayes only started half of her 27 total games, so if she is to maintain or even further her production she has to be given more opportunities to do so.
Junior guard Angena Belloso is returning, she started a majority of the Panther’s games last season and was the Panther’s most accurate shooter from deep with a 38% 3-point percentage.
Kone led the Panthers in scoring last season with 11.4 PPG while also leading them in blocks with 38, and while Natabou didn’t get an extended start on the Iowa State roster she played well for her previous team, Sacramento State.
Natabou could start at center, giving the Panthers a larger interior presence that they lacked last year.
A key point with this roster is consistency, three of the most important faces from last season have returned in Kone, Belloso, and Hayes.
With the team’s additions in the offseason only serving to add on to their pre-existing greatness, it’s not an over-exaggeration to say the Panthers are ready to do more than just make the playoffs.
This game will be a major test for FNU, who started out last season 3-11 through 14 games before turning around and winning 12 of their next 13 to close out the year 15-12.
With the late rebirth of the Conquistadors last season they could prove a solid early season match-up for the Panthers.
A repeat of last year’s showing is unlikely, but nothing is ever out of the realm of possibility for this Panthers team.
Prediction:
FIU: 90
FNU: 70
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Dinosaur egg excavations, Freddy Kreuger and more with the Geology Club Halloween Social
Sophia Noya | Staff Writer
Halloween totally rocks!
The Geology Club met last Wednesday on Oct. 30 to celebrate Halloween with pizza, games, and miniature archaeological excavations.
“We like to do this every year,” said Katelyn Garcia, who has served as club president for two years.
“We like to have social events, so people get to know each other,” she continued. “We like to do field trips, and bring in professionals, so we know what work is like in the industry.”
Club president Katelyn Garcia prepares dinosaur egg excavation activities | Sophia Noya, Panthernow
In light of the spooky festivities and the prioritization of bonding within the club, a Halloween social was granted.
To celebrate the holiday, club members were invited to dress in costume for the event.
Rafael Carbona, club treasurer, and his partner Mia Pizzi both arrived clad in Ghostbusters uniform.
“My siblings and his sister are all dressed as Ghostbusters”, Pizzi explained.
If ghosts are real or not–who knows, but what is known is that the Geology club has done past events and are eager to invite others to join them in their passions.
Rafael Carbona and Mia Pizzi show off their dinosaur excavations | Sophia Noya, Panthernow
The Geology club is open for all students to join, regardless of major. Meetings are held once a month at Primera Casa 311, usually on Wednesdays.
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The women’s soccer team tied in its final game of the regular season against Jacksonville State on Oct. 31 to clinch its first ever regular season title.
It was a fast and electric start to the game by both sides. The visiting team put the pressure on the Panthers early on and it paid off.
Jacksonville State scored from a freekick, taken by Nancy Almanza, in just the second minute of the game after a handball outside the box by senior Reagan Bridges.
The game continued being back and forth throughout the first half as both teams combined for 14 shots, nine by FIU. Despite the countless efforts by the home team they would go into halftime down on the scoreboard.
Only seven minutes into the half, in the 53rd minute, FIU got their equalizer after a great assist by junior Ashly Martinez to sophomore Montelene Dymond who scored her fourth goal of the season.
Senior Noemi Paquin gave the home team the lead in the 68th minute with a brilliant solo run, scoring her 14th goal of the season.
The Panther’s happiness was short-lived, as just one minute later, the visitors leveled the score after another free kick goal, this time scored by junior Nanaka Inaba.
FIU continued pressing for a third goal to secure a regular-season-ending win, but a strong defensive effort by the Gamecocks denied multiple attempts by the Panther and the game ended in a draw.
After the game, when asked about the importance of having home-field advantage, and with their focus now on the Conference Tournament, Bridges said “We’re used to playing on this field, it is nice and large, so it fits our style of play and we’re able to move the ball well. I think it’s gonna make a huge difference going into the tournament, especially now since we’re gonna be starting off in the semifinals.”
She also highlighted the team’s chemistry and the crucial role it played this season.
“So many of us have been together for so many years now and we have just been fighting our way to get to this point where we are competing for a conference championship,” said Bridges. “We all have that same mentality, we all want the same thing, we all want to fight for each other. That makes a difference and it shows.”
The Panthers now focus on what’s next as they look for their strong performances to continue into the postseason. The Conference USA tournament will be held at Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium from Nov. 6-10.
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The Hispanic community isn’t the punchline to your “jokes”
Kailey Krantz | Staff Writer
Even if it’s no longer surprising, I’m tired of Republicans using the Hispanic community as the punchline to a bad joke.
At former president Donald Trump’s rally in Madison Square Garden this past Sunday, the speakers— that his campaign administration picked out— decided to market themselves with blatant racism and pass it off as “jokes.”
Tony Hinchcliffe’s extremely offensive remark when he called Puerto Rico an “island of garbage” has received major backlash and rightfully so. This was nothing less than disrespectful to Puerto Rico and the Hispanic community as a whole.
It doesn’t matter that Puerto Ricans are granted U.S. citizenship, the hurtful and untrue things said will only promote misinformation.
I not only feel disrespected but also mystified as a voter. Why would I want to vote for a man who sees us and our people as a joke?
At this point, most of us aren’t surprised by the blatant racism that the Republican Party and its voters have shown, but it’s ironic they still want our vote.
Hispanics represent 19.1% of the total U.S. population, making us the second fastest-growing population in the country. That represents 19% of the U.S. workforce who can become or are registered voters.
One takeaway from this rally is that it’s clear that Republicans have no respect for the Latin community and only see us as an opportunity to boost their numbers. They will pander to us when they need the votes and toss us aside when they don’t.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing writers and/or university community members.
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Foro Juventudes: Fostering Democracy and Human Rights
Candela Maceda | Contributing Writer
“Sin democracia no hay desarrollo,” – without democracy, there is no development. The United Human Rights Foundation, alongside Foro Juventudes, came together at Florida International University’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus to discuss these principles among a cohort of likeminded-guests.
Held at GC150, this gathering brought together students interested in democracy, international relations, and defense of human rights advocacy in authoritarian regimes.
During the forum, students had the opportunity to practice a diverse range of skills, such as creating projects from scratch, implementing proposals, identifying fake news, strategic planning, conflict resolution, and managing political and social projects.
The event provided a safe space for guests to share their personal stories of living under authoritarian rule, revealing its profound impact on their daily lives.
Yonnathan Carrillo, a student at Central University of Venezuela and president of the Federation, joined Foros Juventudes this year. As the leader of the student movement against Maduro’s government, Carrillo’s life was transformed by Venezuela’s presidential elections. He recounted his experiences at the event, sharing how he had to flee to avoid persecution due to his opposition to Maduro’s regime.
“After the presidential elections of July 28, the results were not recognized by the managing director, by the executive, or by all the state power that is installed in Venezuela. And they offered other results that were very adverse to what the people expressed,” said Yonnathan Carrillo.
“We are making this known because we believe it is important that what is happening in Venezuela does not become a lost cause, but rather something that is latent in the daily life of governments around the world, especially for democratic governments such as the United States.”
“Opposing the current regime is a challenge that we have to face because we cause discomfort to those in power,” he said.
“And this has led me to change my lifestyle, the places I frequented, the ones I visited, the communications I had. I have had to assume a number of requirements on a daily basis that led me to change what I do, even where I live, how I dress, who I hang out with. For example, before the elections, I had temporarily moved out of my home and I was not staying there, because I had heard that some political leaders and people in public were being persecuted. Given this, I had to take precautionary measures to avoid being arrested.”
Zuleika Meneses, activism coordinator for the Táchira state in Venezuela, shared her courageous story. After the elections, she fled with her family to escape FAES , an elite command of the Venezuelan National Police created in April 2016, persecution.
“We’ll be back before Jan. 10 because we know the possibility of Nicolás Maduro tightening his grip on power is over and Edmundo González, who won the elections in Venezuela that we witnessed and have proof of Gonzales’ victory,” said Meneses, “We’ll go back to Venezuela and we’ll work hard for the reconstruction of the country to achieve the change that we have all been waiting for and longing for.”
Yunova Acosta, regional coordinator of the organization Foro Juventudes, taught students about organizational conflict, politics and social conflicts and she also shared about her activism in Nicaragua.
In 2018, Acosta, a student at Redemptoris Mater Catholic University (UNICA), railed medical students to provide aid during Nicaragua’s mass protest against Daniel Ortega’s regime and social security reforms. Despite risking her own safety, Acosta provided medical attention to protesters. However, after her identity was exposed through media outlets, she faced expulsion from university and erasure of her academic record.
“In 2021, the students were on the front line and we launched an electoral alliance, we were the spokesmen because people really trust in the youth, and then they started to seizes us,” said Acosta. “Many of my classmates were arrested until last year on February 9 that the regimen decided to send on a plane 222 people straight to Washington without their nationalities.”
In Sept of 2022, she ended up exiling herself to Costa Rica, but her advocacy didn’t end there.
Acosta established Foro Juventudes three years ago and has since collaborated with her team to empower young activists. They provide tools and strategies to develop innovative, democracy-promoting projects, countering authoritarian regimes’ actions.
“And,” Acosta mentioned, “to serve as a model for youth activism, so they’ll be able to avoid commuting the same mistakes we did in our home countries.”
Members of Foro Juventudes, including Yonnathan Carrillo and Yunova Acosta, have personally experienced persecution, exile, and erasure of their identities and educational records. Their goal is to empower students to participate in democratic processes without facing similar struggles.
Through Foro Juventudes, they provide a supportive network and valuable resources, aiming to prevent youth from repeating their own experiences. Acosta emphasized learning from their mistakes to create a better model for youth activism..
“Our idea is to connect the Latin American and American community to work together on issues of human rights, diplomacy and international relations,” said Gutierrez, “to listen to the experiences of Latin American political leaders to give them a political formation.”
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Is FIU’s Global First Year a Pathway to Success—or a Financial Pitfall?
Magali Zoghaib | Investigative Director
A decade-old FIU program aimed at supporting international students may be setting them up for failure through the ease of its application process while also making a sizable profit from them.
On Aug. 14, 2014, Florida International University was seeking to “increase its enrollment of qualified international students” according to the Pathway Agreement Services and therefore partnered with Shorelight and its subsidiary Scientia – both Delaware limited liability companies – to establish and operate a “Pathway School” referred to as FIU’s Global First Year Program.
Shorelight offers services through its “International Pathway School” model, which includes an extensive recruitment network and a preparatory program that helps international students develop “language and study skills” while earning course credit from FIU, according to the agreement.
G1Y is a program that offers different admission tracks (Pre-sessional English, G1Y 3-semester, and G1Y 2-semester) based on students’ English proficiency, allowing them to take courses, at FIU as non-degree-seeking students before fully matriculating.
Notably, G1Y’s program admission standards are lower than those set for standard international students and do not require a college entrance exam.
While standard international admission requires at least an 80/120 on the TOEFL, admission for G1Y students only requires 60/120. For those on the pre-sessional English track, it’s 41/120.
Although admission to Global First Year does not require a college entrance exam score, students are still required to take the test during their last semester before matriculation into FIU as a degree-seeking student.
FIU’s testing center at the Green Library (GL 120) offers Global First Year students a non-transferable, shortened ACT On-Campus exam that fulfills state requirements, which they have to pay for out of pocket.
Moreover, G1Y students are instructed that they could get the lowest possible score and still be able to matriculate into FIU as an undergraduate degree-seeking student.
“We were told by Global First Year advisors that the score didn’t matter,” said Diego Tunon, former G1Y student, sophomore and fully matriculated accounting major. “I didn’t study at all.”
“They literally can get a zero on it, all we want is to register that they took the test,” said David Lecon, managing director of Global First Year.
PantherNOW inquired about Lecon’s statement about entrance exam scores to Assistant Vice President of Global Learning Initiatives Hilary Landorf, which Landorf denied.
“That’s not true. If I can get a hold of the contract, it’s in the contract that they have to meet the FIU standards,” said Landorf in an interview with PantherNOW.
According to the Pathway Agreement Services, once matriculated, those students are treated like “other similarly situated international students at FIU” and have completed the same core curriculum classes.
Without reevaluating English proficiency before their matriculation, G1Y students, already admitted with low English test scores, may struggle to keep up academically which can ultimately lead to increased risk of dropping out.
Apart from the difference in the admission criteria, the cost to attend FIU as a Global First Year far outweighs the cost to attend FIU as a standard international student.
In addition to separate semesterly program fees ($1,394), G1Y students are charged significantly more for tuition than what appears on their MyFIU account.
Contrary to Lecon’s claim that G1Y tuition per credit aligns with FIU’s rate for standard international students, PantherNOW found discrepancies in billing statements that dispute this claim.
So why is there almost a $1,600 difference between the students’ G1Y tuition on their statement of fees and their tuition on their MyFIU account?
When confronted about discrepancies, Lecon added that the additional charge on tuition was for the additional services the program offers and couldn’t explain what the extra $1,394 charged separately for student fees was for and mentioned that he would “have to look into it.”
“I was surprised to find out I had to pay separately for the Panther Book Pack during my semesters as a Global First Year student,” Tunon said. “I thought the program fees should already cover that.”
Moreover, a comparison of tuition charges for two each with a different number of credits, showed that they were billed the exact same amount for tuition.
Mohamed Elbahlool and Kian Patel’s Statement of Charges by FIU.
As shown above, Elbahlool took 14 credits for the spring and Patel took 12 credits for the summer however regardless of the difference in tuition they were still charged the same for both semesters by Global First Year as shown below.
Mohamed Elbahlool and Kian Patel’s Statement of Fees by G1Y.
To this day, it is still unclear what those extra charges are for if the program costs doesn’t even include book fees.
On top of extra charges posed on tuition, the program also charges an additional $430 monthly foroff-campus housing than the original monthly rent charge and $773 more for on-campus housing. When asked about the extra $430 monthly per student, Lecon claimed that the money is used for resident assistants, a trashcan in the room, a curtain for the bathtub, bedding and plastic utensils.
With the exception of resident assistants, all of these amenities are not recurring costs and are a one-time purchase.
So what about the discrepancies with on-campus housing charges given that FIU already provides residential assistants? Is the additional $773 fee for G1Y on-campus residents solely for non-recurring costs like bedding and trash cans?
G1Y students interviewed by PantherNOW shared concerns after they were charged for adjustments on their housing assignment without prior notice.
“I originally paid for the Lakeview on-campus housing option however, during my first semester they assigned me to Parkview, a different on-campus building unit, without informing me of the change and then made me pay $886 extra when the semester started even though I paid everything that was due before coming to FIU,” said Kian Patel, a former G1Y student currently enrolled at FIU.
So what sets the program apart from regular admission through our International Student Scholar Services office at FIU?
“They are taking the same credits, same prerequisites, and they’ll be on track to graduate like any other student but it’s different because they are admitted as a non-degree-seeking status,” added Lecon.
“I didn’t realize the significant difference in my tuition charge until I got matriculated and had to pay my tuition to FIU directly.”
The Student Services Director of the program said that Global First Year charges more than the university but didn’t have any explanation on what the extra charges are for, Patel said.
According to the addendum, the program operates under the authority of a steering committee comprising three Shorelight representatives and three University representatives overseeing decisions related to academic matters and budget approval.
Even with a steering committee granting FIU, through its representation in the committee, ultimate approval rights in evaluating budget matters, PantherNOW was repeatedly told by Landorf to “ask Shorelight” when inquiring about program fees.
FIU’s Global First Year Program aims to support international students in their transition, yet questions remain about its costs, admissions standards, and value.
Whether it serves as a true pathway to success or poses financial challenges is a question worth further consideration.
“They profit too much and can’t even provide clear reasons behind those extra fees,” said Patel.
CORRECTION: The initial online and printed version of this article claims that Lecon said that all of these amenities are not recurring costs and are a one-time purchase. This is an error. This has been corrected online but is still present in the print edition as the error was determined after printing. We will run a correction in the next edition.
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Rivers breaks a record in football’s dominant win against New Mexico State
Adrian Benitez | Staff Writer
Junior wide receiver Eric Rivers had no idea he would be mentioned in the same breath as FIU football legend T.Y Hilton on this night.
Hilton was the man who set the bar for the most single-game receiving yards by a Panther, putting up 201 yards back in 2011. Tyrese Chambers and Kris Mitchell would come to match that mark over the years, but no one had been able to eclipse it.
Until Tuesday.
In the middle of the fourth quarter, Rivers caught an 18-yard pass that officially put him at 206 yards, securing his undisputed spot in the record books. At the end of a decisive win, Rivers would be carried off the field by his teammates.
Luke Hall | PantherNOW
However, this performance from the Panthers was more than Rivers’ amazing performance. Here’s what happened when the FIU football team returned to Pitbull Stadium to face the New Mexico State Aggies on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024 in Miami.
The Aggies got the ball first and quickly established the run, as was expected. They went for it on 4th and 2 in FIU territory, but senior safety CJ Christian made a crucial tackle to give the Panthers the ball.
After a few drives ending in punts, New Mexico State drove down the field and eventually found themselves with a 57-yard field goal attempt, which was good. The kick tied an Aggies program record.
The Panthers responded quickly, with Rivers catching a 52-yard touchdown pass on the second play of their next drive. The Panthers had the lead back.
Late in the second quarter, the Aggies went down the field and went for it on 4th down from the six-yard line, but the Panthers’ defense made a crucial stop. Christian made another vital tackle to send the offense back out.
After another punt, the Aggies got the ball in opposing territory due to an unlucky bounce. The Aggies capitalized by getting another field goal to make the score 7-6.
The Panthers started the third quarter off with a bang when Rivers got open again and secured a 45-yard catch. The offense parlayed that into another successful field goal attempt, increasing their lead to four points.
After another Aggie punt, Rivers showed out yet again when he recorded his second touchdown of the game, a 51-yard pass that moved the lead to 17-6.
Matters only improved when junior cornerback Hezekiah Masses picked off the Aggies, returning the ball 42 yards down to the 23. The pick was Masses’ first of the season.
The Panthers capitalized on this with another successful field goal to make the lead 14 points. Despite the Panthers’ momentum, the Aggies weren’t going to give up that easily.
The Aggies had another short field, starting at the 43-yard line. Junior running back Mike Washington picked up all 43 of those yards, finishing off by scoring a 27-yard touchdown. The score was 20-13.
On the next drive, Rivers would enshrine himself in FIU football history when he broke the program record for receiving yards in a single game, which was previously at 201 yards and held by three different players.
After that, Rivers made yet another big play, scoring his third touchdown of the day from 62 yards out. The catch moved his yardage total to 295.
The defense finished strong when junior safety JoJo Evans secured a pick, the second of the game for the defense. The offense quickly drained the remaining time on the clock and made official a 34-13 win that put a three-game losing streak to bed.
Besides Rivers’ amazing night, the biggest thing to note in this game is the performance on defense. Only 30 passing yards were allowed in the contest, an astounding number.
Not to be lost in the shuffle is sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins’ amazing performance. He went 18-27 on his passes, putting up 338 yards. He also threw four touchdowns, a career-high.
All in all, this win is a vital one for a Panthers team right up against the wall in regards to bowl eligibility. Needing to win out to secure qualification, this victory bodes well for their chances at completing the improbable feat.
Head coach Mike MacIntyre spoke on the offense’s performance:
“I was really, really pleased with how the offense broke out tonight. That’s what we expect to see. We were connecting on the deep shot, running the ball well and the quarterback ran the ball well. Our second half was probably the best half complementary football we played since I’ve been here. I thought it was excellent to see everybody do that, see the kids keep fighting.”
He also spoke on the effort by the defense:
“We felt like they would come in and try to run the football with the big quarterback, and they made some runs on us, but we were able to corral it. Our secondary is really good. They’re really good, and they make a lot of good adjustments and understanding. They know how to play back there. They see splits. They see where the running back is. They do a great job of understanding all that, and they competed really well.”
Rivers spoke about his record-breaking night.
“It feels kind of surreal in the moment. It didn’t feel real, it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I just know, like, that wasn’t me. I felt like it was God playing through me, and I give all the glory to him. Because without him, what am I?”
Wide receiver Eric Rivers
With the Panthers’ season given a shot in the arm, they’ll have a week off before traveling to Alabama to face the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.
Follow Adrian Benitez on X: @ab305FIU
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