By Pete Pelegrin
Twitter: @Petepelegrin

FIU finally has a home game this Saturday after spending nearly the first month of the season on the road. The Panthers host Charlotte in their home opener and it will be the third latest home opener in FIU football's 16-year history.

FIU hosted Louisiana on Oct. 2, 2004 after Hurricane Frances canceled the original home opener against Jacksonville. The following season FIU hosted Florida A&M on Oct. 1, 2005 for its home opener.

The Panthers (2-1) technically had a home game against Alcorn in Birmingham, Alabama on Sept. 8 after Hurricane Irma displaced the team. Although, official NCAA statistics count it as a neutral site game because the NCAA rule is a team has to play at least 50 percent of their home games at a particular stadium for it to count as a home game. Saturday will be the first official home game for FIU this season.

The opponent are the Charlotte 49ers (0-4), who come in struggling and have made changes to their offensive coaching staff. The 49ers are averaging 11.2 points per game and less than 300 total yards per game (290.5). Offensive line coach Greg Adkins is the new offensive coordinator and Jeff Mullen is no longer the offensive coordinator and is now just the quarterbacks coach.

FIU escaped at Charlotte last year with a 27-26 win over the 49ers after the Panthers scored 14 points in the final five minutes of the game. Charlotte quarterback Hassan Klugh, who hurt FIU with his arm (21 of 31, 171 yards, TD) and legs (95 rushing yards, TD) last season has started slow this season. Klugh is completing just 46.7 percent of his passes and has thrown seven interceptions, including a couple of pick sixes.

The 49ers have been outscored 142-45 with Charlotte scoring 31 points against FCS team North Carolina A&T who beat Charlotte, 35-31. The second and third quarters have been troubling for the 49ers. They have been outscored 65-10 in the period before and after halftime.

The Charlotte defense is allowing 36 points per game and 418 total yards per contest. Opponents are running for 177.5 yards per game against the 49ers defense.

Charlotte has not played a particularly tough schedule thus far. Outside of No. 19 Kansas State, the 49ers have lost to Eastern Michigan, North Carolina A&T and Georgia State, who joined Division I football not too long ago.

Of course, FIU will need to get its offense going as the schedule becomes tougher from here on out. The Panthers are averaging 15.7 points per game. What is encouraging is FIU's top three rushers have a good per-carry average. Alex Gardner (4.4 yards per carry), Shawndarrius Phillips (5.0) and Napoleon Maxwell (8.6) have the FIU ground game going.

After Central Florida had a strong season opener against the FIU defense, the Panthers have settled down allowing 8.5 points per game in the last two games. Including the UCF game, FIU is yielding just 108.7 rushing yards per game and 259.3 passing yards per game.

It's no surprise that FIU linebackers Treyvon Williams and Anthony Wint lead the team in tackles. However, the play of the defensive line, including key stops on the final four plays in the win against Rice, has really helped the Panthers defense. Defensive linemen Anthony Johnson, Fermin Silva and Newt Salisbury are among the top 11 tacklers on the team. Silva leads the team with six tackles for loss.

FIU is 2-0 against Charlotte. In the teams' first meeting in 2015, FIU won 48-31 at FIU Stadium. FIU quarterback Alex McGough has had success against the 49ers. In two career games, McGough has thrown for 599 yards and five touchdowns on the Charlotte defense. Receiver Thomas Owens has 221 receiving yards and a touchdown against the 49ers. Linebacker Anthony Wint has 18 career tackles against Charlotte.