Box Score

• Final Game Statistics

  photo by Geoff Anderson FIU running back Adam Gorman was the featured running back as the Golden Panther took on Stephen F. Austin at FIU Stadium. Gorman rushed for 67 yards on 16 carries in the 35-13 loss to the Lumberjacks.

Stephen F. Austin quarterback Michael Williams, subbing for starter Zeke Dixon, tossed one touchdown pass and ran for 121 yards in leading the Lumberjacks to a 35-13 football win over FIU Thursday night in Miami.

SFA (3-3) employed an option attack and rambled for 337 yards on the ground, with Cliff Edwards accounting for 124 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns, as the Golden Panthers fell for the sixth time to start the 2003 season.

With an injury to FIU starting running back Rashod Smith, the offense fell on the back of quarterback Josh Padrick who completed 18 of 42 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown to fellow freshman receiver Chandler Williams who had seven catches for 101 yards—his second consecutive 100-yard plus performance.

Adam Gorman was the top rusher for the Golden Panthers (0-6), picking up 67 yards on 16 carries.

It’s become an occurrence that has become all too familiar to FIU fans. After the Golden Panthers went three-and-out on their first possession, SFA went 46 yards on seven plays, capped off by a 10-yard touchdown run by Eric Chapman.

The Lumberjacks made it 14-0 on their next possession, driving 76 yards on eight running plays and a 15-yard FIU personal foul penalty, with Edwards diving into the end zone from a yard out.

The Golden Panthers made a move in the second quarter, first when Adam Moss hit on a 35-yard field goal and then, with 4:24 to play in the half, on a 30-yard scoring pass from Padrick to Williams.

But SFA went right back to work, taking the ensuing kickoff and driving 78 yards on six plays, the biggest being a 39-yard run by Williams, for a first-and-10 at the FIU 20. From there, Edwards took the ball on the next three carries for a touchdown and a 21-10 lead.

FIU got the ball back before the half, but Padrick threw his only interception of the contest and the Lumberjack had one more crack at the end zone, and they took advantage, scoring on a 12-yard run by Tony Tompkins with 31 second remaining before intermission, for a 28-13 half time lead.

SFA closed out the scoring with a third-quarter touchdown when Williams found Michael David alone in the FIU secondary, good for 26 yards.

“We knew coming into the game that [Williams] ran the option and what’s disturbing is that they just ran it at us and gained a lot of yards,” said FIU head coach Don Strock.

“On the defensive side of the game, we just were not competitive enough. Someone has to step up and make the play. Sure we have some injuries, but these are the cards we were dealt and these were the guys we had available to play.”

FIU will now look for its first win of the season next week when the Golden Panthers take to the road for a contest against I-A Troy State (3-3) in Troy, Ala.

The Golden Panthers return home on Saturday, Oct. 25 for Homecoming 2003, when they take on Holy Cross at a special 10:00 a.m. kickoff. For tickets, call (305) FIU-GAME.