Box Score

Photo by Geoff Anderson Kicker Adam Moss kicked two field goals, one for a school record 43 yards, but the Golden Panthers lost their second-consecutive game to a ranked opponent, this time 24-14 to Bethune-Cookman, spoiling the home opener.

No. 7 Bethune-Cookman raced to a 17-0 halftime lead en route to a 24-14 road victory over Florida International, Saturday night in Miami.

Playing before a capacity crowd of 13,123 at FIU Stadium, the Wildcats (3-0) jumped out to a 3-0 advantage on their first drive after a Jesus Cortez 42-yard field goal.

After a 32-yard FIU punt followed by a 15-yard personal foul penalty, B-CC started their next drive on the Golden Panthers 38. On a second-and-six play, quarterback Allen Suber found Rodney Johnson for a 32-yard gain. Suber finished the drive one play later on a four-yard touchdown run.

Bethune made it 17-0 midway through the second half on a nine play, 56-yard drive. Suber completed back-to-back passes to Unri Thomas and Johnathan Summers for 10 and 31 yards respectively, to the FIU 10 yard line. Johnson rushed the final six yards for the touchdown and the lead at the half.

FIU (0-3), who was playing its second ranked team in as many weeks, finally got on the scoreboard on its first drive of the third quarter on a 33-yard field goal by Adam Moss. But the Golden Panthers couldn’t muster much more offense in the frame, going three-and-out on their next three series.

FIU did have chances in the fourth quarter, however, behind redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Padrick making his first collegiate start, moved from its own 32-yard line down to the B-CC 26. But a pair of incomplete passes stalled the drive. On a fourth-and-six from the Wildcats’ 27-yard line, Moss made it 2-for-2 on the night, with a school-record 43-yard field goal.

But the momentum was short lived, as Bethune-Cookman took the ensuing kickoff at its own 23-yard line and went the distance on eight running plays, the first four by Johnson for 41 yards, Brad Lee for the next 28 and Suber for the final eight yards and a touchdown, giving B-CC a 24-6 lead with 2:32 remaining in the game.

The Golden Panthers had one final drive left with a 10-play, 80-yard drive and the first rushing touchdown of the year for FIU’s Diamos Demerritt on a six-yard scamper. Padrick called his own number on a quarterback draw for the two-point conversion, and the final score of 24-14.

The FIU offense was limited to just 38 net yards rushing while Padrick completed 11-of-41 passes (a new school record for attempts) for 143 yards. The Golden Panthers managed just 22:04 of possession time and nine penalties of 105 yards kept the defense on the field for long stretches at a time.

“There were just too many foolish mistakes, too many personal foul penalty penalties, stuff that shouldn’t even be involved in the game,” said FIU head coach Don Strock. “We’re still learning what it takes to win. Somebody’s got to step up and make a play on offense. Somebody’s got to step up and make a play on defense and somebody’s got to step up and make a play on special teams. Nobody did that today. No one.”

The Golden Panthers must now regroup for a game next Saturday against the No. 3-ranked team in NCAA Division II, Carson-Newman. The Eagles have won their first three games of this season by a combined score, 116-21, and last year finished with a 12-1 mark, losing for the first time in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs to No. 2-ranked Valdosta State.

Call the FIU at (305) FIU-GAME for ticket information.