• Game Stats

FIU's first Sun Belt Conference football game is one they soon hope to forget.

Arkansas State (2-2, 1-0 SBC) scored its most points ever against a Division I opponent on 498 total yards of offense, 328 of those on the ground, in a 66-24 win Saturday afternoon in Jonesboro, Ark.

The FIU offense moved the ball for 460 yards, but seven turnovers—five interceptions and a pair of fumbles—resulted in 42 ASU points and the Golden Panthers remained winless after the first three games of the 2005 season.

"We had opportunities. There was no doubt about it," said head coach Don Strock. "But when you turn the ball over and give them a short field to work with, [Arkansas State] is an excellent football team who is going to take advantage of that. There are no excuses. We got beat today."

FIU was quickly greeted into the Sun Belt when its first drive was stopped on an interception and then, on ASU's first play from scrimmage, Antonio Warren burst over left tackle, and raced 50 yards into the end zone for a 7-0 Indians' lead. Warren would lead all rushers with 143 yards, despite playing only a half game.

ASU made it 14-0 in quick order marching 44 yards in four plays with Oren O'Neal punching it in from two yards out.

FIU made it 14-7 with five minutes to play in the first quarter when Josh Padrick found Cory McKinney from 28 yards away, but the Golden Panthers inability to make a tackle, a problem that hounded the defense in the first two games, surfaced again as Arkansas State used two runs of 65 and 16 yards to go the distance and grab a 21-7 lead.

"One of the things that came back to bite us was our inability to stop the run," Strock said. "That's been a problem, basically since we started. You keep trying to improve there, and we have, but obviously, it didn't show today."

But ASU showed it offensive versatility on its next drive featuring the arm of quarterback Nike Noce who completed a pair of passes on a 57-yard drive that culminated in a nine-yard TD pass to Joe Smith. The first quarter mercifully can to an end at 28-7 in favor of the Indians.

FIU drew first blood in the second quarter on an 11-play, 76-yard touchdown drive with Padrick calling his own number on a one-yard plunge, for his first career touchdown.

The Golden Panthers looked to stop ASU on its next possession, forcing the Indians to punt. But a roughing the kicker penalty brought new life. And when Noce hit Smith for his second TD pass of the day, this time for 49 yards, Arkansas State regained its 21-point advantage, 35-14, with 6:26 remaining in the half.

Adam Moss' 29-yard field goal helped FIU edge to within 35-17 at the intermission.

The teams traded turnovers in the third quarter, but FIU's last was the most damaging. With the Golden Panthers facing a second-down and goal at the ASU five, down 37-17, Padrick threw his third interception of the day into the hands of Tyrell Johnson who went 92 yards to the FIU seven.

The drive appeared to stall at the five and ASU settled for a 23-yard field goal. But Alexander Bostic III was called for his second personal foul of the game, giving new life to the Indians with an automatic first down. On the very next play, Chris Easley, replacing starter Warren who left the game with a high ankle sprain, dove into the end zone from the two for a 45-17 lead.

Turnovers continued to doom the Golden Panthers in the fourth quarter. McKinney's second fumble of the game set up a 34-yard touchdown run by Sherman Bracey and then on a first-and-10 in the "green" zone, Padrick's fourth interception ended in a 85-yard TD return by Koby McKinnon.

Later, a Tommy Kendrick interception would lead to another ASU score and a 66-17 lead, before the redshirt freshman engineered a touchdown drive with a 16-yard TD pass to Sanchez Anderson in the final minute.

"All of us will be judged by adversity and how well you handle it throughout your lifetime," said Strock. "I've been in tough games before and obviously, this is a tough one. We've got to look at a lot of people out on the field today who we think can help us down the road. But there's a lot of work to do, without a doubt."

Julian Reams was the leading rusher for the Golden Panthers with 58 yards on 21 carries while Samuel Smith's seven pass receptions for 74 was tops among the receivers. Padrick completed 24 of 37 passes for 270 yards and a TD, but he was constantly rushed by the ASU defense. He and Kendrick were sacked four times on the day after being sacked only once in the first two games of the year against Kansas State and Texas Tech.

The Golden Panthers play their home opener next Saturday, October 1 against Florida A&M in the FIU/FAMU Orange Blossom Classic at FIU Stadium, featuring a halftime performance by the FAMU's "Marching 100" Band. For information and tickets, call toll free (866) FIU-GAME or (305) 348-4263 in Miami-Dade County.