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MIAMI - The FIU football team's first home win of the season couldn't have been scripted any more perfectly. The Golden Panthers scored the game-tying touchdown with 10 seconds remaining and blocked a field goal in overtime to rally for a 20-17 win against Louisiana. 

Trailing by a touchdown with 2:27 remaining in the fourth quarter, FIU refused to back down and tied the game with 10 seconds left when Paul McCall connected with Greg Ellingson deep in the center of the end zone on fourth down.

FIU (2-6, 2-3) took its first lead of the game in overtime when Dustin Rivest connected for a 24-yard field goal. The Panther defense came out and stuffed running back Julian Shankle on third-and-two, forcing the Rajin' Cajuns to attempt a 29-yard field goal.

FIU's special teams came out and blocked its third field goal of the season to steal the victory.

"It's a great win for our program - one that we needed against a team that had beaten a Big 12 opponent earlier this season," head coach Mario Cristobal said.

In the first series of the game, FIU's defense forced the Louisiana offense to three-and-out, but the Rajin' Cajuns recovered by forcing wide receiver Ty Frierson to fumble on the 30-yard line. Fullback Yobes Walker had a 1-yard touchdown rush to take the lead, 7-0, with 11:35 remaining.

With 8:06 to go in the first quarter, safety Jeremiah Weatherspoon stopped Louisiana's drive with his first interception this season and the fourth of his career. Unfortunately, the offense couldn't gain momentum from the play.

After the defense held Louisiana to three-and-out again, the Golden Panthers found their rhythm and capped an 80-yard drive with a Kendall Berry 1-yard touchdown run with 2:02 to go in the first quarter.  It was the second career touchdown for the sophomore.

Louisiana responded just before the break when Louis Lee motored in a 40-yard touchdown reception to complete a six-play, 84-yard drive. But FIU wasn't done yet.

The Panthers moved their way down the field in the last 1:06 of the half thanks in part to a third-down completion to Ariel Martinez and another 20-yard reception by Jon Faucher. With 10 seconds to go, McCall took one final snap and rushed out of bounds, where he was hit late by linebacker Grant Fleming, with one second left on the clock.

Rivest converted a 26-yard field goal as time expired and FIU headed into the half with a 14-10 deficit.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Panthers were primed to score after entering the red zone under the 14-minute mark of the fourth quarter, but Darriet Perry fumbled at the 18-yard line.

FIU was its own worst enemy again midway through the fourth quarter when McCall was sacked and fumbled the ball, giving Louisiana possession on the Panthers' 39 yard line. Still, the defense held tough at the goal line, and when quarterback Chris Masson overthrew the ball in the end zone, the Rajin' Cajuns had to settle for a field goal, 17-10, with 2:27 left in the game.

The Panthers showed grit in the final two minutes by moving 69 yards with big plays from athletes like Wayne Times, who shook off defenders and pushed ahead for a 16 yard gain to the 4-yard line. On fourth down with 10 seconds to go, McCall found Ellingson for the game-tying touchdown.

Rivest gave FIU the go-ahead field goal in overtime, and freshman Tourek Williams blocked Tyler Albrecht's field goal attempt on fourth down to seal the program's first victory over Louisiana in school history.

"We sit in this room every single Sunday and I can't tell you how many times where we're this close to blocking a field goal. I'm talking millimeters," Cristobal said. "And these guys did it. They were getting closer and closer every week and one of our coaches was saying, 'We're going to block a kick to win a game,' and sure enough, a self-fulfilling prophecy."

The Panthers head to Middle Tennessee next Saturday at 4:30 p.m.