FIU Panthers (4-2; 1-1 SBC)
vs.
Arkansas State Red Wolves (4-2; 2-0 SBC)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 • 8:00 p.m. (ET)
ASU Stadium (60,489) • Jonesboro, Ark.
Series: ASU leads, 4-2
Last: 11/27/10 – FIU 31, ASU 24
Radio: WHIM-1080 AM (Tony Calatayud, pbp/Rick Sanchez, color)
TV: ESPN2
THE GAME - The Panthers get back into Sun Belt action this week as they travel to Jonesboro, Ark., to face the Arkansas State Red Wolves. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
FIU and Arkansas State bring matching 4-2 records to the contest, but the Red Wolves hold an edge in the Sun Belt standings at 2-0, to FIU's 1-0. Last year, FIU beat ASU, 31-24, in the game that clinched the Sun Belt Conference championship for the Panthers.
T+Y=SBC G.O.A.T.? - With 144 receiving yards against Akron, T.Y. Hilton surpassed former Troy Trojan Jerrel Jernigan on the Sun Belt Conference all-time receiving yards charts. Hilton now has 3,134 receiving yards, surpassing Jernigan's previous mark of 3,128. Hilton and Jernigan are the only receiver's in SBC history to go over 3,000 receiving yards. Earlier this season, Hilton surpassed Jernigan's record for career all-purpose yards of 5,985, becoming the first player in conference history to break the 6,000 all-purpose yard mark. Hilton currently has 6,553. T.Y. is also just one touchdown catch away from tying MTSU's Kerry Wright's record of 22 career receiving touchdowns. Another record within Hilton's grasp is the SBC all-time kickoff return record of 2,696 held by Arkansas State's Brandon Thompkins. Hilton is currently second with 2,525.
300 IF BY AIR - By throwing for 308 yards against Akron, Wes Carroll became the first QB in FIU history to toss for over 300 yards in back-to-back games. He threw for a season-best 335 against Duke (10/1).
DP STANDS ALONE - With two touchdown runs against Akron (10/8) Darriet Perry broke a tie with Rashod Smith for first place on FIU's all-time rushing touchdown leaderboard. Perry now has 26 career scores.
THE RHODES TO SUCCESS - Sophomore running back Kedrick Rhodes keeps churning away on the ground for the Panthers as he now has 516 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Rhodes had his second 100+ rushing yard game of the season last week against Akron, gashing the Zips for 116 yards and one score. For the season, his 87.6 rushing yards per game rank second in the Sun Belt Conference.
STUFFED -The FIU defense has been stingy against the run this season, allowing just under 107 rushing yards per game, which ranks 28th in the country and first in the Sun Belt Conference. Against Duke (10/1), FIU allowed a season-low 49 rushing yards.
CHILD, PLEASE! – Willis Wright, nicknamed “Manchild” in high school, came to FIU has the program's first-ever ESPN-150 recruit. Against Akron (10/8), Wright showed the explosiveness that earned him such high praise coming out of high school, busting out for 85 receiving yards on four catches. The bulk of his production came on a short reception that he turned into a 68-yard gain by breaking some tackles and speeding away from the Zips' defense.
LET'S GO CARROLLING – FIU quarterback Wes Carroll set program records in 2010 for passing yards (2,623), passing touchdowns (16), completions (226) and total offense (2,615). The 2011 season is off to another great start for Carroll who has completed 97-of-152 passes (63.8 %) for 1,232 yards and six touchdowns. Before throwing an interception against Akron, Carroll had thrown 131 passes without an interception.
