MIAMI (Nov. 12, 2011) -- T.Y. Hilton's 97-yard punt return for touchdown in the second quarter all but sealed the deal for the Panthers as FIU scored early and often, routing the Florida Atlantic Owls 41-7 in Shula Bowl X, Saturday night. The win was FIU's first in the rivalry game since 2005, and is the sixth of the season for the Panthers, making them bowl-eligible for the second year in a row.

Kedrick Rhodes led the Panthers offense, rushing for 122 yards and a score. Senior running back Darriet Perry and quarterback Jake Medlock each added a rushing touchdown. On defense, the Panthers came up with three interceptions, two by Justin Halley and one by Richard Leonard.

FAU's first drive of the game was cut short when Leonard picked off a pass and returned it to the Florida Atlantic 18-yard line. The Panthers capitalized, putting three on the board followingLou Groza Award finalist Jack Griffin's 19^th field goal of the year. The 28-yard kick gave FIU a 3-0 lead at the 7:49 mark of the first quarter.

After forcing a punt, the Panthers drove 80 yards to put up seven on a two-yard touchdown run by Medlock. The run capped off a 12-play drive and gave FIU a 10-0 lead with 1:40 to go in the first. The biggest play of the drive came courtesy of Rhodes, who broke off for a 30-yarder to put the FIU offense on the FAU 18.

The FIU defense forced another punt and the Panther offense went right to work, driving 53 yards for a touchdown. The score came on a 12-yard rush by Rhodes, his seventh of the season, giving FIU a 17-0 lead at the 11:36 mark of the second quarter.

Jonathan Faucher made his presence felt on special teams, blocking a punt on FAU's ensuing drive to give the Panthers the ball on the Owl's nine-yard line. On the very next play, Medlock found Willis Wright for a touchdown and a 23-0 lead with 9:52 to play in the first half. It was Medlock's first-career passing touchdown and Wright's first-career receiving touchdown.

Halley put an end to the ensuing Florida Atlantic drive, making a diving interception at the FIU 12-yard line.

Hilton said hello to the crowd, and goodbye to the Owls, on FAU's next punt, returning it 97-yards for a touchdown that gave FIU a 31-0 lead with 2:58 to play in the first half. The punt return for touchdown was Hilton's second of his career, which is an FIU record. It was also the longest play of his storied career, the longest punt return in FIU history, and the third-longest play in FIU history.

FAU got on the board on their first drive of the second half when quarterback Graham Wilbert connected with Marcus Cunningham for a 22-yard touchdown. The score cut FIU's lead to 31-7 with 9:43 to go in the third quarter.

Trying to keep the ball out of Hilton's hands, FAU pooch kicked and Colt Anderson returned the ball 49 yards to the FAU 19-yard line. However, on FIU's first play Medlock fumbled and FAU recovered.

Halley ended the ensuing FAU drive when he picked off Wilbert for his second interception of the day, returning it to the FIU 41-yard line.

The Panthers added three more with 13:44 to go when Griffin connected on a 37-yard field goal for his 20^th field goal of the season.

Perry made the score 41-7 with 3:50 to go in the game when he scored from two yards out. Senior Michael Cal kicked the extra point for his first-career collegiate point. That rushing touchdown would be the final score of the game as the Panthers took home the 41-7 victory. With the win, FIU improves to 6-4 on the season and 3-3 in Sun Belt play. The Owls fall to 0-9, 0-6 in conference games.

Up next for the Panthers is a road game against ULM at 5 p.m. (ET) from Monroe, La.

  FIU Game Notes
FIU 41, FAU 7
Saturday - Nov. 12, 2011 

• T.Y. Hilton, Wesley Carroll, Jonathan Cyprien, and Darriet Perry were the captains. FAU won the toss and deferred.
• Redshirt freshman Jake Medlock made his career start tonight.
• Freshman Richard Leonard made his first-career interception in the first quarter, returning it 56 yards and setting up FIU's first score of the game.
• Jake Medlock's two-yard rushing TD was the second of his young career.
• FIU has outscored opponents 78-43 in the first quarter in 2011 (led 10-0 after the first tonight).
• Sophomore Willis Wright hauled in his first receiving touchdown in the second quarter, a nine-yard reception from Jake Medlock, his first-career passing TD.
• Lou Groza semifinalist Jack Griffin registered two touchbacks, matching his 2011 season total.
• FIU recorded a season-high three interceptions, marking the second-straight game against FAU that the Panthers have picked off three passes.
• T.Y. Hilton's 97-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter was the longest such punt return in school history, and went for the third-longest play in FIU history. It was Hilton's second-career punt return. It also went down as the second-longest punt return in Sun Belt history.
• Kedrick Rhodes is very elusive, rushing for 122 yards, his fourth of the season and fifth of his career.
• FIU's 31 points in the first half are the fourth-most in school history, the second-most as a 1A program (38 vs. Troy, 11/13/2011).
• At the 9:43 mark in the third quarter, the FIU marching band played in the hallway outside the pressbox. It was unconfirmed which song it was or for what reason.
• Redshirt freshman Justin Halley notched his first-career two interception game, becoming the first Panther to do so since Kreg Brown in the 2010 Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl (Dec. 26, 2011).
• Senior kicker Michael Cal registered his first-career point, kicking an extra point with 3:50 left in the game. Cal is the only player to win a Shula Bowl, Sun Belt Conference title and the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl championship with two different teams. Cal previously played for FAU.