MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (Nov. 27, 2011) -- The FIU football team set a program-record with its eighth victory of the season, beating the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, 31-18, Saturday night in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Panther victory was made possible by 185 rushing yards, led by Kedrick Rhodes' 117 yards and Jeremiah Harden's 46 yards. Both running backs had one touchdown apiece.

On defense, the Panthers came up with two interceptions, one from Gregory Hickman and one from Justin Halley, who also added seven tackles.

FIU took a 7-0 lead with 2:30 to go in the first on a five-yard touchdown pass from Wesley Carroll to Jonathan Faucher. A 37-yard completion on third down from Carroll to Jacob Younger kept FIU's second drive alive, and moved the Panthers into Middle Tennessee territory. Three plays later, Rhodes kept the drive alive once again, picking up a first down on fourth-and-one. Two plays later, Carroll found Foucher wide open in the middle of the endzone to put the Panthers ahead. The touchdown strike capped off a 14-play, 84-yard drive that ate up 7:32 of game clock.

The Blue Raiders began the second quarter down 7-0 and in FIU territory, however, a missed 40-yard field goal kept the FIU lead intact. On MT's next drive, the Blue Raiders had to settle for a 37-yard field goal, putting the score at 7-3 with 8:50 to go in the first quarter.

MT pooch-kicked the ensuing kickoff in an attempt to keep the ball away from T.Y. Hilton, and it seemed to work to perfection as the ball bounced several times and the Blue Raiders had a chance to recover. However, Hilton was the one who got his hands on the loose ball and returned it 77 yards deep into MT territory. Two plays later, Rhodes punched the ball in for an FIU touchdown as the Panthers took a 14-3 lead with 7:12 remaining in the second quarter.

On its ensuing drive, Middle Tennessee came away with three points on a 25-yard field goal to make the score 14-6 with 2:56 to go in the half, and that would be the score as the teams headed into the halftime break.

With 5:46 to go in the third quarter, Carroll found Hilton from two yards out for a touchdown to put the Panthers up 21-6. The score was his seventh receiving touchdown of the year, tying his own and Corey McKinney's FIU single-season record.

The Blue Raiders' ensuing drive seemed to be going somewhere until Hickman stepped in front of a pass attempt and intercepted it, returning it to the MT 26-yard line. On the next play, Carroll connected with Faucher for a 23-yard gain, setting up the FIU offense with a first-and-goal from the three. Two plays later, Hardin found the endzone for his first touchdown of the year to give the Panthers a 28-6 lead with 49 seconds to play in the third quarter.

MT's next drive ended on another interception, this time by Halley, who came up with his fourth interception of the season.

After an FIU punt that pinned the Blue Raiders inside their own five-yard line, Middle Tennessee drove down the field and capped off the drive with a touchdown at the 6:55 mark. After a failed two-point conversion attempt, the score was 28-12.

The Panthers came back and added three points on a Jack Griffin 25-yard field goal with 3:46 remaining in the contest. The Blue Raiders added a late touchdown, but it was too little, too late as the Panthers took home the 31-18 victory.

With the win, FIU closes out the regular season with a record of 8-4. Middle Tennessee falls to 2-9 with one game to go on the year.

FIU Game Notes

-No. 4 T.Y. Hilton, No. 7 Jonathan Cyprien, No. 13 Wesley Carroll and No. 28 Darriet Perry served as captains for FIU.

-Middle Tennessee won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. FIU received to open the game.

-The win was FIU's eighth of the season, setting a new program record.

-Cornerback Tevin Blanchard made his first-career start.

-FIU held MT scoreless in the first quarter, marking the sixth time this season FIU has held its opponent scoreless for the opening stanza. The Panthers have outscored their opponents 92-43 in the first quarter this season.

-FIU held MT to eight yards of offense in the first quarter.

-Redshirt freshman Caleb Vincent recorded his first-career tackle on a kickoff.

-T.Y. Hilton's third-quarter touchdown catch was his seventh receiving touchdown of the season, tying the FIU single-season record (Hilton - '08, McKinney - '02).

-Jeremiah Harden's third-quarter touchdown was his first of the season, and his first since Sept. 25, 2010 vs. Maryland.

-Justin Halley's fourth-quarter interception was the fourth of the season for the redshirt freshman. The FIU single-season record is five.

-Wideout Glenn Coleman was ejected in the fourth quarter after a personal foul penalty

--- www.FIUSports.com ---