FIU Panthers (5-3; 2-2 SBC)
vs. WKU Hilltoppers (4-4; 4-1 SBC)
Saturday, November 5, 2011 • 4:00 p.m. (ET)
Houchens Indistries-L.T. Smith Stadium (22,113)
Bowling Green, Ky.
Series: FIU leads, 4-2
Last: 10/9/10 – FIU 28, WKU 21
Radio: WHIM-1080 AM
(Tony Calatayud, pbp/Dr. Mark Rosenberg & Geoff Rosenberg color)
Streaming: WKUSports.com
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
THE GAME - Fresh off a thrilling 23-20 overtime win over defending Co-Sun Belt Champion Troy, FIU gets back on the road this week as it travels to Bowling Green, Ky., to face the WKU Hilltoppers.
The Panthers and Hilltoppers will look to remain in the thick of the hunt for the Sun Belt Conference championship as both teams are coming off overtime victories that kept them in the top-four in the Sun Belt standings.
HILTON RUNS PAST EVERYONE - With 144 receiving yards against Akron (10/8), T.Y. Hilton surpassed former Troy Trojan Jerrel Jernigan on the Sun Belt Conference all-time receiving yards charts. Hilton now has 3,293 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 6,844 all-purpose yards.
With his touchdown reception against Arkansas State (10/18), the 22nd of his career, Hilton tied Middle Tennessee's Kerry Wright for the most receiving touchdowns in Sun Belt history and Corey McKinney for the all-time FIU record (pre-Sun Belt era). Hilton also broke the FIU record for career receptions with 204.
Another record within Hilton's grasp is the SBC all-time kickoff return record of 2,696 yards held by Arkansas State's Brandon Thompkins. Hilton is currently second with 2,624.
GOOD TIMES - With so much attention being put on T.Y. Hilton by opposing defenses, junior receiver Wayne Times is having a breakout season. With Hilton nursing an injury against Louisiana (9/24), someone needed to step up in the receiving and return games, and Times did just that. Times caught just two passes, but he racked up 75 yards. In the return game, Times had 158 yards, including an FIU season-long, 69-yard kickoff return at the end of the first half that set up an FIU touchdown to cut Louisiana's lead to just one point going into the break.
After catching a touchdown against Duke (10/1), Times had a career-best eight receptions against Arkansas State (10/18), and followed that up with a career-best 97 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown, against Troy (10/25)
JACKED UP - Junior kicker Jack Griffin is having another stellar season for FIU as he is on pace to break every record he set in 2010. Griffin has kicked six field goals over the past two contests, including the game-tying and game-winning field goals against Troy (10/25). The previous week, Griffin hit three field goals and was named one of the Groza Award Stars of the Week. On the season, Griffin leads the Sun Belt Conference with 15 field goals, and he is a perfect 23-of-23 on PATs. For his efforts, Griffin was named one of 20 Groza Award semi-finalists as well as the Sun Belt Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. Griffin's 15 field goals are tied with Caleb Sturgis of Florida and Ohio's Matt Weller for second in the country
THE RHODES TO SUCCESS - Sophomore running back Kedrick Rhodes keeps churning away on the ground for the Panthers as he now has 762 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Rhodes had his third 100+ rushing yard game of the season against Troy (10/25), setting a career-best with 174 rushing yards against the Trojans. For the season, his 95.25 rushing yards-per-game rank second in the Sun Belt Conference.
TOUREK-DeFORCE - Junior defensive end Tourek Williams continues to be a distuptive force on the FIU defensive front. Against Troy (10/25), Williams had a pair of sacks, giving him four for the season. For his career, Williams' 11 sacks are third-best in FIU history.
STOUT STARTS - FIU has done a great job of jumping ahead of opponents this season, holding the opposition scoreless in the first quarter in four of their first eight games. For the season, the Panthers have outscored the opposition, 62-36, in the opening period. However, FIU has had trouble in the fourth quarter, being outscored, 61-30.
THIRD DOWN TURNAROUND - After not having much success on third down through the first four contests, FIU has improved drastically over the last three games, converting 30-of-67 third down tries (45%).
FRASER'S BIG DAY - Winston Fraser had one of his best games statistically against Arkansas State (10/18), setting a new career-high for tackles with 17. His 17 stops are the most by a Panther since Michael Dominguez was credited for 18 tackles against Louisiana on November 17, 2007. For the season, Fraser leads the Panthers and is second in the Sun Belt Conference with 77 stops.
KEYS TO SUCCESS - FIU's key to winning has been no surprise this season: run the football, stop the run and get after the quarterback. In FIU's five victories, the Panthers have averaged 161.2 rushing yards and allowed just 97.6, while sacking the quarterback 20 times. In the three losses, while FIU has run for 144 yards per game, the Panthers have allowed 158 rushing yards-per-game while getting to the quarterback just two times.
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.
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). In 2011, Carroll has completed 140-of-226 passes (61.9 %) for 1,740 yards and nine touchdowns. Before throwing an interception against Akron, Carroll had thrown 131 passes without an interception.
GET OFF THE FIELD - The FIU defense has done a good job of getting opposing offenses off the field this season. The Panthers are third in the Sun Belt Conference with an opponents' third down conversion percentage of 35.0 (42-of-120).
