Box Score Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Dec. 20, 2011) -- A blocked punt by Marshall in the fourth quarter set up what proved to be the game-winning field goal as the FIU Panthers fell, 20-10, Tuesday night in the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl.
"We won eight games this year; [FIU Head] coach [Mario] Cristobal has done a great job with our team on and off the field," senior T.Y. Hilton said. "There are a lot of great players and we have made great strides and come a long way over the last four years."
With the game knotted at 10, Marshall's Zack Dunston blocked a punt that gave the Thundering Herd the football on the FIU 23-yard line. FIU's defense kept the Thundering Herd out of the endzone, but a 39-yard field goal gave Marshall a lead it would not give up.
For FIU, Hilton was named the team's MVP as he caught eight balls for 88 yards to go along with three carries for 23 yards and a touchdown. Senior quarterback Wesley Carroll completed 19-of-29 passes for 150 yards. On defense, Jordan Hunt had his best game as a Panther, racking up a career-best 13 tackles, including two for loss and one sack. Sam Miller added 11 tackles, and Richard Leonard had one interception.
After trading punts to start the game, Marshall got on the board first at the 6:42 mark of the first quarter on a 37-yard field goal by Tyler Warner.
After an FIU punt, Marshall took over but the Herd's drive ended quickly when Leonard came up with an interception on the first play of the drive and returned it to the Marshall 47.
On the ensuing drive, FIU picked up a third-and-six on a slant to Hilton that put FIU at the Marshall two-yard line. On the next play, Hilton found the endzone on his first rushing touchdown of the season to put FIU up 7-3 with 1:31 to go in the first quarter.
With 5:41 to go in the first half, the Panthers pushed their lead to 10-3 on a 46-yard field goal by Jack Griffin. The score was made possible by a pass breakup on fourth down that caused a turnover-on-downs by Marshall near mid-field.
Marshall tied up the score at 10 with just 23 seconds to play in the first half when Rakeem Cato found Aaron Dobson for 31-yard touchdown.
Both defenses proved to be extremely stout in the third quarter as neither team put up points and the game went into the fourth tied at 10.
With under eight minutes to play, FIU lined up for a punt deep inside their own territory, but the kick was blocked by Marshall and returned to the FIU three-yard line. However, an illegal forward pass on the return and a personal foul after the play backed Marshall up to the 23-yard line. FIU's defense held strong and forced a Marshall field goal attempt with 5:16 to go that gave the Thundering Herd a 13-10 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Marshall added another touchdown late to make the final score 20-10. With the loss, FIU ends its season at 8-5. Marshall moves to 7-6 on the season.
"It was awesome," said Cristobal about the FIU fans in attendance. "It got really loud in the fourth quarter. I apoligize for not finishing the exciting trip for our fans with a win. It was a good experience in that they got to travel to a bowl game for the second-consecutive season. We are growing, pushing and will start to work on next season."
FIU vs. Marshall postgame notes
- No. 4 T.Y. Hilton, No. 7 Jonathan Cyprien, No. 13 Wesley Carroll and No. 28 Darriet Perry served as captains for FIU. FIU won the toss and deferred to the second half.
- Tonight marks the second-straight bowl appearance for the Panthers. FIU defeated Toledo in last year's Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, 34-32 (Dec. 26, 2010).
- FIU is now 0-1 against the Marshall Thundering Herd and 1-1 against Conference USA teams (defeated UCF 17-10 earlier this season).
- No. 9 Kedrick Rhodes became FIU's single-season rushing leader (1,149 rushing yards), passing Rashod Smith who had 1,134 yards in 2004.
- No. 3 Richard Leonard registered his third interception of the season with a 25-yard interception return at the 4:42 mark of the first quarter. The interception marked the 13th pick by FIU in its last eight games. FIU has had at least one interception in each of those eight games.
- With his eight catches in the game, No. 4 T.Y. Hilton set the single-season FIU record with 72 receptions, passing Chandler Williams who hauled in 67 passes in 2004.
- No. 4 T.Y. Hilton scored his first rushing touchdown of the season with a two-yard scamper with 1:31 left in the first. It also marked the seventh rushing touchdown of his career. It also marked his ninth overall touchdown on the season. Hilton has scored 37 touchdowns during his FIU career.
- No. 4 T.Y. Hilton eclipsed the 1,000 yard receiving mark for the second time in his career. He finished the season with 1,038 receiving yard, eclipsing his previous high of 1,013 as a freshman in 2008.
- FIU led, 7-3, at the end of the first quarter. It marked the eighth time this season the Panthers have led after one quarter. FIU has outscored opponents, 99-46, in the first quarter this season.
- No. 38 Jack Griffin converted his 22nd FG of the season - a 46-yard FG with 5:41 left in the first. Griffin has now kicked 13 field goals in the last seven games. Griffin owns the FIU single-season record for field goals (22).
- The Panthers and Herd entered halftime tied a 10-10. With the loss, FIU finished 2-2 this season when entering halftime tied.
- After a scoreless third quarter, FIU enter the fourth quarter with the score tied for the first time this season.
- With 13 tackles No. 25 Jordan Hunt set a career-high in tackles at FIU.
- No. 39 Sam Miller registered a career-high 11 tackles.
- With the loss, FIU is now 1-1 in bowl games.
- No. 87 Mike Jean-Louis appeared in his first career game at FIU and hauled in his first career reception before leaving with an injury in the 3rd quarter.
