Box Score LAFAYETTE, La. (September 29, 2012) – The FIU Panthers (1-4, 0-1 SBC) fell to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (3-1, 1-1 SBC), 48-20, Saturday evening at Cajun Field in Lafayette, La.
In his first-career start, true freshman
E.J. Hilliard was 16-of-26 for 206 yards in the air with one rushing touchdown. Senior
Wayne Times hauled in a team-high six catches while junior
Willis Wright was the leader in yards with 58. Junior
Kedrick Rhodes and senior
Jeremiah Harden each added a score apiece on the ground.
After both teams traded three-and-out drives to open the contest, Louisiana quarterback Blaine Gautier scored on a four-yard keeper to cap off a nine-play, 82-yard drive. The extra point gave UL an early 7-0 lead.
With 2:30 left in the first quarter, the Ragin' Cajuns would extend the lead, 14-0, after a two-yard pass from Gautier to Jacob Maxwell. The touchdown came on an eight-play,
83-yard drive. UL then closed out the first quarter with a 46-yard field goal from Brett Baer to take a 17-0 lead on the Panthers.
The Ragin' Cajuns kept building on their lead with a 13-yard run by backup quarterback Terrance Broadway to make it a 24-0 UL advantage.
The Panthers would get on the scoreboard in the second quarter when Hilliard scored on a three-yard quarterback keeper at the 10:19 mark, culminating a 67-yard drive. The score was set-up by a 58-yard passing play from Hilliard to Wright. An extra point by
Jack Griffin cut the UL lead to 24-7. The rushing touchdown was the first of Hilliard's young career.
At the 8:52 mark in the second quarter,
Jose Cheeseborough continued some FIU momentum as he recovered a fumble caused by
Winston Fraser at the UL 37 yard line. FIU capitalized on the turnover when Harden punched it in from the one-yard line and a Griffin kick cut the UL lead to two scored at 24-10. The run completed a six-play 37-yard
drive. The Harden touchdown was the third of his career and the first of the season for the senior out of St. Thomas Aquinas.
As the rain started to fall at the close of the second quarter, Broadway ran it in from four-yards out for his second touchdown of the game. A Louisiana extra point sent the Panthers to the half with a 31-14 deficit.
On the first drive of the third stanza, Louisiana scored on a 78-yard catch and run from Broadway to Harry Peoples to go up 38-14. UL then added a field goal by Baer after a Hilliard interception in Ragin' Cajun territory.
A 54-yard reception from Hilliard to
Jairus Williams set up a one-yard plunge from Rhodes. The failed two-point attempt made the score, 41-20, Louisiana's advantage. UL would add on one more touchdown for the 48-20 final.
FIU will return home and continue Sun Belt Conference play against the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Thursday, Oct. 4 on ESPNU. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. ET in Miami, Fla. For tickets, call 305-FIU-GAME or can be conveniently purchased online at FIUSports.com.
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu
