MIAMI, Fla. (FIUSports.com - FIU football will celebrate its 10-year anniversary during halftime of Saturday's home-opening game against Akron at FIU Stadium. The Panthers will look to commemorate the historical day with their first victory of the 2012 season.
The Panthers defeated the Zips, 27-17, last season in Akron. In the game, FIU rolled up 514 total yards – one more yard than the Panthers amassed in last week's season opener at Duke. At Akron in 2011, FIU running back Kedrick Rhodes ran for 116 yards and a touchdown. Sparked by nine tackles for loss, the FIU defense limited Akron to 262 total yards.
Rhodes is coming off a record-setting game in which he became the first Panther in the program's 10-year history to have 100 or more rushing and receiving yards in the same game. Rhodes ran for 130 yards and a touchdown, and had 115 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Blue Devils. Quarterback Jake Medlock threw for 348 yards and two touchdowns. Medlock tied former FIU quarterback Wesley Carroll for the fourth most passing yards in a game in team history. Ironically, Carroll also threw for 348 yards against Duke in 2011.
The Zips started the 2012 season with a 56-14 loss to Central Florida last Thursday in Akron. The game marked the debut of new Akron coach Terry Bowden. The Zips had four turnovers and fell behind 35-0 to the Knights by halftime.
Saturday's game will close the two-game series between the Panthers and Zips. FIU is 4-2 all-time against teams from Ohio. The Panthers defeated Youngstown State (2004), Toledo twice (2008 & 2010) and Akron (2011). FIU lost to Bowling Green (2006) and Toledo (2009).
Fans can meet members of the inaugural 2002 FIU football team at the Tailgate Village on the east side of FIU Stadium between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. The original Panthers will be honored at halftime with a ceremony recognizing the 2002 FIU football team.
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FIU once again has an exciting six-game home schedule in 2012, including non-conference games vs. BIG EAST Co-Champion Louisville, Akron, plus Sun Belt schools Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee, WKU and ULM.
Season tickets are on-sale and start at just $42. Single-game tickets to FIU's six-game home schedule at Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium are also on-sale. Tickets to the FIU-Louisville game on Sept. 22 will only be available as part of a season ticket plan. For more information or to place your order, please visit FIUSports.com or call 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263).
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/.
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