BOCA RATON, Fla. (Oct. 31, 2015) -- The trick was on FIU in Don Shula Bowl XIV in Boca Raton on Halloween. Florida Atlantic played the best game of its disappointing season and knocked off the Panthers 31-17 to bring back the Shula Trophy north for the next year. The loss moved FIU to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in Conference USA play. The Owls improved to 2-6 and 2-3 in conference play.
 
FAU rushed for 229 yards to control the Shula Bowl on the ground. The Owls got three touchdown runs for their offensive scoring.
 
FAU scored the first 17 points of the game highlighted by a 5-yard touchdown run by Trey Rodriguez and a 6-yard touchdown run by Jason Driskel.
 
FIU closed the deficit to 17-10 after the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Alex McGough and a 47-yard field goal by Austin Taylor.
 
However, FAU made it difficult for the Panthers to mount a fourth quarter comeback after Rodriguez scored his second touchdown of the game. Rodriguez had a 1-yard touchdown run with 12:41 left in the game. The score extended FAU's lead to 24-10.
 
Jalen Young's 58-yard interception return for a touchdown with three minutes left in the fourth quarter finished the scoring for FAU.
 
McGough finished 19-of-27 for 196 yards and a touchdown – a 22-yard pass to Julian Williams late in the game.
 
Jephete Matilus led the Panthers with 11 tackles. Tyree Johnson and Anthony Wint each had 10 tackles.
 
Trey Rodriguez earned the Shula Bowl MVP for the Owls, rushing for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Alex Gardner, who led FIU with 105 yards rushing, was named the Shula Bowl MVP for the Panthers.
 
FIU returns home next Saturday to play new Conference USA member Charlotte for the first time in program history. Kickoff is at 12 p.m. from Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.

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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 FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $8.9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.