Game Three –Panthers Host Eagles in 2015 Home Opener
After starting the season with two tough road games, the FIU Panthers return to Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium in the team's home opener on Saturday. The Panthers (1-1) welcome the NC Central Eagles (1-1). Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.  The game will be broadcast on PantherVision. Fans can also listen to the contest on 1210AM ESPN Deportes with Mike Levine (play-by-play) and Wes Carroll (color analyst) on the call.
 
The Panthers are coming off a tough 36-22 loss at Indiana last Saturday. FIU totaled 406 yards of total offense but three costly turnovers resulted in the team's first loss of the season. The Panthers threw for 283 yards with sophomore Alex McGough completing 21-of-37 passes for 249 yards a three touchdowns. His three TD tosses tied a career-best for the Tampa native. Sophomore wide out Thomas Owens had a career night, catching nine passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. The Boynton Beach. Fla., native's 166 yards receiving were the fourth-most in school history, recording FIU's first 100-yard receiving game since Jonnu Smith's 140-yard performance versus Middle Tennessee last season. He and fellow sophomore Dennis Turner (6-58) each recorded their first-collegiate touchdowns in Bloomington.
 
On the ground, FIU totaled 123 yards rushing and were led by sophomore Alex Gardner, who posted 61 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Trey Anderson, who spelled McGough late in the game, collected 33 yards on three carries.
 
Defensively, FIU was led by sophomore Vontarius West, who made his first-collegiate start, recording a career-high 14 tackles (10 solo). Sophomore Anthony Wint is coming off a career-high 13-tackle outing at Indiana and leads the team in tackles (23), ranking No. 12 in the nation in total tackles.
 
FIU comes into Saturday's home opener averaging 398.5 yards-per-game in total offense and is scoring 18.5 points-per-game. The Panther defense is allowing 367.0 yards-per-game which ranks No. 64 in the nation, allowing 25.0 points-per-game (No. 69 in the nation).
 
McGough comes into Saturday's game having completed 49-of-74 passes (66.2 percent) for 509 yards and four touchdowns. His passing yards rank No. 35 in the nation and total touchdowns place the 6-foot-3 quarterback at No. 25 nationally.
 
Owens leads FIU with 19 catches and 244 yards receiving. The second-year receiver ranks sixth in the nation in receptions-per-game (9.5) and No. 9 nationally in total receiving yards.  Smith is second on the team in receptions with eight (43 yards) and has caught a pass in 26-straight contests.
 
In the backfield, Gardner has been the featured back in each of the team's first-two games, recording 136 yards on 33 carries with one touchdown.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, FIU is led by Wint's 23 total tackles followed by fellow linebacker Treyvon Williams and cornerback Richard Leonard, who have each posted 19.
 
Saturday's contest between FIU and NCCU will be the first meeting between the two schools and the Panthers' sixth game all-time versus a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). FIU has previously faced MEAC foes Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman.
 
Game Notables
-  Saturday will mark the home opener for the Panthers.
-  Saturday will mark the 27th game for Head Coach Ron Turner at FIU.
-  Saturday will mark Turner's 130th game as a college head coach.
-  Saturday will mark FIU's first meeting with N.C. Central.
-  FIU is 2-4 all-time versus the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
-  FIU will be looking to record its 30th home victory all-time on Saturday.
-  Saturday will mark the 157th game in FIU history.
-  FIU will be looking to improve to 2-1 to start the season.
-  N.C. Central will be the second of four first-time opponents this season.
-  Coach Turner has never faced the Eagles.
-  FIU is 4-9 in home openers and will be looking to snap a current two-game losing skid in those contests.
-  Saturday will mark FIU's first and only home game during the month of September.
 
A Quick Look at NC Central
Duke University used a balanced offensive attack to pile up more yards than any other North Carolina Central University opponent in school history, as the Blue Devils amassed 655 yards of total offense in a 55-0 shutout over the Eagles on Saturday night.
 
NCCU (1-1) managed 186 total yards with 132 through the air.
 
NCCU junior quarterback Malcolm Bell completed half of his 24 passes for 127 yards. Junior Khalil Stinson had four catches for 54 yards, while freshman Jalen Wilkes tallied four receptions for 27 yards.
 
The NCCU defense, which stayed on the field for 34:11, was topped by junior linebacker Jordan Miles with a career-high 14 tackles.
 
A Look Back at the Indiana Game
-  Jonnu Smith extended his streak of consecutive games with a catch to 26.
-  Thomas Owens and Dennis Turner each recorded their first-collegiate touchdown catches.
-  Alex McGough threw for over 200 yards for the second-straight game, totaling 249 yards on 21-of-37 passing.
-  McGough tied his career-high in attempts (37).
-  McGough threw three touchdowns, tying his career-best outing (three vs. Middle Tennessee - 11/15/14).
-  Owens notched 166 receiving yards - the fourth-most in school history.
-  Owens became the first Panther to register at least 100 yards receiving since Smith recorded 140 versus Middle Tennessee last season.
-  Owens caught a 21-yard TD pass and a 75-yard TD pass from McGough. The 75-yard completion was tied for fifth-longest TD pass in school history (McGough to Smith - 75 yards at UAB - 9/27/14).
-  Sophomore Vontarius West made his first-career start while notching a career-high 14 tackles.
-  Sophomore Anthony Wint reached double-digits in tackles (13) for the second-straight game.
-  Senior Jeremiah McKinnon recorded the team's first take-away this season with an interception in the third quarter.
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26 and Counting
Junior Jonnu Smith enters Saturday's game having caught a pass in 26-straight games. That currently ranks tied for No. 8 among all active players, nationally.
 
Record Watch - Richard Leonard
Senior Richard Leonard enters this Saturday's game ranked No. 3 in career kick returns (63), No. 2 in career kick return yards (1,625) and No. 2 in total return yards (2,424) in the FIU record books.
 
Get Your Popcorn Ready
"Get your popcorn ready" is a phrase TO (Terrell Owens) made popular in NFL as a way to let people know that a good show was coming. FIU's TO (Thomas Owens) put on a show on Thursday, Sept. 3, recording 10 catches for 78 yards at UCF. In the sophomore's first-career start, the 10 catches were two shy of the school record set by T.Y. Hilton (Oct. 8, 2011 at Akron). Not to be outdone, Owens followed that performance up with a nine-catch, 166-yard outing at Indiana last Saturday. The 166 yards were the fourth-most in a single game in FIU history. The sophomore also caught two TDs in that game including a 75-yard bomb from Alex McGough. The reception tied Owens for the fifth-longest touchdown catch all-time at FIU (Jonnu Smith – 75 yard touchdown at UAB – 9/27/14).
 
First Starts
During FIU's 36-22 loss at Indiana, two Panthers made their first-career starts - Jephete Matilus and Vontarius West.
 
Home Openers
Saturday will mark FIU's 2015 home opener. The Panthers are 4-9 all-time in home openers having lost two-straight. FIU's last win in a home opener was a 41-16 win over North Texas to start the 2011 season.
 
First-Time Opponents in 2015
- FIU will face four first-time opponents in 2015.
- FIU faced Indiana for this first time on Saturday, Sept. 12, falling to the Hoosiers, 36-22, in Bloomington, Ind.
- In its history, 2002-15, FIU is 16-42 in first-time meetings with its 58 all-time opponents.
- Three of FIU's four first-time opponents will be visiting Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium this season.
 
200+
Sophomore Alex McGough enters Saturday's game with 509 yards on 49-of-74 passing (66.2 percent) and four touchdowns. The Tampa native has thrown for over 200 yards in each of the Panthers' first two contests.
 
Road Trip
With only four road games during the 2014 season, FIU will play seven games away from Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium, including four of its first five games to start the season.
 
Airing it Out
On Saturday, Sept. 12, sophomore Alex McGough connected with wide out Thomas Owens for a 75-yard touchdown pass versus the Indiana Hoosiers. The reception tied the school record for the fifth-longest TD catch, tying the mark set last season when McGough hit junior Jonnu Smith for 75 yards at UAB (9/27/14).
 
FIU Versus the MEAC
FIU enters Saturday's game having faced two teams from the current Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Panthers will be looking to improve on their record versus the MEAC (2-4).
 
9/21/02 - Bethune-Cookman - L, 31-0
9/20/03 - Bethune-Cookman - L, 24-14
11/20/04 - Florida A&M - W, 40-23
10/1/05 - Florida A&M - W, 23-6
9/14/13 - Bethune-Cookman - L, 34-13
8/30/14 - Bethune-Cookman - L, 14-12