 |
FIU: (3-4, 3-0 C-USA) (1-3 home) |
 |
LA Tech: (4-3, 2-1 C-USA) (1-3 away) |
Date: Oct. 22, 2016
Location: Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium (FieldTurf) (20,000) in Miami, Florida.
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET
Press Box Phone: 305.348.1898
Television: ESPN3 - Ryan Rose (play-by-play) and Wes Carroll (color analyst) will call the action.
Radio: AM 790 The Ticket (WAXY AM 790) - Josh Appel (play-by-play) and Pete Pelegrin (color analyst) on the call. Fans can listen by tuning into 790 on their AM dial or by logging onto either www.FIUSports.com or www.theticketmiami.com
Live Stats: www.FIUSports.com
Live Video Streaming: WatchESPN.com
Tickets: 305.FIU.GAME (348.4263) -or- www.FIUSports.com
Records: FIU enters Saturday's game with a 3-4 (3-0 C-USA) record following a 27-26 win at Charlotte on Saturday, Oct. 15. LA Tech comes into this week's action with a 4-3 (2-1 C-USA) mark after a 56-28 win over UMass on Saturday, Oct. 15.
FIU Interim Head Coach Ron Cooper: Cooper (Jacksonville State, 1983) is in his first season as interim head coach (3-0, 1.000) and 10th season overall as a head coach (47-56, .456). Cooper is 25-33 as an FBS head coach and 22-23 as an FCS head coach. He has never faced LA Tech.
LA Tech Head Coach Skip Holtz: Holtz (Notre Dame, 1987) is in his fourth season at LA Tech (26-20, .565) and 17th overall (114-91, .556). Holtz is 2-0 all-time versus the Panthers.
Series History: Saturday will mark the third meeting all-time between the two programs with LA Tech holding a 2-0 edge in the series history. The last meeting between the two teams resulted in a 27-17 win for the Bulldogs on Sept. 26, 2015, in Ruston, Louisiana.
Game 8 – Homecoming 2016; Panthers Host Bulldogs
It's Homecoming 2016 and the FIU football team hosts the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Saturday looking for the Panthers' fourth-straight victory. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. from Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium with the game airing on ESPN3.
Ryan Rose (play-by-play) and Wes Carroll (color analyst) will call the action. Fans can also listen to the game on AM 790 The Ticket with Josh Appel (play-by-play) and
Pete Pelegrin (color analyst) in the booth.
FIU is coming off a thrilling 27-26 win a Charlotte last Saturday in which the Panthers rallied from 13 points down to improve to 3-0 in conference play for the first time in program history.
Junior
Alex McGough connected with tight end
A.J. Branisel on a 15-yard touchdown to bring the Panthers within six points with 4:21 left in the game. Three minutes later McGough found tight end
Jonnu Smith for a nine-yard touchdown with 1:05 left in the game to tie the contest at 26-26. The ensuing extra point by senior
Austin Taylor gave the Panthers a one-point lead and ultimately the victory.
Saturday's game will mark the third meeting all-time between the Panthers and Bulldogs with LA Tech holding a 2-0 edge in the series history. The last meeting between the two teams resulted in a 27-17 win for LA Tech on Sept. 26, 2015, in Ruston, Louisiana.
FIU comes into tonight's game averaging 21.3 points-per-game and 361.3 yards of total offense-per-game. The Panthers are led by McGough, who has thrown for 1,303 yards and seven touchdowns this season. The Tampa native is currently second in career passing yards (5,705) and is tied for first in career passing touchdowns (42) in the FIU record books. McGough's top target the past two games has been junior
Thomas Owens. The native of Boynton Beach has caught 18 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns during FIU's last two victories. On the year, Owens leads FIU with 405 yards receiving with 27 catches and three touchdowns. In the backfield, junior
Alex Gardner has totaled 577 yards rushing on 117 carries and four touchdowns. The FIU running back has notched four 100-yard rushing games this season and is tied first in the FIU record books for the most 100-yard games by a Panther (8).
On the defensive side of the ball linebackers
Anthony Wint and
Treyvon Williams have combined for 147 total tackles this season. That is the most by any pair of players from a Conference USA team in 2016 as they are the only teammates that rank in the top five among all league players. Williams, who had nine tackles versus the 49ers, leads FIU with 75 tackles. The Miami native ranks No. 3 in the conference and No. 10 nationally in tackles-per-game (10.7). Wint, who tied a career-high in tackles last Saturday (13), is second on the team with 72. The Homestead, Florida, product is No. 5 in the conference and No. 17 nationally in tackles-per-game (10.3).
Game Notables
- Saturday will be the fifth home game for the Panthers this season.
- FIU will look for its second-straight home win and fourth-straight overall.
- FIU will look to improve to 4-4 on the year.
- FIU will look to improve to 4-0 in C-USA action on the year.
- FIU will look to improve to 21-37 all-time in the month of October.
- Saturday will mark the fourth game for Interim Head Coach
Ron Cooper at FIU (3-0).
- Saturday will mark Cooper's 104th game as a college head coach (both FBS and FCS).
- Saturday will mark the third meeting all-time between FIU and LA Tech.
- LA Tech leads the series history, 2-0.
- The Bulldogs won the last meeting between the two teams with a 27-17 victory on Sept. 26, 2015 in Ruston, Louisiana.
- FIU is 25-36 all-time versus teams from Conference USA.
- FIU will look to improve to 6-17 all-time versus teams from the state of Louisiana.
- FIU will look to improve to 7-8 in Homecoming games.
- Coach Cooper will look to improve to 2-0 all-time versus teams from Louisiana.
- Senior
Jonnu Smith will look to extend his streak of consecutive games with a catch to 40.
- FIU will be looking to record its 35th home victory all-time on Saturday.
- Saturday will mark the 174th game in FIU history.
- Saturday will mark Coach Cooper's first meeting with the Bulldogs.
Ron Cooper Named Interim Head Coach
On Sunday, Sept. 25,
Ron Cooper was named interim head coach of the FIU football team. Cooper, who entered the year as the team's defensive coordinator also served as the team's defensive backs coach in 2015.
This marks Cooper's fourth head coaching stint (Eastern Michigan – 1993-1994; Louisville – 1995-1997; Alabama A&M – 1998-2001). Saturday will mark his 104th game as a collegiate head coach (FBS and FCS).
3-0 in Conference Play
With FIU's come-from-behind victory at Charlotte last Saturday, FIU moved to 3-0 in conference play for the first time in program history. Prior to the Panthers' 27-26 win over the 49ers, FIU's best conference start was 2-0 which took place three times – 2008, 2010, 2014.
Wint Named C-USA Defensive POW, Again
This past week, junior
Anthony Wint was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week, for the week ending Oct. 16.
Wint tied a career-high in tackles with 13 (seven solo) versus the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday as FIU won its third-straight to improve to 3-0 in Conference USA action. The native of Homestead, Florida, notched his fifth double-digit tackles outing of the season. Wint led an FIU defense that put the team in position to make a 13-point comeback in the waning moments of the fourth quarter as the Panthers scored two touchdowns in the final 4:30 for the one-point victory. Wint and the FIU defense held the 49ers on the final drive of the game to a missed 49-yard field goal to clinch the win.
Versus the Bayou State
Saturday will mark FIU's 33rd meeting all-time versus a team from the state of Louisiana. The Panthers own a 5-17 mark in those contests and a 2-10 record at Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
|
Overall |
In Miami |
| Louisiana-Lafayette |
2-8 |
|
1-5 |
|
| LA Tech |
0-2 |
|
0-1 |
|
| McNeese State |
0-1 |
|
0-1 |
|
| ULM |
3-6 |
|
1-3 |
|
|
5-17 |
|
2-10 |
|
Homecoming Games
Saturday will mark Homecoming for FIU with the Panthers owning 6-8 record in those games. FIU is coming off a 41-12 win over Old Dominion during last season's Homecoming contest. That game was the most-lopsided victory on Homecoming for FIU in the program's history. The Panthers will be looking for their second-straight Homecoming win and own a 1-4 mark in the last five Homecoming games.
Top TD Passer
On Saturday, Oct. 15, junior
Alex McGough completed 26-of-42 for 315 yards and two touchdowns. The two touchdown passes moved the Tampa native into a first-place tie for career touchdowns (42) at FIU (Josh Padrick – 2002-06).
Consecutive Catches - 39
Senior
Jonnu Smith enters Saturday's game with a pass reception in 39-consecutive games. That is the tied for sixth-longest streak in the nation.
| Robert Davis, Georgia State |
43 |
| Corey Davis, Western Michigan |
43 |
| Zach Pascal, Old Dominion |
42 |
| Zay Jones, East Carolina |
41 |
| Nate Phillips, Arizona |
40 |
| Taquan Mizzell, Virginia |
39 |
| Jonnu Smith, FIU |
39 |
| Ronnie Moore, Bowling Green |
37 |
| River Carcraft, Washington State |
35 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC |
35 |
| Trent Taylor, Louisiana Tech |
34 |
| DaeSean Hamilton, Penn State |
32 |
| Christian McCaffrey, Stanford |
31 |
| Jordan Westerkamp, Nebraska |
31 |
| KD Cannon, Baylor |
31 |
| Corey Jones, Toledo |
31 |
| Cam Serigne, Wake Forest |
30 |
| Allen Lazard, Iowa State |
30 |
| Victor Bolden Jr., Oregon State |
30 |
| Thomas Sperbeck, Boise State |
29 |
| Artavis Scott, Clemson |
29 |
| Fred Ross, Mississippi State |
28 |
| Amara Darboh, Michigan |
26 |
| Jerico Richardson, Nevada |
26 |
| Tanner Gentry, Wyoming |
25 |
| James Washington, Oklahoma State |
25 |
| Travis Rudolph, Florida State |
25 |
| Nicholas Norris, Western Kentucky |
25 |
| Keon Hatcher, Arkansas |
25 |
| Ryan Yurachek, Marshall |
24 |
| Taywan Taylor, Western Kentucky |
24 |
| Jake Butt, Michigan |
22 |
| Phil Mayhue, Memphis |
22 |
| Gabe Marks, Washington State |
22 |
| Jesus Wilson, Florida State |
21 |
| Drew Morgan, Arkansas |
21 |
| Ken Golladay, Northern Illinois |
21 |
Passing D Among the Best in the Conference
FIU comes into Saturday's game with the No. 2-ranked passing defense in Conference USA. The Panthers are allowing 205.0 yards-per-game through the air behind top-ranked Southern Miss (173.4). In the team's last three games, FIU's secondary has not allowed a team to throw over 200 yards, holding the opposition to 151.3 yards-per-game through the air.
100-Yards Rushers x2
During the Panthers' 35-21 win at UTEP, FIU had two running back with 100+ yards rushing (
Alex Gardner – 141;
Anthony Jones – 128). It was the first time the Panthers had two-or-more rushers of 100 yards-or-more in the same game since Nov. 13, 2010 when FIU rushed for 448 yards at Troy (Darriet Perry, T.Y. Hilton and Darian Mallary all rushing for more than 100 yards in the game).
Dynamic Duo
Anthony Wint and
Treyvon Williams have combined for 147 total tackles this season. That is the most by any pair of players from a Conference USA team in 2016 as they are the only teammates that rank in the top five among all league players. Williams, who had nine tackles versus the 49ers, leads FIU with 75 tackles. The Miami native ranks No. 3 in the conference and No. 10 nationally in tackles-per-game (10.7). Wint, who tied a career-high in tackles last Saturday (13), is second on the team with 72. The Homestead, Florida, product is No. 5 in the conference and No. 17 nationally in tackles-per-game (10.3).
Under Cooper
FIU will play its fourth game under Interim Head Coach
Ron Cooper this Saturday. Since taking over the reins, Cooper has led the Panthers to a 3-0 mark, averaging 31.7 points-per-game and 440.7 yards of total offense-per-game, while the defense has allowed 26.0 points-per-game and 353.7 yards of total offense-per-game.
|
First 4 Games |
Under Cooper (last 3) |
| Offense |
|
|
|
|
| PPG |
13.5 |
|
|
31.7 |
| Total Offense (Avg.) |
301.8 |
|
|
440 |
| Rushing Yards (Avg.) |
120.5 |
|
|
189 |
| Passing Yards (Avg.) |
181.2 |
|
|
251.7 |
| Defense |
|
|
|
|
| PPG Allowed |
37.2 |
|
|
26 |
| Total Offense Allowed (Avg.) |
464.5 |
|
|
353.7 |
| Rushing Yards Allowed (Avg.) |
219.5 |
|
|
202.3 |
| Passing Yards Allowed (Avg.) |
245.2 |
|
|
151.3 |
In October
FIU will play five games during the month of October this season. Following the team's 27-26 win at Charlotte on Oct. 15, FIU enters Saturday's game with a 20-37 record all-time during the 10th month of the year.
FIU - LA Tech Connections
Below are members of both teams that went to the same high school:
Edna Karr (New Orleans, Louisiana)
FIU -
Leonard Washington
LA Tech - Quanta Moore
100-Yard Rusher
Junior
Alex Gardner notched his eighth 100-yard game, registering 141 yards on 21 carries versus UTEP. The eight 100-yard games rank tied for first in the FIU record books for the most 100-yard games by a Panther.
Wint Racking Up the Tackles
Junior
Anthony Wint is on the verge of breaking into the top 10 in career tackles at FIU. The starting linebacker is currently second on the team in tackles this season (72) and has collected double-digit tackles in five games in 2016.
Anti-Air Strike
Over the past three games, the FIU secondary has held its opposition to under 200 yards passing (151.3 yards-per-game). Defensive backs
Isaiah Brown and
Emmanuel Lubin have each recorded their first-collegiate interceptions during that time.
#####
For the latest information on Panthers football, follow us on Twitter, @FIUFootball, and check out
Pete Pelegrin's in-depth coverage of FIU Athletics on his official blog, The Prowl, at
www.FIUSports.com.
#####
2016 FIU Football Schedule
Sept. 1 INDIANA – L, 13-34
Sept. 9 MARYLAND – L, 14-41
Sept. 17 at UMass – L, 13-21
Sept. 24 UCF – L, 14-53
Oct. 1 FLORIDA ATLANTIC* - W, 33-31
Oct. 8 at UTEP* – W, 35-21
Oct. 15 at Charlotte* - W, 27-26
Oct. 22 LOUISIANA TECH* [ESPN3] (Homecoming); 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 29 MIDDLE TENNESSEE* [ESPN3]; 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 5 at WKU* [beIN]; 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 MARSHALL* [ASN]; 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 26 at Old Dominion* [ESPN3]; 3:30 p.m.
* denotes Conference USA Games
Home games at Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium are capitalized and bolded;
#####
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/.
