DJ Sanders returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown with 1:22 left in the game to lift Middle Tennessee over FIU 42-35 Saturday night at FIU Stadium. The Blue Raiders improved to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in Conference USA. The Panthers dropped to 3-6 overall and 3-2 in C-USA.
 
Middle Tennessee scored in each of its first three possessions to jump out to a 21-0 lead with 9:09 left on the clock. The Panthers responded with their first score of the game with 6:58 left in the first as quarterback Alex McGough found Jonnu Smith for a 27-yard touchdown. The score capped a five-play, 73-yard drive that lasted 2:11. McGough registered his second touchdown pass of the quarter, finding Thomas Owens for 10 yards with 1:42 left in the quarter. The score cut the Blue Raiders lead to 21-14.
 
The Blue Raiders extended their lead to 28-14 after Brent Stockstill found Richie James in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown pass. It was the third TD pass of the half for the Middle Tennessee quarterback. FIU cut the Middle Tennessee lead to seven once again as McGough rushed for a seven-yard touchdown with 35 seconds left in the half.
 
After a scoreless third quarter, FIU came out and scored on the first drive of the fourth as McGough connected with Owens for 24 yards. The touchdown catch was the second of the game for the Boynton Beach, Florida, native and his seventh of the season. The Blue Raiders regained the lead 47 seconds later with a three-play, 75-yard drive which was highlighted by a 52-yard touchdown pass from Stockstill to James with 11:58 left in the game.
 
FIU answered with a 1-yard touchdown run by Anthony Jones to tie the score 35-35 with 5:43 left in the game.
 
McGough was 27 of 40 for 307 yards and threw three touchdown passes and one interception. McGough also rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown.
 
Alex Gardner led the Panthers with 88 yards rushing. Jones had 61 yards rushing.
 
Owens had six catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Smith also had six catches for 75 yards and a score.
 
FIU will next travel to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to face the WKU Hilltoppers on Saturday, Nov. 5. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. ET.
 
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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/.