By Pete Pelegrin
Twitter: @Petepelegrin

It was nothing new this season and no words needed to be spoken last Saturday when the FIU defense was once again asked to rise to the occasion.

With UTSA trailing 14-7, the Roadrunners reached the FIU 2 and had a first-and-goal to try and tie the score. UTSA scored on its previous possession to start the fourth quarter and followed that with an interception of FIU quarterback Alex McGough.

UTSA was just 72 inches away from tying the score and wresting momentum from the Panthers.

However, the FIU defense did what it has done all season and closed out an opponent. UTSA ran the ball four straight plays and got zero yards. When FIU safeties Bryce Canady and Tyree Johnson crushed UTSA running back Jalen Rhodes at the 2 on fourth down the Panthers defense delivered again.

"Nobody on the defense said a word," recalled FIU defensive lineman Newt Salisbury about the defensive huddle before first-and-goal. "We knew what we had to do. The goal line stand was phenomenal. That was a group effort. You can't talk about the guys behind us enough."

It truly was a group effort on the four plays. All three levels of the defense contributed. On first down safety Niko Gonzalez stopped Tyrell Clay at the 1. Defensive lineman Anthony Johnson and Salisbury tackled quarterback Dalton Strum for no gain on second down. Linebacker Anthony Wint wrapped up Rhodes for no gain on third down before Canady and Tyree Johnson finished off fourth down.

"The goal line stand showed character and what we want to be as a defense," said Wint, who had 12 tackles against UTSA. "Playing to the last play and not giving up. All that is, is will. It's us against them. A man against another man and who wants it more."

In FIU's first three wins this season the defense had to make a late stand to preserve each victory. The Panthers stopped Alcorn, Rice and Charlotte on each of those teams final drives of the game.

In the other three victories, FIU neutralized a vaunted offense. Tulane came to FIU averaging 300 yards on the ground. The Panthers held the Green Wave to 203 in a 23-10 win. Marshall was among Conference USA's top offenses before playing FIU. The Panthers kept the Thundering Herd to seven points late into the third quarter. And before last week, UTSA averaged 31 points per game – good for third in the league. FIU held the San Antonio team to seven points.

The defense is quick to credit defensive coordinator Brent Guy and the defensive coaches who have them in the right spots and well-prepared for each weekly challenge.

"It's a lot about the coaching and having us ready," Canady said. "We have a lot of athletes on the field. There is a lot of speed at every position. We have corners that can cover. We have linebackers than can run. The D-line stops the run and the pass and we have safeties who can come down and can cover. We're very versatile."

Said Wint: "A good word I like to use is "grit". We play with a lot of grit when our backs are against the wall and the game is on the line. That's one thing that coach Guy preaches. If the game is on the line we want to be on the field to win the game. I feel like we step up every time."

Having the experience of closing out opponents has certainly helped the Panthers defense, whose numbers have improved from last season. Compared to the 2016 FIU defense, this year's FIU defense is allowing 11 less points per game, 54 less total yards per game and opponents third down conversions have dropped from 43 percent in 2016 to 37 percent this season.

"The Rice goal line stand was a big one because I think it gave them confidence," said FIU coach Butch Davis of his defense. "There is a tremendous amount of pressure to perform when you know the game is potentially on the line. Those are the things that build history and legacy for your program. Whether it happens again before the season is over or whether it happens in the future seasons you can reflect back how critical it was and say just because they have it at the 1-yard line doesn't mean they are going to get it in the end zone. Rise up and do your job."