MIAMI (Oct. 16, 2018) – Continuing the Conference USA stretch, the FIU will welcome Rice to Riccardo Silva Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

 For the complete game notes, click here.

RICE PREVIEW 
The Owls enter the contest with a 1-6 record on the season and 0-3 mark in the C-USA. The Owls are on a six-game losing streak after beginning the year with a 31-28 win over Prairie View A&M. Rice has been outscored 62-3 in its last two contests, with a 20-3 loss against UTSA and a 42-0 loss to UAB. 

LAST TIME AGAINST THE OWLS
The Panthers defeated the Owls last time the two programs met on the gridiron with FIU securing a 13-7 victory in Houston. 

FIU needed a late fourth quarter defensive stand and two Jose Borregales field goals for the Panthers to defeat Rice, 13-7. Alex McGough passed for 172 yards on 17-for-28 and FIU's lone touchdown. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
FIU needed some Homecoming magic last time out, as the Panthers downed Middle Tennessee, 24-21. James Morgan led FIU with 311 yards on 27-of-36 passing and two scores. His favorite target was sophomore Bryce Singleton who hauled in eight receptions for 81 yards. 

Fellow sophomore Jose Borregales scored 11 points on the night, after nailing three 40-plus yard field goals – including a school-record 53-yarder in the first half. MT threatened to tie or take the lead late in the game, but junior Olin Cushion sealed the Panther win with an interception at the back of the endzone.

LATE-GAME PANTHERS
Over the course of the 2018 season, the Panthers have outscored foes 42-6 in fourth quarter. The Panther defense has not yielded a touchdown in the fourth quarter since 3:54 of the 2017 Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl.

PANTHER OFFENSE PURRS
Among all FBS schools, FIU has the fourth-best percentage for number of possessions that have produced points this season (51.81). Only Oklahoma (58.90), Alabama (54.08) and UCF (52.56) have higher percentages.  

BIG PLAY CATS
The big play FIU offense has produced more plays of 40 yards or longer (10), 50 yards or longer (6), 60 yards or longer (4) and 70 yards or longer (3) than any other C-USA team this season. The Panthers are averaging a league-best 6.50 yards per play. 

THROW IT TO WORTON
Redshirt junior CJ Worton has been highly productive this season, ranking third in the nation in highest yards per route with 4.64. Worton is only behind the Alabama pair of Jerry Jeudy (5.00) and Jaylen Waddle (4.79).

MOST TDS IN FIRST SIX GAMES
Graduate transfer James Morgan has thrown 14 touchdown passes this season in just six games, which is the most by any Panther quarterback during that timespan in school history.

HIP HIP JOSE
Redshirt sophomore Jose Borregales nailed three 40-plus yard field goals against Middle Tennessee, including a school-record 53-yarder to end the first half. 

Borregales totaled 11 of FIU's 24 points to push the Panthers past the Blue Raiders 24-21. For his efforts, Borregales was awarded the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week honor.  

PANTHERS OVER 100 ONCE AGAIN
FIU has had three 100-yard rushers this season, with all three being different Panthers (Shawndarrius Phillips, Napoleon Maxwell, D'Vonte Price). The Panthers have not achieved the feat since the trio of Kendrick Rhodes, Jake Medlock and Jeremiah Harden each earned 100-yard games in 2012.
 
LEWIS AMONG NATION'S BEST
Redshirt junior Sage Lewis has earned 70 tackles this season to rank first in the C-USA and 16th in the nation. Lewis has earned an 11.7 tackles per game mark, which ranks first in the league and ninth in the country.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIU.Football on Instagram and @FIUFootball on Twitter and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.