MIAMI (Oct. 9, 2018) – FIU will host Middle Tennessee in a pivotal Conference USA matchup on Saturday, Oct. 13 as the Panthers and Blue Raiders square off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Riccardo Silva Stadium.

 For the complete game notes, click here.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE PREVIEW 
Middle Tennessee has won its last two games after going 1-2 to start the season. The Blue Raiders have only lost against SEC foes Vanderbilt and Georgia, while holding impressive wins over Florida Atlantic at home and Marshall on the road. 

Quarterback Brent Stockstill led the Blue Raiders last time out, with 317 yards through the air and two touchdowns. The head coach's son has thrown for 1,299 yards and 10 touchdowns total this season. 
 
LAST TIME AGAINST THE BLUE RAIDERS
The Blue Raiders defeated the Panthers last time the two programs met on the gridiron with Middle Tennessee securing a 37-17 victory in Murfreesboro. 

Middle Tennessee jumped out to an early lead at home, after going up 17-3 at the break before pushing their lead to 24-3 in the third quarter. FIU was led by Alex McGough, who threw for 209 yards and a touchdown. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
FIU cruised to a 55-9 victory over FCS SWAC foe Arkansas-Pine Bluff as the Panthers improved to 3-2 overall on the season. FIU was led by QB James Morgan who tossed a program-tying record four touchdowns.

HOMECOMING FOR FIU
This Saturday's game against Middle Tennessee will be Homecoming for the Panthers. Overall, the Panthers are 7-9 for Homecoming with FIU winning last year's game 14-7 against UTSA on Nov. 4. 

This year's game will mark just the second time the Panthers have hosted Middle Tennessee for Homecoming, with the last meeting coming on Oct. 13, 2012.
 
PANTHERS ON BEIN SPORTS
FIU is 4-0 all-time on beIN Sports under head coach Butch Davis. The Panthers have already been on the network twice this season, with wins over Old Dominion and UMass coming earlier in the season. 

LATE-GAME PANTHERS
Over the course of the 2018 season, the Panthers have outscored foes 31-6 in fourth quarter. The FIU defense had not allowed any points for 55:50 minutes of action before allowing a UAPB field goal at the 9:12 mark of the game. The Panther defense has not yielded a touchdown in the fourth quarter since 3:54 of the 2017 Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl.

PANTHER O PURRS AT HOME
Over the first three games at Riccardo Silva Stadium this season FIU has averaged 45.5 points per game. Good enough for 15th best nationally and the top spot in C-USA.

MORGAN TIES SCHOOL RECORD
Graduate transfer James Morgan tied the program's record for most touchdowns in a season against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 29. The Panther signal-caller tossed four touchdowns while earning 341 yards through the air. 

DANGEROUS ON PUNT RETURN
Redshirt junior Maurice Alexander has been lethal in the punt return game this season, with the wideout ranking first nationally after earning a 23.6 return average for the season. 

PANTHERS OVER 100 ONCE AGAIN
FIU has had three 100-yard rushers this season, with all three being different Panthers. 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 61 tackles this season to rank second in the C-USA and 16th in the nation. Lewis has earned a 12.2 tackles per game mark, which ranks first in the league and seventh in the country.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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