MIAMI (Nov. 2, 2019) – The FIU football team bounced back with a victory at home on Saturday afternoon, taking down Old Dominion by a score of 24-17 on Senior Day.
 
The Panthers now improve to 5-4 on the season and 3-3 in Conference USA, while the Monarchs fall to 1-8 and 0-5 in C-USA. FIU football is back in action next week when the Panthers travel to face C-USA rival FAU on Saturday, Nov. 9, before closing out the home slate against Miami at Marlins Park on Nov. 23. For those interested in purchasing tickets, click here.
 
FIU honored 17 seniors before the game as the football program celebrated the players' final appearance at Ricardo Silva Stadium while donning Blue & Gold.
 
Shemar Thornton led FIU in receiving with six receptions for 125 yards in the game, while Napoleon Maxwell paced the Panthers on the ground with 16 rushing attempts for 83 yards and a touchdown.
 
On the defensive side, Teair Tart recorded three tackles for loss, one sack, and a forced fumble. Noah Curtis logged a fumble recovery, and Olin Cushion III nabbed an interception to make up FIU's two takeaways of the day.
 
After trailing the Monarchs 7-0 midway through the first quarter, FIU converted field goals on its next three possessions as Jose Borregales connected from 21, 31, and 42 yards out. Later in the second quarter linebacker Daniel Jackson blocked a field goal attempt by ODU to preserve the Panthers' lead, sending FIU into the locker room with a 9-7 advantage over the Monarchs at halftime.
 
The Panthers were able to extend their lead to 16-7 in the third quarter after Thornton hauled in a 54-yard deep-ball from James Morgan, setting up Maxwell for a 13-yard scamper into the end zone on the following play. ODU added a field goal in the fourth quarter to shorten FIU's lead to 16-10, but Morgan answered with a 10-play drive and capped it with a touchdown of his own on a QB keeper. After FIU tacked on a two-point conversion to extend its lead to 24-10, the Monarchs were able to get into the end zone and trim the deficit to seven points, but ODU's comeback attempt fell short when Cushion III intercepted a pass on the game's final drive and sealed the victory for FIU.

UP NEXT
FIU makes the short trip to Boca Raton, Florida next week, when the Panthers travel to play conference rival FAU on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff against the Owls is slated for 6:00 p.m. ET. 
 
GAME NOTES
- FIU blocked its first kick since Dec. 2, 2017 against UMass. 
- Shemar Thornton's 125 receiving yards marked a career-high for the junior wide receiver.
- Napoleon Maxwell's six rushing touchdowns this season are one shy of tying his season career-high. 
- James Morgan scored the second rushing touchdown of his FIU career.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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