MIAMI (Sep. 7, 2019) - The FIU football team fell in its home opener to WKU by a score of 20-14 on Saturday night, as the Panthers opened up the Conference USA slate against the Hilltoppers at Riccardo Silva Stadium.
FIU now drops to 0-2 on the young season, while the Hilltoppers improve to 1-1. The Panthers are back on their home turf next week, when they host New Hampshire on Saturday, Sep. 14 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Napoleon Maxwell finished the game with 48 rushing yards and a score on eight carries for FIU, while Maurice Alexander reeled in three receptions for 47 yards. On the defensive side, Rishard Dames logged an interception and scored his first defensive touchdown as a Panther, while Dorian Hall logged a pick-off of his own to bring his career total to four.
For the Hilltoppers, running back Gaej Walker eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground and added a rushing score, while carrying the ball 27 times.
After falling behind 7-0 midway through the first quarter, the Panthers answered with a touchdown of their own when Dames made a beautiful one-handed interception and housed it for an 80-yard return. The play marked Dames' third interception as a Panther. The Hilltoppers pushed their lead to 14-7 just before the half after running back Walker punched in a two-yard touchdown run.
Following a WKU field goal to start the second half, FIU quarterback Kaylan Wiggins heaved a 40-yard deep ball to wide receiver Alexander to place the Panthers in the red zone. The completion set up a rushing touchdown by Maxwell, bringing the score to 17-14 with the Panthers trailing by three in third quarter.
The Hilltoppers later added a field goal in the fourth quarter to stretch their lead to six points. FIU had a chance to score a potential game-tying touchdown late in the final period after a 60-yard offensive drive that lasted over eight minutes, but the Panthers ultimately came up short when a fourth-down pass fell incomplete at the WKU 16-yard line, and FIU was downed by a score of 20-14.
UP NEXT
The Panthers play their second game at home within a two week span, when FIU welcomes the UNH Wildcats to Miami for a 7:00 pm ET kickoff from Ricardo Silva Stadium. Tickets for the game can be purchased by calling 305-FIU-GAME or by visiting here.
GAME NOTES
- After the home opener loss, WKU holds a 7-6 advantage in the series with FIU.
- FIU's all-time C-USA record now stands at 22-27 in its six years of participation.
- Rishard Dames scored his first career touchdown as a Panther.
- Napoleon Maxwell has now scored 14 rushing touchdowns in his FIU career.
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.
