Skip To Main Content

FIU Athletics

PanthersCalendar

Full Calendar
FIU Football Defeats New Mexico State, 21-7 (Final Score Graphic)
21
Winner FIU FIU 2-2 , 0-1
7
NM State NMS 1-5 , 0-0
Winner
FIU FIU
2-2 , 0-1
21
Final
7
NM State NMS
1-5 , 0-0
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
FIU FIU 7 14 0 0 21
NMS NM State 0 7 0 0 7

Game Recap: Football |

First-Half Outburst Leads FIU Football to 21-7 Road Win Over New Mexico State

Panthers score three touchdowns in opening half to take control

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The FIU Football team scored touchdowns on three consecutive drives in the first half and held on for a 21-7 road win on Saturday night at New Mexico State.
 
The Panthers employed a well-balanced offensive attack in the victory as it posted 152 rushing and 182 passing yards (334 total).  Meanwhile, the FIU defense limited the Aggies to less than 225 yards of total offense (82 rush/139 pass).
 
Lexington Joseph paced the rushing attack with a team-best 80 yards on 14 carries.  Quarterback Grayson James added 43 ground yards, while EJ Wilson Jr. notched 31.  Joseph also scored on a 60-yard catch and run in the win.
 
James finished 13-of-19 passing for 182 yards and three touchdowns.  Senior Tyrese Chambers led a total of four Panthers who made a reception with eight catches for 72 yards and a touchdown.  Junior Jalen Bracey registered two catches for 29 yards and a score.
 
Defensively, the Panthers were led by a trio of players who posted seven stops, including Demetrius Hill, Jamal Potts and Jeramy Passmore.
 
FIU (2-2) opened the game's scoring with a 12-play, 89-yard march in the opening quarter that was capped by a four-yard touchdown reception from Chambers with 6:01 left in the opening quarter.  The scoring catch marked Chambers third of the season and the drive saw the Panthers churn out 76 of the 89 yards on the ground.
 
New Mexico State (1-5) responded with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up 8:03 and culminated in a two-yard TD run by Star Thomas to deadlock the game at 7-7 at the 12:58 mark of the second quarter.
 
The Panthers reclaimed the lead on their next drive which saw James connect with Bracey on a 25-yard pass to put FIU back in front 14-7 with 9:38 left in the first half.
 
Joseph extended the lead for the Panthers when he took a swing pass from James 60 yards for a score to put FIU up by a pair of touchdowns at 21-7 with six minutes left before the break.  The drive was keyed on a successful conversion on third and six from the FIU 35 that saw James connect with freshman Dean Patterson, who laid out to make the reception.
 
Following a pair of punts on their opening two possessions of the second half, the Panther offense once again got into a groove as it took advantage of terrific field position at NMSU 49, following a career-long 64-yard punt from sophomore Daton Montiel and an ensuing three and out effort by the defense. 
 
FIU managed to get inside the New Mexico State 10-yard line but came away empty after sophomore place kicker Chase Gabriel sailed a 26-yard field goal attempt wide – keeping the score at 21-7 with just over three minutes remaining in the third.
 
The Aggies' best scoring chance in the final 30 minutes came on a drive late in the third which ended on a missed 44-yard field goal attempt by Carson Zilmer.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers return home for the first time in a month for their annual Homecoming Game on Saturday, Oct. 8 vs. Connecticut in a 7 p.m. ET kickoff from FIU Stadium.  The game will air on ESPN3.
 
POSTGAME NOTES
  • Saturday's game marked FIU's third consecutive road game after opening the season at home.
  • This marked the second-ever meeting between FIU and New Mexico State and the first since 2004.
  • The Panthers played without starting defensive lineman Davon Strickland for the second consecutive game.
  • FIU senior wide receiver Tyrese Chambers hauled in a touchdown catch in the win – he has caught a scoring pass in 10 of 17 career games at FIU.
  • Junior wide receiver Jalen Bracey hauled in the first TD pass of his FIU career at the 9:38 mark of the second quarter.
  • Junior Lexington Joseph's 60-yard TD reception marked FIU's longest offensive play of the season to date and the longest catch of Joseph's career at FIU.
  • Saturday's win snapped a 19-game losing streak for the Panthers against FBS opponents – dating back to a 30-24 victory over Miami (Fla.) on Nov. 23, 2019.
  • The win also snapped a 16-game losing skid on the road for FIU – the Panthers last road win came on Nov. 17, 2018 at Charlotte by a 42-35 margin.
  • FIU's 21-7 lead at the half marked the first time it has led at the break since Sept. 25, 2021 at Central Michigan (14-10) and its largest since it held a 34-0 edge entering halftime at UMass (Oct. 5, 2019).
  • Sophomore punter Daton Montiel booted a career-long 64-yard punt that was downed at the NMSU one-yard line at the 10:05 mark of the third quarter.
  • After combining for 28 points in the first half, the teams played a scoreless final 30 minutes.
 
TICKETS
For more information on FIU Football season and individual tickets, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office
 
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.
 
Print Friendly Version