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Lexington Joseph - UConn - 2022
Michael Berlfein (FIU Athletics)
33
Winner UConn CON 3-4 , 0-0
12
FIU FIU 2-3 , 0-1
Winner
UConn CON
3-4 , 0-0
33
Final
12
FIU FIU
2-3 , 0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CON UConn 7 13 6 7 33
FIU FIU 0 0 10 2 12

Game Recap: Football |

Football Falls in 33-12 Decision to Connecticut in Non-Conference Clash

Panthers return to action at home next Friday, Oct. 14 vs. UTSA in an 8 p.m. ET kickoff

MIAMI – The FIU football team committed three turnovers in the first half that led to a 20-point deficit and an eventual 33-12 defeat against the University of Connecticut on Saturday night in Miami.
 
Junior running back Lexington Joseph paced the Panthers in defeat with a season-high 103 rushing yards – the most by a FIU player this season.  FIU quarterback Grayson James completed 28-of-43 passes for 256 yards.
 
Connecticut used its running attack to secure the win as it posted 295 yards on the ground and averaged 6.4 yards on 46 attempts.  Devontae Houston led the way for the Huskies with 135 yards.  UConn signal caller Zion Turner finished 14-of-19 through the air for 102 yards.
 
FIU (2-3) lost despite out-gaining the Huskies by a 409-402 margin.  The Panthers finished with 256 passing yards and 153 rushing.
 
Connecticut opened an early 14-0 lead after capitalizing on a pair of turnovers by the Panthers.  Following a fumble by FIU's Grayson, which set up the Huskies at the UConn 25-yard line, Connecticut marched the remaining 75 yards on 11 plays before capping it with a five-yard run by Rosa to go up 7-0 with 6:34 left in the first.
 
The Huskies increased the lead to 14-0 on a second scoring run by Rosa, this one from four yards out, with 13:35 remaining in the second.  The drive went for a total of 64 yards and began following an interception of James by UConn's Tre Wortham.
 
Connecticut (3-4) increased the margin to 17-0 with a 26-yard field goal off the foot of Noe Ruelas with just over a minute left in the opening half – capping a 12-play, 87-yard drive.
 
James tossed his second interception of the game on the Panthers' next play from scrimmage, giving UConn possession inside the Panthers 10-yard line.  The FIU defense stiffened and forced the Huskies to settle for a 31-yard field goal on the final play of the half.
 
Joseph put FIU on the board when he broke free for a 47-yard TD run on the Panthers opening possession of the second half, making the score 20-7 with 11:45 remaining in the third.
 
Another big run by UConn led to a touchdown for the Huskies on their ensuing possession to up the margin to 26-7 with just under eight minutes left in the third.  Rosa busted loose for a 61-yard jaunt down to the FIU two-yard line, before Cale Millen connected with Turner for a five-yard scoring toss.  UConn's two-point conversion attempt to keep the margin at 19.
 
FIU added a 25-yard field goal from Chase Gabriel to trim the lead to 26-10 at the 7:50 mark of the third.  Sophomore tight end Rivaldo Fairweather keyed the drive with a 26-yard reception from James that pushed the Panthers into UConn territory.
 
The Panthers added a safety with 5:22 left in regulation to make the score 26-12 after a UConn shotgun snap sailed over Turner's head and through the back of the end zone.
 
Millen scored on a 49-yard run for the Huskies with 2:56 left to account for the final score of the contest.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers will host UTSA in a nationally televised CBS Sports Network tilt on Friday, Oct. 14 beginning at 8 p.m. from FIU Stadium.
 
POSTGAME NOTES
  • Saturday's game marked FIU's first home game in 37 days – since the season opener vs. Bryant on Sept. 1.
  • FIU entered the game having committed a total of four turnovers through the opening four games this season, before it committed three in the opening half against Connecticut on Saturday.
  • Lexington Joseph's 47-yard TD run in the third quarter was the longest run by the Panthers this season as well as Joseph's first rushing touchdown of 2022.
  • Joseph's 102 rushing yards marked a season-high effort by an FIU player this season as well as the first 100-yard rushing performance by the Panthers in 2022.
  • Joseph's 102 rushing yards also is the first 100-yard effort by a Panther in 2022.
  • Dean Patterson's 46-yard catch in the fourth quarter tied for the second-longest reception by an FIU player this season.
  • FIU's fourth quarter safety represented its first since Oct. 19, 2019 vs. UTEP.
  • The Panthers posted their highest total offense output of the season with 409 yards.
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.
 
 
 
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