GAME 11
FIU (4-6, 2-4 C-USA) at UTEP (4-6, 2-4 C-USA)
DATE
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022
KICKOFF
4 p.m. ET
STADIUM
Sun Bowl (45,971)/El Paso, Texas
SETTING THE STAGE
FIU heads to El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 19 for its final road contest of the 2022 regular season against UTEP in a 4 p.m. ET kickoff from the Sun Bowl.
The game will be aired on ESPN+ with Erik Elken (pxp) and Jacob Boggs (analyst) on the call.
The game can also be heard on Miami's WQBA 1140 AM with the voice of the Panthers AJ Ricketts (pxp) and Corey Brooks (analyst) calling the action.
FIU will be looking for its fifth win of the 2022 campaign when it travels to El Paso on Saturday. The Panthers are two wins shy of being bowl eligible with two left to play. The final game of 2022 will see FIU host Middle Tennessee in Miami on Nov. 26.
Saturday's game will mark the first time UTEP and FIU have met since 2019 - which the Panthers won 32-17 in Miami. FIU defeated the Miners 35-21 on Oct. 8, 2016 in the most recent meeting in El Paso. The Panthers lead the all-time series 3-1 and have not lost to the Miners since 2013.
The Panthers (4-6, 2-4 C-USA) have dropped their last two games at North Texas and at home against Florida Atlantic after winning two straight over Charlotte and Louisiana Tech.
UTEP owns an identical 4-6 overall and 2-4 mark in C-USA games entering Saturday's clash with FIU. The Miners defeated New Mexico State, Boise State, Charlotte and Florida Atlantic, while dropping games against North Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee and Rice.
SCOUTING UTEP
The Miners enter Saturday's meeting with FIU having dropped each of their last two games and three of the last four overall.
UTEP is 3-2 at the Sun Bowl this season with wins already secured over New Mexico State, Boise State and Florida Atlantic.
FIU and UTEP have faced five common opponents so far this season with both defeating Charlotte and New Mexico State.
FIU defeated Louisiana Tech and lost to Florida Atlantic, while the Miners lost to La Tech and defeated FAU.
Both teams dropped their contest against North Texas.
The Miners are averaging 22.2 points per game, while allowing 28.4 over their initial 10 contests.
UTEP boasts a rushing attack that is averaging 141.8 yards per game and is paced by the 1-2 punch of Deion Hankins (589 yards) and Ronald Awatt (571).
Through the air, UTEP is posting an average of 217.7 passing yards per contest - led by quarterback Gavin Hardison, who has completed 164-of-315 pass attempts for 2,044 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Miners' top receiver is Tyrin Smith, who has amassed 62 receptions for 882 yards and five touchdowns. He averages over 14 yards per catch.
UTEP leads Conference USA in time of possession with an average of 32:44 per contest.
Defensively, UTEP is allowing 154.1 rushing yards and 216.0 passing yards per game - and an average of 28.4 points.
LAST TIME vs. UTEP
Anthony Jones led the Panthers on offense with 163 yards total yards as FIU rolled past UTEP 32-17 in Miami on Oct. 19, 2019.
The game marked Jones' third-straight over the 100-yard mark.
On the defensive side, Tevin Jones got the start at middle linebacker and produced with a game-high nine tackles. Rishard Dames grabbed his third interception of the year and added two tackles in the game.
Kicker Jose Borregales was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals in the first half as he connected from 32, 34, and a season-long 46 yards out, giving the Panthers an 18-7 lead before the break.
PANTHERS MOVING FAST
The FIU offense has moved quickly through the initial 10 games under offensive coordinator
David Yost - averaging 2.50 plays per minute - which is the 22nd-most nationally, according to 247 Sports' analysis.
PANTHERS CONTINUE TO GRADE HIGH
Through 10 games, the following FIU players graded out high according to Pro Football Focus (PFF):
Week 11 PFF Notables
- Shaun Peterson was the third highest-graded pass linebacker in all of the FBS for week 11.
- D'Verick Daniel rated as the ninth highest-graded coverage safety for week 11.
TURNOVERS SLOW DOWN FIU IN SHULA BOWL
FIU committed four turnovers - three of which came in the opening 30 minutes - in its loss to Florida Atlantic on Nov. 12.
The four turnovers marked the most committed by the Panthers since losing four fumbles vs. Middle Tennessee on Oct. 26, 2019.
FIU is 4-1 this season when it commits one turnovers or less and 0-5 when it has more than two turnovers.
REGGIE PETERSON STEPPING UP
Sophomore linebacker
Reggie Peterson has racked up 17 tackles over the last two games - including a career-high 11 vs. Florida Atlantic on Nov. 12.
The Fort Pierce, Fla., native had recorded a total of five stops over the initial eight games and recorded five all of last season before his recent breakout.
FIU ALL-TIME IN LONE STAR STATE
FIU owns an all-time record of 6-8 in games played in the state of Texas.
| 10/9/04 |
at Stephen F. Austin |
W, 31-24 |
| 9/10/05 |
at Texas Tech |
L, 3-56 |
| 10/7/06 |
at North Texas |
L, 22-25 (OT) |
| 10/4/08 |
at North Texas |
W, 42-10 |
| 9/18/10 |
at Texas A&M |
L, 20-27 |
| 10/16/10 |
at North Texas |
W, 34-10 |
| 11/16/13 |
at UTEP |
L, 10-33 |
| 10/11/14 |
at UTSA |
L, 13-16 |
| 10/8/16 |
at UTEP |
W, 35-21 |
| 9/23/17 |
at Rice |
W, 13-7 |
| 11/10/18 |
at UTSA |
W, 45-7 |
| 9/18/21 |
at Texas Tech |
L, 21-54 |
| 9/10/22 |
at Texas State |
L, 12-41 |
| 11/5/22 |
at North Texas |
L, 14-52 |
NOTABLES FROM SHULA BOWL XXI...
- Saturday's game marked the 21st edition of the 'Shula Bowl' between FIU and Florida Atlantic.
- Florida Atlantic scored on its first four possessions and did not punt until 9:39 of the second quarter.
- With Florida Atlantic departing for the American Athletic Conference next season, the 'Shula Bowl" will pause for one season before resuming in 2024 at FAU – in what will be the first of four straight seasons that the programs face each other.
- FIU's nine penalties marked the most it has been called for in a single game this season and the 87 total yards lost also marked the most for FIU this season.
- The Panthers committed three turnovers in the opening half of a game for the second time this season in the loss to Florida Atlantic. FIU also had three first-half turnovers in its loss vs. Connecticut on Oct. 8.
- Sophomore linebacker Reggie Peterson finished with a career-high 11 tackles.
- Sophomore defensive lineman Jeramy Passmore seven tackles tied a career-best.
PANTHERS IN NCAA RANKINGS
REGGIE PETERSON LOGS 6TH-LONGEST INT RETURN
During the game at North Texas on Nov. 5, Sophomore
Reggie Peterson snagged his first career interception at the 3:44 mark of the second quarter and returned it 75 yards to the UNT four-yard line.
Peterson's 75-yard return marked the sixth-longest interception return in FIU program history and the longest since 2019 – when Rishard Dames took one back 80 yards vs. Western Kentucky (9/7/19).
50 WINS FOR COACH MAC
FIU head coach
Mike MacIntyre secured the 50th win of his career with the Panthers' 42-34 double overtime win over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 28.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will close out the 2022 regular season at home on Saturday, Nov. 26 vs. Middle Tennessee in a 6 p.m. ET kickoff from FIU Stadium in Miami.
The game will be aired on ESPN3.
