GAME 9
FIU (4-4, 2-2 C-USA) AT NORTH TEXAS (5-4, 4-1 C-USA)

DATE
Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022

KICKOFF
4 p.m. ET

STADIUM
Apogee Stadium (30,850)/Denton, Texas
 

TV	ESPN+
RADIO	WQBA 1140 AM
INTERNET	Listen | Watch
LIVE STATS	FIU – UNT Stats
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GAME NOTES	FIU | UNT

HEAD COACH INFO
FIU                                
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (Georgia Tech '89)
Overall Record: 50-69 (10th season)
Record at FIU: 4-4 (1st season)

NORTH TEXAS                        
Head Coach: Seth Littrell (Oklahoma '01)
Overall Record: 42-42 (7th season)
Record at UNT: 42-42 (7th season)

SETTING THE STAGE
FIU returns to the road for its second game this season in the state of Texas when it travels to Denton on Saturday to take on North Texas in a pivotal Conference USA clash beginning at 4 p.m. (ET).

The game will be aired on ESPN+ with Kyle Youmans (pxp) and Hek'ma Harrison (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 is seeking to run its current winning streak to three straight when it faces the Mean Green on Saturday - following wins in the last two weeks at Charlotte and vs. Louisiana Tech.  The last time the Panthers posted three consecutive wins was during the 2019 campaign when they defeated UMass, Charlotte and UTEP in straight weeks.

The Panthers (4-4, 2-2 C-USA) has not made a trip to Denton to face the Mean Green since 2014.  FIU leads the overall series 5-4, but has not defeated North Texas since a 41-16 win on Sept. 1, 2011 in Miami.
 
North Texas is currently 5-4 overall and 4-1 in C-USA action entering Saturday's showdown.  The Mean Green defeated UTEP, Texas Southern, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky, while dropping games against SMU, UNLV, Memphis and UTSA.

QUICK HITS
- The Panthers will be looking to win three straight games for the first time since 2019 when they travel to North Texas on Saturday.
- FIU will be making its second of three trips to Texas this season on Saturday.
- FIU leads the all-time series with UNT 5-4 and last defeated the Mean Green in 2011.

BIG COMEBACK - AGAIN
The Panthers' 42-34 win in double overtime over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 28 marked FIU's second comeback from a double-digit deficit this season – the first time in program history the Panthers have rallied for multiple victories when trailing by 10 or more in the regular season.

The Panthers trailed the Bulldogs 17-7 in the second quarter before securing for the victory.

FIU also rallied from a 16-0 deficit in the 2022 season opener vs. Bryant - which marked the third-largest comeback in program history.

The Panthers won that contest 38-37 in overtime.

BACK-TO-BACK WINS FOR PANTHERS
With the win vs. Louisiana Tech on Oct. 28, FIU recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2019 campaign, when it won three straight over UMass, Charlotte and UTEP.

The victory also snapped a nine-game skid at home vs. FBS foes – dating back to a 30-24 win over Miami (Fla.) on Nov. 23, 2019 (game was played at Marlins Park/now Loan Depot Park).

It also marked the Panthers' first home win against a Conference USA opponent since a 24-17 win vs. Old Dominion on Nov. 21, 2019.

50 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.

JAMES GOES FOR 300 AGAIN
Sophomore quarterback Grayson James completed 31-of-48 passes for 321 yards and tossed three touchdown passes to three different receivers in FIU's win over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 28 - his second straight game with over 300 passing yards. 

James completed six passes on the final drive in regulation, including three to sophomore tight end Rivaldo Fairweather for a total of 41 yards, to set up the critical field goal - as the Panthers covered 69 yards in just 1:45.

The Duncanville, Texas, native has completed 70 percent of his pass attempts for a total of 627 yards and six TDs over the last two games - both FIU victories.

MITCHELL HEATING UP
FIU sophomore wide receiver Kris Mitchell has caught a touchdown pass in each of the pass two games entering Saturday's contest at North Texas.

Mitchell has totaled 20 catches for 293 yards and 4 TDs this season after entering the 2022 season with 13 receptions and 1 TD over his first two seasons combined (14 total games).

SPECIAL TEAMS SURGE LEADS TO COMEBACK VS. LA TECH
FIU's special teams provided numerous big plays to spark the victory vs. Louisiana Tech on Oct. 28, including a recovered kickoff attempt, a blocked field goal and connecting on a game-tying 28-yard field goal to force overtime with 16 seconds left in regulation.

Freshman Hezikiah Masses recovered a pooch kickoff attempt for the Panthers at the 7:17 mark of the second quarter at the LTU 29 to set up a Panthers' TD.

FIU senior linebacker Alex Nobles blocked a 29-yard field goal attempt by LTU's Jacob Barnes on the final play of the first half.

Sophomore kicker Chase Gabriel nailed a 45-yard field goal in the third quarter – his second-longest of the season and his third over 40 yards.

Gabriel also drilled a 28-yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining in regulation to deadlock the score at 27-27 and force overtime.

SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS
The Mean Green enter Saturday's meeting with FIU winners of three of their last four games - with the only blemish coming via a 31-27 loss at UTSA on Oct. 22.

North Texas is 3-1 on its home field this season with a loss against SMU and wins over Texas Southern, Florida Atlantic and Louisiana Tech.

The Mean Green are averaging 35.6 points per game, while allowing 32.1 over their initial nine contests.  

North Texas is averaging a solid 219.7 rushing yards per game and is paced by a pair of running backs with over 550 yards in Ayo Adeyi (631) and Oscar Adaway III (583).

North Texas can also move in through the air as it has posted an average of 270.9 passing yards per contest - led by 29-year old quarterback Austin Aune, who has completed 145-of-255 pass attempts for 2,239 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The Mean Green boast a total of six receivers with over 200 yards this season - led by Roderic Burns with 566 - but only one touchdown.  Jyaire Shorter leads the Mean Green with six TD catches and is one of a total of 11 different North Texas players with a TD catch this season.

Aune spent six seasons in the New York Yankees organization, spending the last two seasons at High-A Tampa.  He was selected in the second round, as the 89th overall pick in the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft

Defensively, North Texas is allowing 183.8 rushing yards and 287.4 passings yards per game - and an average of 32.1 points.

NORTH TEXAS-FLORIDA CONNECTION
The Mean Green feature a total of two players on their roster that hail from the state of Florida.

Zahodri Jackson        Sarasota, Fla.          Riverview HS
Chris Clayton            Fort Myers, Fla.        Cypress Lake HS

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. NORTH TEXAS
FIU leads the all-time series with North Texas 5-4 with the most recent meeting in Denton coming in 2014.

LAST TIME vs. NORTH TEXAS
FIU dropped its final home game of the 2022 season by 49-7 margin vs. North Texas on Nov. 20, 2021.

FIU quarterback Max Bortenschlager finished 15-of-32 through the air for 167 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Tyrese Chambers led the Panthers in the loss with three catches for 79 yards and a touchdown – his eighth of the season.

Senior Richard Dames led the FIU defense with a career-high 13 stops.  Freshman Jamal Potts added 12 tackles.
 
North Texas was led by running back DeAndre Toney who tabbed 109 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.  He averaged 6,1 yards per attempt and was one of six different Mean Green players to score a touchdown.
 
UNT quarterback Austin Aune completed 6-of-12 passes for 219 yards and a pair of TDs.  He also ran for a score. 
 
UNT had nine different receivers catch a pass – led by Roderick Burns, who snagged three catches for 106 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown catch
 
The Panthers were outscored 28-0 in the second quarter and gave up touchdowns on six straight possessions stretching from the second to the third.  FIU put together a solid opening drive that saw it get down to the North Texas five-yard line before a turnover changed the momentum.

UP NEXT
The Panthers head back to 'The Cage' for the 21st edition of the Shula Bowl vs. Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET from Miami for the Stadium Network telecast.

We're in it together ✊#ELEVATE pic.twitter.com/IJdcjlrsfI

— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) November 1, 2022