MIAMI – FIU redshirt freshman quarterback Haden Carlson matched the FIU single-game record with four touchdown passes and sophomore tight end Rivaldo Fairweather also tied a program best with three touchdown receptions in a 33-28 loss to Middle Tennessee in the regular-season finale for both programs on Saturday night in Miami.
 
The Panthers rallied from a 20-0 deficit to claim a 28-27 lead on a three-yard touchdown reception by Fairweather at the 10:51 mark of the fourth quarter.  The Panthers defense held off the Middle Tennessee offense before the Blue Raiders Jakobe Thomas picked off a pass and returned it for a touchdown to put MTSU up for good with 27 seconds left in regulation.
 
FIU (4-8, 2-6) had one final chance to steal the victory on a final drive that saw it convert a fourth-and-10 opportunity before another interception by Thomas clinched the victory on another attempted fourth down try.
 
Fairweather tied the program's single game record with three TD grabs and finished with a career-best 152 yards on eight receptions.  Joining Fairweather among the receiving leaders was freshman Dean Patterson, who tabbed five catches for 100 yards – both career highs.
 
Carlson completed 29-of-52 passes for 414 yards and four touchdowns.  The four TD passes marked the most by a FIU signal caller making his first start and matched the highest single-game total in program annals – which had been accomplished five previous times by four different players.
 
FIU defensive lineman Jeramy Passmore blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt by Middle Tennessee with 4:27 left in regulation to help set up the comeback attempt.  The blocked kick was FIU's third this season.
 
Defensively, the Panthers boasted a total of three players with double-figure tackle totals including Demetrius Hill (13), Gaethan Bernadel (12) and Donovan Manuel (10). 
 
Middle Tennessee (7-5, 4-4 C-USA) claimed a 3-0 lead just under six minutes into the contest on a 31-yard field goal by Zeke Rankin to cap a 15-play drive that was keyed by a 26-yard reception by Frank Peasant on a third and six.
 
An interception by Carlson led to a second field goal for the Blue Raiders.  Following a pick by MTSU's Decorian Patterson in the end zone - that shut down a promising drive by the Panthers that had reached the Blue Raiders' 15-yard line - Rankin closed out a 72-yard march with a 25-yard boot that upped the Middle Tennessee advantage to 6-0 with 1:22 left in the opening quarter.  
 
Another turnover by the Panthers deep inside Middle Tennessee territory turned into points for the Blue Raiders.  Patterson snagged his second interception before the MTSU offense followed with a 12-play, 89-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run by Darius Bracy – making the score 13-0 with 9:30 left in the second quarter.
 
Cunningham extended the lead to 20-0 with 1:40 before the break on a 16-yard scramble for a score.
 
FIU got things going on its final possession of the half which saw it push 93 yards over nine plays in just 73 seconds for its first score of the contest – a crisp six-yard scoring pass from Carlson to Fairweather that crept the Panthers to within 20-7 at the break.
 
Cunningham posted another rushing score for the Blue Raiders, this time from two yards out, to up the margin to 27-7 with 8:48 left in the third quarter.
 
The Panthers answered one play and nine seconds later on a 75-yard touchdown strike from Carlson to Fairweather that trimmed the margin to 27-14 at 8:39 of the third.
 
Following a key stop by the FIU defense, the Panthers' offense wasted little time trimming the deficit to a single score with a crisp four-play, 63-yard push that culminated with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Carlson to Josiah Miamen that brought the Panthers within 27-21 at the 6:05 mark of the third.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers shift focus to the early national signing period - which is slated for Dec. 21-23, 2022.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• FIU redshirt freshman quarterback Haden Carlson made his first career start on Saturday vs. Middle Tennessee.
• The Panthers successfully attempted an onside kick late in the second quarter.
• FIU place kicker Chase Gabriel attempted a 54-yard field goal in the second quarter – it would have been the longest make of his career.
• FIU quarterback Haden Carlson tossed the first touchdown pass of his career when he connected with Rivaldo Fairweather with 20 seconds left in the second quarter.
• FIU sophomore Rivaldo Fairweather's 75-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter marked the longest reception of his collegiate career.
• The 75-yard touchdown pass from Haden Carlson to Rivaldo Fairweather also was the Panthers' longest offensive play from scrimmage this season.
• FIU linebacker Shaun Peterson Jr. posted one sack vs. Middle Tennessee – which increased his season total to 6.0 and is tied for the 10^th-best single season total in program history.
• FIU quarterback Haden Carlson is the first FIU quarterback to toss four or more touchdown passes in his first career start – besting David Tabor who tossed three on Sept. 11, 2004 vs. Youngstown State.
• Carlson's four touchdown passes tied the program single-game record – it has now been accomplished six times – most recently by Max Bortenschlager vs. Charlotte on Oct. 8, 2021.
• Sophomore tight end Rivaldo Fairweather's three touchdown catches tied the program single-game record – matching Bryce Singleton (2017/vs. UMass) and Jonnu Smith (2014/vs. Middle Tennessee).
• Sophomore defensive lineman Jeramy Passmore blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt by Middle Tennessee with 4:27 left in regulation and FIU leading by one.
• Fairweather (152) and Dean Patterson (100) both finished with at least 100 yards receiving for the Panthers – marking the first time that FIU has had a pair of receivers with at least 100 yards in the same game since Tyrese Chambers (175) and Bryce Singleton (173) at Central Michigan on Sept. 25, 2021.

 
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