GAME 11
FIU (4-6, 1-6 CUSA) at Arkansas (3-7, 1-6 SEC)

DATE
Saturday, November 18, 2023

KICKOFF
7:30 p.m. ET

STADIUM
Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (76,212)/Fayetteville, Ark.
 
 

TV	ESPNU
RADIO	WQBA 1140 AM
INTERNET	Listen Live | Watch Live
LIVE STATS	Stats Link
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WEEKLY PRESSER	WATCH

 
WATCH FIU FOOTBALL WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
FIU FOOTBALL MEDIA AVAILABILITY – GAME 11 – at ARKANSAS
FIU football head coach Mike MacIntyre met with the media on Tuesday afternoon to preview this Saturday's showdown at Arkansas.
 
WATCH HERE

 
THE COACHES
FIU                                                          
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (Georgia Tech '89)
Overall Record: 54-79 (11th season)
Record at FIU: 8-14 (2nd season)
 
Arkansas
Head Coach: Sam Pittman
Overall Record: 22-24 (4th season)
Record at ARK: 22-24 (4th season)
 
QUICK HITS

• FIU will be looking for its third road win of 2023 - which would match its highest total since the 2018 campaign.
• The Panthers will be facing Arkansas second time in program history and for the first time since 2007.
• FIU will be facing an opponent from the SEC for the first time since facing Florida in Gainesville in 2009.

 
FIU HEADS TO FAYETTEVILLE TO FACE ARKANSAS IN FINAL ROAD CLASH OF 2O23
The Panthers will play their second consecutive and final road game of the 2023 regular season when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on SEC foe Arkansas this Saturday, Nov. 18 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
Saturday's ESPN+ broadcast will be called by Brian Custer (pxp), Rod Gilmore (analyst) and Lauren Sisler (sideline) and will mark the Panthers' first appearance on ESPNU since 2020 and 10th overall.
 
The FIU - Arkansas game can also be heard on Miami's WQBA 1140 AM with AJ Ricketts (pxp) and Corey Brooks (analyst) behind the mic.
 
The pregame show on WQBA 1140 AM will start 30 minutes prior to kickoff and a postgame show will follow the conclusion of the contest.
 
The Panthers will be looking for their third road victory of 2023 when they face the Razorbacks on Saturday - which would be their most since 2018.
 
FIU ALL-TIME VS. THE SEC
FIU will be facing an opponent from the Southeastern Conference for the first time since 2009 and the fifth time in program history when it travels to face Arkansas on Saturday.
 
The Panthers are 0-4 in previous match ups with SEC foes – with the most recent a loss at Florida in 2009.
 
MITCHELL LOOKING FOR 1,000 YARDS
Junior wide receiver Kris Mitchell enters Saturday's game at Arkansas with 845 receiving yards – he is 155 shy of becoming the third player in FIU program history to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving number in a single season.
 
Mitchell would join Tyrese Chambers (1,074/2021) and T.Y. Hilton (1,038/2011 & 1,013/2008).
 
Mitchell has recorded at least 73 yards in eight of 10 games this season, including a 201-yard and 109-yard effort. 
 
He has notched a total of 11 catches over 20 yards this season and five grabs of 40 or more yards in 2023.
 
Mitchell currently ranks 21st among all FBS players in receiving yards and tops in Conference USA.
 
DONOVAN = DOMINANCE
Senior linebacker Donovan Manuel has been one of the unquestioned leaders of the Panthers' defense in 2023.
 
Manuel currently ranks among the nation's leaders in a number of defensive categories including:
 
Tackles for Loss – 13th in FBS – 1st in CUSA (1.4)
Forced Fumbles – 3rd in FBS – 1st in CUSA (0.40 pg)
Total Tackles - 13th in FBS - 2nd in CUSA (9.9 pg)
Solo Tackles - 10th in FBS - 2nd in CUSA (5.4 pg)
 
Manuel has recorded double-figure stops in four of 10 games overall.  He has totaled 14.5 TFLs and 99 tackles to lead the Panthers in both categories through 10 games.
 
He has tabbed nine or more tackles in eight of 10 games overall entering Saturday.
 
Manuel has registered at least 2.0 TFLs in three of the last four games and six of 10 overall in 2023.
 
PANTHERS LOOKING FOR WIN NO. 5
FIU will be looking for its fifth win of the 2023 season when it faces Arkansas on Saturday in Fayetteville.
 
The Panthers have posted four wins over the first 10 games of 2023 and one more win would eclipse last year's win total of four and mark the most wins for FIU in a single season since 2019 when it finished 6-7 overall.
 
FIU SEEKING THIRD ROAD VICTORY
The Panthers' 33-27 double overtime victory at Sam Houston on Oct. 18 marked their second victory of the 2023 season and matched their road win total from last season.
 
FIU is one road victory shy of posting its most road victories since 2018 – when it tabbed four road wins in five games.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. ARKANSAS
Saturday's game between FIU and Arkansas will mark the second meeting between the programs.
 
The Panthers dropped a 58-10 decision to the Razorbacks in the lone previous meeting on Oct. 27, 2007. 
 
SCOUTING ARKANSAS
The Razorbacks enter Saturday's action with an overall record of 3-7 and a 1-6 mark in Southeastern Conference action.  Arkansas has lost five of its last six games overall – with the lone with coming in a 39-36 victory in overtime at Florida on Nov. 4.
 
While Arkansas dropped its last contest by a 48-10 margin at home to Auburn, the Razorbacks narrowly lost to then-No. 11 Alabama on the road, 24-21 and at then-No. 16 Ole Miss, 27-20.
 
Arkansas will be playing its second straight home contest and its sixth overall when it hosts the Panthers on Saturday night – the Razorbacks are 2-3 on their home turf with wins over Western Carolina and Kent State.  They have lost their last three home games.
 
The Razorbacks are averaging 318.3 yards of offense and 26.1 points over their opening 10 contests and are allowing 357.5 yards and 26.7 points on average to their opponents.
 
Arkansas has displayed a balanced offensive attack as it is averaging 12.8 rushing and 196.5 passing yards per contest.
 
Through 10 games, Arkansas has scored a nation-leading four defensive touchdowns.
 
In addition. Arkansas signal caller KJ Jefferson is 44 yards shy of becoming the Razorbacks all-time leader in passing yards and one passing touchdown shy of becoming the program's leader in that category.
 
 
ARKANSAS-FLORIDA CONNECTION
The Razorbacks have six players on their active roster that hail from the state of Florida.
 

Jaheim Singletary	Jacksonville, Fla.	Riverside
Joshua Braun	Live Oak, Fla.	Suwanee
Tyler Larco	Miami, Fla.	Palmetto
Isaiah Augustave	Naples, Fla.	Naples
Amaury Wiggins	Pensacola, Fla.	Pine Forest
Raheim Sanders	Rockledge, Fla.	Rockledge

 
PERFECT WHEN JENKINS TOSSES TD PASS
FIU freshman quarterback Keyone Jenkins is off to a solid start during his rookie campaign under center for the Panthers with six touchdown passes over his initial eight starts.
 
The Panthers are a perfect 4-0 this season when Jenkins tosses at least one touchdown pass entering Saturday's meeting with Arkansas.
 
LAST TIME VS. ARKANSAS
Darren McFadden scored on four short runs, and Arkansas took advantage of seven turnovers by Florida International in a 58-10 victory.
 
McFadden, last year's Heisman Trophy runner-up, rushed for only 61 yards. All of his touchdowns were from 3 yards or closer. Felix Jones ran for 89 yards and a touchdown.
 
Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick left in the second quarter with a concussion and sore ribs after being hit in the backfield. Nathan Emert replaced him and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Monk late in the half.
 
Monk, the Razorbacks' career leader in touchdown catches, caught his first two passes of the season. He had barely played to this point because of a preseason knee injury. The crowd, which appeared smaller than the announced 60,750, gave Monk a nice ovation after his first catch, a 6-yarder in the first quarter.
 
Dick was 4-of-6 for 36 yards with an interception, and Emert was 13-of-25 for 154 yards. Fullback Peyton Hillis caught six passes for 77 yards for Arkansas.
 
The Panthers turned the ball over on their second offensive play. Wayne Younger's pass was caught by Moses Hinton, who fumbled, giving Arkansas the ball at the FIU 20. The Razorbacks settled for a field goal, but McFadden scored from 3 yards out on their next possession to make it 10-0.
 
Another FIU fumble gave Arkansas the ball at the 11, but Dick was intercepted in the end zone. Younger was then intercepted by Jerell Norton, who returned the ball 23 yards to the 32. McFadden scored on a 1-yard run, outrunning the defense to the left side. His third touchdown, from 2 yards out, was on a similar play but to the right.
 
Jones scored on a 16-yard run late in the third quarter, and McFadden added a 2-yard scoring run in the fourth. McFadden had never run for more than two touchdowns in a game.
 
The Razorbacks' Michael Smith broke free for an 81-yard touchdown run in the final minute, and FIU then used its remaining time outs on its final possession. The Golden Panthers didn't score, and when it was over, Arkansas defensive coordinator Reggie Herring appeared to gesture toward the FIU sideline while running off the field.
 
Younger was 9-of-26 for 93 yards with five interceptions, although he got loose for several impressive scrambles against the Arkansas pass rush. He ran for 110 yards in the first half - more than McFadden and Jones combined - and finished with 124.
 
Younger threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Greg Ellingson in the second quarter on fourth-and-10.
 
JENKINS TIES RECORD FOR RUSHING TDS BY QB
FIU freshman quarterback Keyone Jenkins has registered a total of five rushing touchdowns over the last nine games – which ties the mark for the most ever by a FIU freshman quarterback – matching Alex McGough's total from 2017.
 
In addition, Jenkins has scored a rushing touchdown in a stretch of five consecutive games (Sept. 16-Oct. 18) – the program record for most consecutive games with a rushing touchdown by any player is six (6) – set by Darriet Perry in 2009.
 
PANTHERS MATCH BEST 4-GAME START
The Panthers' 3-1 start to 2023 matched their best four-game start in program history, which they also accomplished in 2017 and 2011.
 
MITCHELL ADDED TO BILETNIKOFF AWARD WATCH LIST
Junior wide receiver Kris Mitchell has been added to the 2023 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, it was announced by The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the prestigious Biletnikoff Award.
 
The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football's outstanding receiver, not merely college football's outstanding wide receiver.
 
The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of 650 prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners, and other former receivers. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted.
 
Mitchell was one of five players added to the list, which now totals 59 candidates for the prestigious honor.
 
DEFENSE STIFFENS IN RED ZONE
The Panthers' defense has tightened when it has mattered most this season as FIU currently boasts the 57th best red zone defense in FBS and third in Conference USA.
 
FIU has allowed scores on 31-of-38 opponents red zone chances and 19 touchdowns.
 
JENKINS FOURTH AMONG ALL FBS FRESHMEN IN PASSING YARDS
True freshman quarterback Keyone Jenkins has wasted little time making his presence known since taking over as starter the last eight games.
 
He currently boasts a total of 1,900 passing yards over his nine starts entering Saturday's game at Arkansas - which currently ranks as the 63rd-highest total in FBS - and fourth-most among all freshman nationally.
 
His average of 211.1 passing yards per game sits as the fourth-best mark in Conference USA and the 56th best mark in the nation.
 
In addition, Jenkins has shown a knack for the big play with an average of 13.01 yards per completion - the 32nd best total among all FBS quarterbacks.
 
The product of Miami Central High completed passes to eight different receivers while completing 20-of-32 passes for 291 yards in the Panthers' 46-39 win over North Texas on Sept.9.
 
That followed a 292-yard performance in his first career start vs. Maine on Sept. 2 which shattered the record for most passing yards ever by a true freshman at FIU - a record that had stood since 2002.
 
In his first road test, he went for 284 yards and two TDs in a 24-17 win at Connecticut - which also saw him complete passes to seven different receivers.  He also added 24 yards on the ground and a rushing TD in the win over the Huskies on Sept. 16.
 
JENKINS WINS UNDER CENTER
True freshman quarterback Keyone Jenkins has known little but winning in his recent seasons as a starting signal caller dating back to his prep career at Miami Central.
 
Jenkins won each of his last 26 starts at Miami Central while also guiding the Rockets to three consecutive state titles from 2020-22.
 
He opened 3-0 as a starter for FIU prior to a loss against Liberty on Sept. 23.
 
OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH
Here is a list of some other FIU players who rank on the national and conference leaderboards:
Passing Efficiency
Keyone Jenkins – 126.1
81st/FBS
5th/CUSA
 
Total Offense
Keyone Jenkins – 216.6
67th/FBS
5th/CUSA
 
Interceptions
CJ Christian – 3
33rd/FBS
3rd/CUSA
 
UP NEXT
FIU will close out the 2023 regular season on Saturday, Nov. 25 when it hosts Western Kentucky in the home finale at The Cage in Miami beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
 
The Panthers-Hilltoppers clash will be televised on ESPN+.
 
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.