GAME 2
FIU (0-1, 0-1 CUSA) vs. Maine (0-0)

DATE
Saturday, September 2, 2023

KICKOFF
6:30 p.m. ET

STADIUM
FIU Stadium (20.000)/Miami, Fla.
 

TV	ESPN+
RADIO	WQBA 1140 AM
INTERNET	Listen Live | Watch Live
LIVE STATS	Stats Link
FOLLOW US	Twitter | Instagram
GAME NOTES	FIU | Maine
TICKETS	BUY NOW
WEEKLY PRESSER	WATCH

 
THE COACHES
FIU                                                          
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (Georgia Tech '89)
Overall Record: 50-74 (11th season)
Record at FIU: 4-9 (2nd season)
 
MAINE                     
Head Coach: Jordan Stevens
Overall Record: 2-9 (2nd season)
Record at Maine: 2-9 (2nd season)
 
WATCH FIU FOOTBALL WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
FIU FOOTBALL MEDIA AVAILABILITY – WEEK 1 – MAINE - LINK


 
FIU football head coach Mike MacIntyre met with the media on Tuesday afternoon to preview this Saturday's home opener vs. Maine.
 
Joining MacIntyre at the weekly media availability was sophomore running back Shomari Lawrence, junior linebacker Reggie Peterson and junior defensive back Jamal Potts.
 
PANTHERS HOST MAINE FOR 2023 HOME OPENER ON SATURDAY
FIU will kick off both the home and non-conference portion of the schedule when it hosts Maine on Saturday, Sept. 2 under the lights at FIU Stadium in Miami beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.
 
The Panthers will be opening at home against an FCS opponent from New England for the second consecutive season after hosting Bryant (Rhode Island) in 2022.
 
Maine will mark the first of two non-conference opponents that the Panthers will face that hail from the New England region - with a trip to East Hartford, Conn., on Sept. 16 also on the non-league slate.
 
Saturday's game will be aired on ESPN+ with AJ Ricketts (pxp) and Patrick Murray (analyst) behind the mic.
 
The game can also be heard on Miami's WQBA 1140 AM with Corey Brooks (pxp) on the call. 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.
 
SHOMARI LAWRENCE LEADS THE NATION IN RUSHING AFTER WEEK 0 BREAKOUT
Sophomore Shomari Lawrence leads FBS in rushing yards per game (139.0)  following his Week 0 performance at La Tech.
 
The product of Pompano Beach's Ely High School and a transfer from South Dakota State wasted no time in flashing his skill in the Panthers' season opener on Aug. 26 at Louisiana Tech.
 
Lawrence blitzed the Bulldogs for a career-long 67-yard TD run on his second touch as a Panther and third play overall from scrimmage to give FIU an early edge.
 
He finished with 139 yards on 15 carries for an average of 9.3 yards per touch.
 
The 67-yard touchdown run marked the longest scoring rush for the Panthers since D'vonte Price scored on a 68-yard run vs. Long Island on Sept. 2, 2021. 
 
BEST RUSHING OUTPUT IN HALF SINCE 2021 OPENER
The Panthers rushed for a total of 158 yards in the first half of the August 26 season-opener at Louisiana Tech.
 
The total marked the Panthers' best in a half since equaling that 158 yards total in the opening half against Long Island University on Sept. 2, 2021.
 
POTTS AND DANIEL TURN UP TURNOVERS IN RUSTON
FIU got off to a fast start against Louisiana Tech and the defense helped get things rolling in the right direction with a pair of turnovers in the season opener.
 
Senior D'Verik Daniel recorded the interception of his FIU career at the 7:14 mark of the opening quarter which the offense capitalized on for the Panthers' second touchdown of the game.
 
Later in the second half, junior Jamal Potts forced a pair of fumbles, one of which was recovered by teammate Keegan Davis at the 12:36 mark of the third quarter.
 
The forced fumbles were the second and third of Potts' career.
 
MANUEL POSTS CAREER-HIGH STOPS IN SEASON OPENER
Senior linebacker Donovan Manuel lead a trio of Panthers who recorded double-digit tackles in the season-opener at Louisiana Tech on Aug. 26.
 
Manuel posted a career-best 15 stops - eclipsing his previous high of 14 at Texas State last season. 
 
He was joined in double-figures by Reggie Peterson, who matched his career-best total with 11 and junior Jamal Potts who tabbed 10.
 
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED TABS FIU VICE UNIS BEST IN CFB
FIU Football's Vice themed uniforms were ranked as the top look in all of college football for the 2023 season by Sports Illustrated.
 
The publication touted the "Miami Vice old-school look" – that features black jerseys with fuchsia accents – which will be worn by the Panthers when they take on UTEP at home on Wednesday, Oct. 11, before a nationally-televised audience on ESPN2 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
ANTONIO PATTERSON TABS FIRST CAREER TD AT LA TECH
Freshman Antonio Patterson scored the first touchdown of his collegiate career on a six-yard rush with 4:42 left in the first quarter of the Panthers' season opener at Louisiana Tech on Aug. 26.
 
The redshirt freshman entered the season with nine previous attempts and 40 yards.
 
SERIES VS. MAINE
Saturday's showdown vs. Maine will mark the third meeting all-time between the programs and the first since 2003.
 
The Panthers dropped the first two meetings - during their first and second years in program history.
 
Maine (0-2)                                      Result                        Att.

10/19/02	Maine	L/7-33	5,303
9/13/03	at Maine	L/14-24	6,227

 
SCOUTING MAINE
The Black Bears hail from Orono, Maine and are members of the FCS Colonial Athletic Association.
 
Maine returns a total of 30 letterwinners, including 11 starters from last season's squad that finished 2-9 overall.  A total of 37 newcomers have joined the Black Bears roster since last season.
 
The Black Bears lost each of their last five games of 2022 - but the margin was slim as Maine dropped the five contests by a combined total of 17 points - including a pair of one-point setbacks as well as a two-point defeat.
 
Maine' offense was well-balanced last season with an average of 203.8 yards passing and 149.9 rushing per contest - for a total offensive output of 353.7 yards per contest.
 
On the defensive side, the Black Bears allowed opponents to pass for an average of 246.4 yards and rush for 166.0.
 
WHAT IS BACK
The Panthers return a total of 15 starters from last season's squad - with a total of six offensive, five defensive and four special teams starters returning to the fold in 2023.
 
FIU IN HOME OPENERS
The Panthers are 8-13 all-time in home openers entering Saturday's showdown with Maine.
 

2002	Saint Peters (N.J.)	W, 27-3
2003	Bethune-Cookman	L, 14-24
2004	Louisiana	L, 34-43
2005	Florida A&M	W, 23-6
2006	Bowling Green	L, 28-33
2007	Maryland	L, 10-26
2008	No. 12 South Florida	L, 9-17
2009	Toledo	L, 31-41
2010	Rutgers	L, 14-19
2011	North Texas	W, 41-16
2012	Akron	W, 41-38
2013	UCF	L, 0-38
2014	Bethune-Cookman	L, 12-14
2015	NC Central	W, 39-14
2016	Indiana	L, 13-34
2017	Alcorn State	W, 17-10
2018	Indiana	L, 28-38
2019	Western Kentucky	L, 14-20
2020	Middle Tennessee	L, 28-31
2021	Long Island	W, 48-10
2022	Bryant	W, 38-37 (OT)

 
EARLIEST START TO SEASON IN PROGRAM HISTORY
The 2023 season opener on August 26 in Ruston marked the earliest date that FIU has opened a regular season in program history.
 
In addition, Saturday's clash with Louisiana Tech marked the first time that the Panthers have played a conference game in the first game of a season since 2011 - when it battled North Texas in the Sun Belt opener.
 
MINIMUM OF SIX NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES
The Panthers' game at Louisiana Tech was aired nationally on CBS Sports Network, the first of a minimum of six nationally televised games that will feature FIU in 2023.
 
The Panthers' television schedule features five games televised on CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) and their first home national broadcast on ESPN2 since 2011, when they host UTEP on Wednesday, Oct. 11 in Miami.
 
The five CBS Sports Network national telecasts mark the most in a single season for the FIU football program, eclipsing the three appearances it made in 2019.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers will be home on back-to-back weekends for the only time this season when they host North Texas at The Cage beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. 
 
The game is slated to be aired live in 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.