GAME 3
FIU (1-1, 0-1 CUSA) vs. North Texas (0-1)

DATE
Saturday, September 9, 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 | North Texas
TICKETS	BUY NOW
WEEKLY PRESSER	WATCH

 
THE COACHES
FIU                                                          
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (Georgia Tech '89)
Overall Record: 51-74 (11th season)
Record at FIU: 5-9 (2nd season)
 
NORTH TEXAS                       
Head Coach: Eric Morris
Overall Record: 24-19 (5th season)
Record at UNT: 0-1 (1st season)
 
WATCH FIU FOOTBALL WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
FIU FOOTBALL MEDIA AVAILABILITY – GAME 3  - NORTH TEXAS
 
FIU football head coach Mike MacIntyre met with the media on Tuesday afternoon to preview this Saturday's home opener vs. North Texas.
 
Joining MacIntyre at the weekly media availability was senior linebacker Alex Nobles.


 
PANTHERS CONTINUE HOMESTAND SATURDAY VS. NORTH TEXAS
FIU will play back-to-back home games for the only time this season when it hosts North Texas in a non-conference matchup on Saturday, Sept. 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at The Cage in Miami.
 
The Panthers will be meeting the Mean Green for the third consecutive season and the first time since North Texas moved to the American Athletic Conference.
 
North Texas represents the Panthers' second of four non-conference opponents and final at home with games at Connecticut (Sept. 16) and Arkansas (Nov. 18) ahead.
 
Saturday's game will be aired on ESPN+ with AJ Ricketts (pxp) and Jonathan Cyprien (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.
 

Without further ado...our new drip, the Biscayne Blue pic.twitter.com/VnoNVcieMB

— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) September 5, 2023

 
KEYONE JENKINS OPENS AT QB VS. MAINE, FIRST TRUE FRESHMAN QB TO START FOR FIU SINCE 2014
Keyone Jenkins became the first true freshman to start a game at quarterback for FIU - when he opened under center vs. Maine on Sept. 2 - since Nov. 22, 2014 when Alex McGough opened under center at North Texas – he started 11 games as a true freshman in 2014.
 
Jenkins start vs. Maine on Sept. 2 marked the first in a span of 93 games which saw a true freshman start at quarterback for the Panthers.
 
JENKINS SETS FRESHMAN PASSING RECORD IN DEBUT
Keyone Jenkins had a record-setting debut as his 292 passing yards vs. Maine eclipsed the FIU program record for the most passing yards ever by a true freshman.
 
He surpassed Jamie Butler, who tossed for 258 yards vs. Butler on Sept. 14, 2002 – during the inaugural season of the program.
 
Jenkins tossed the first touchdown pass of his collegiate career at 8:12 of the first quarter on a 19-yard toss to junior Kris Mitchell - his first of two to Mitchell - which also included a 62-yard scoring strike.
 
MITCHELL LEADS FBS IN RECEIVING IN WEEK 1, TIES PROGRAM RECORD, NAMED CUSA POW
FIU Junior wide receiver Kris Mitchell was honored as the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week, for the period ending September 2.
 
Mitchell tied a FIU program single-game record with 201 receiving yards in the Panthers' 14-12 victory over Maine in the home opener on Sept. 2. 
 
The 201 yards tied previous marks set by Tyrese Chambers (vs. Charlotte/2021) and T.Y. Hilton (at Louisville/2011).
 
The Jacksonville, Fla., native also recorded a pair of touchdown grabs vs. Maine – including a career-long 62-yard scoring catch.
His nine receptions in the win over the Black Bears also represented a career-best effort.
 
Mitchell is the first FIU player to be selected by Conference USA for a weekly award in 2023.
 
In addition, Mitchell's total of 202 receiving yards ranked as the highest single-game total of any FBS player in all games played nationwide during Week One.
 
OTHER TAKEAWAYS FROM MAINE WIN

• Sophomore Brian Blades recovered a fumble at the 11:17 mark of the first quarter – the first of his career.
• Senior linebacker Donovan Manuel recorded a team-leading 14 tackles - which extended his streak of games with double-figure stops to three - dating back to the final game of 2022.  He had a career-best 15 stops in the opner at Louisiana Tech.
• Manuel also forced a career-high two fumbles in the win over the Black Bears.
• Senior defensive back D'verik Daniel registered a career-best 11 stops vs. Maine.
• Senior linebacker Alex Nobles recorded a total of 1.5 sacks against Maine - a career best.
• Sophomore defensive back Brian Blades broke up four passes in the win.
• FIU improved to 9-13 all-time in home openers and have won its last three straight following the 14-12 win over Maine on Sept. 2.

SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS
The Mean Green enter Saturday's non-conference tilt with the Panthers following a 58-21 setback at home vs. California in their season opener on Sept. 2.
 
First year starting signal caller Stone Earle threw for 174 yards and three touchdowns.  Sophomore wide receiver Ja'Mori Maclin hauled in four catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns - all in the opening 15:27 of the contest.
 
The North Texas defense allowed 669 yards in the loss - including 357 yards on the ground.  Cal averaged 7.0 yards on a total of 95 plays in the loss for the Mean Green.
 
Saturday's game marks the second of consecutive road games for North Texas against Conference USA opponents as the Mean Green travel to Ruston, La., to meet Louisiana Tech next week.
 
NORTH TEXAS NON-CONFERENCE SERIES
Saturday's game marks the first of a pair of games in a recently agreed to non-conference series between the programs.
 
Following Saturday's matchup in Miami, FIU will travel to Apogee Stadium in Denton during the 2029 campaign for the final meeting in the two-game series.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. NORTH TEXAS
The all-time series between FIU and North Texas is tied at 5-5 with the most recent meeting in Denton coming in 2022.
 
The Panthers will be looking for their first win in the series since 2011 when the programs meet on Saturday.
 
FIU is 3-2 all-time against the Mean Green in games played in Miami.
 
North Texas (5-5)                             Result                    Att.

10/15/05	North Texas	L/10-13	14,433
10/7/06	at North Texas	L/22-25 (OT)	15,123
12/1/07	North Texas	W/38-19	10,129
10/4/08	at North Texas	W/42-10	16,781
11/14/09	North Texas	W/35-28	11,128
10/16/10	at North Texas	W/34-10	14,718
9/1/11	North Texas	W/41-16	17,568
11/22/14	at North Texas	L/14-17	14,824
11/20/21	North Texas	L/7-49	13,871
11/5/22	at North Texas	L/14-52	22,208

 
NORTH TEXAS-FLORIDA CONNECTION
The Mean Green feature one player on their roster that hails from the state of Florida.
 
Josh Smith           Tampa, Fla.         Gaither HS
 
LAST TIME VS. NORTH TEXAS
FIU surrendered 38 unanswered points in the opening 20 minutes of action before falling by a 52-14 margin at North Texas on Saturday afternoon.
 
North Texas quarterback Austin Aune completed 25-of-34 passes for 414 yards and five touchdowns – all five TD passes came in the first half.  He tossed a pair to Jyaire Shorter – who finished with two catches for 92 yards and the two scores.
 
FIU quarterback Grayson James finished with 130 yards after completing 19-of-35 pass attempts.  He completed passes to eight different receivers – including Artez Hooker and Lexington Joseph – who each hauled in five receptions.
 
For the game, North Texas outgained FIU 623-258 and was a perfect 5-of-5 in red zone chances.
 
FIU linebacker 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).
 
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.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers travel to East Hartford, Conn., next weekend for the penultimate non-conference game of the season against Connecticut in a 3:30 p.m. ET start on Saturday, Sept. 16.
 
The game is slated to be televised to a national audience on CBS Sports Network.
 
The meeting will mark the second ever meeting between the programs and the first in Connecticut.
 
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.