MIAMI – FIU junior wide receiver
Eric Rivers hauled in 11 passes for a record-setting 295 yards as the FIU football team posted a 34-13 victory over New Mexico State on Tuesday at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium.
Rivers' 295 receiving yards also marked the second-highest total by any FBS player this season. Sophomore quarterback
Keyone Jenkins threw for four touchdowns – tying the program record for most in a single game.
The game was tightly played in the first half before the Panthers broke things open by outscoring New Mexico State 13-0 in the third quarter after holding a 7-6 edge at halftime. FIU outgained the Aggies 150-32 in the third stanza and forced a turnover while limiting New Mexico State to an average of 2.9 yards per play.
Overall, FIU outscored New Mexico State 27-7 over the final 30 minutes.
Rivers' 295 receiving yards marked the highest single-game total in FIU history and represented the third 100-yard game of the season.
Jenkins returned from injury to pace the Panthers' offense. He completed 18-of-27 passes for 338 yards and four touchdowns. It marked the second 300-plus passing yard effort of his career.
Defensively,
Travion Barnes led the FIU defense with 10 tackles – his fifth consecutive game with double-digit stops and his seventh of the season. He now has 109 tackles on the year – which ranks tied for sixth most in FIU single season history.
Following a scoreless opening quarter, New Mexico State broke through on the scoreboard with a 57-yard field goal by Abraham Montano at 13:30 of the second – which tied for the longest in Aggie program history and matched the fourth longest in Conference USA history.
The Panthers (3-6, 2-3 CUSA) answered quickly as two plays and 30 seconds later Jenkins connected with Rivers for a 52-yard scoring strike to put FIU ahead 7-3 with 13:00 left in the second. The play marked the Panthers' longest offensive play of the season and was Rivers' sixth TD reception of the season – tops in Conference USA.
The FIU defense posted a big stop late in the second quarter. New Mexico State drove deep into FIU territory with two minutes left and faced a fourth and two attempt from the Panthers' six-yard line before being turned away without points following a stop by
CJ Christian.
New Mexico (2-6, 1-4 CUSA) rebounded to claim another field goal by Montano – this one from 54 yards out to trim the FIU lead to 7-6 at the break. The drive only went five yards on four plays after a three and out by the FIU offense set up the Aggies at the FIU 42 following a 28-yard punt.
FIU extended its lead to 10-6 on a 24-yard field goal by
Alejandro Prado on its opening drive of the second half. Jenkins and Rivers did the majority of the heavy lifting on the 69-yard march with key receptions of 45 and 13 yards.
Rivers and Jenkins hooked up once again on the next possession with a 51-yard touchdown connection to increase the lead to 17-6 with 7:49 to play in the third.
The FIU defense forced a turnover on the next Aggie possession on an interception by sophomore
Hezekiah Masses and returned 42 yards to the New Mexico State 23-yard line. Prado followed four plays later with his second field goal, this one a career-long from 38 yards, to push the advantage to 20-6 with 5:32 left in the third.
New Mexico State stopped the bleeding with a 27-yard touchdown run by Mike Washington to get within 20-13 with 14:14 left in regulation.
FIU pushed the lead back to two scores with a 14-play, 75-yard march that culminated in a two-yard touchdown catch by
Dean Patterson, pushing the lead to 27-13 with 7:45 remaining.
Rivers capped the scoring with his third touchdown catch from 62 yards out with 3:49 left in the contest.
UP NEXT
The Panthers are off until Saturday, Nov. 16 when they travel to Jacksonville State to battle the Gamecocks in a 2 p.m. ET kickoff.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Junior wide receiver Eric Rivers finished with a career-high 295 receiving yards – it also marked his third 100-yard receiving effort of the season.
- Rivers 295 receiving yards marked the second-highest total by any player in FBS this season.
- Rivers leads Conference USA with eight touchdown receptions, including a career-high three in tonight's game.
- Rivers 295 receiving yards marked the highest single-game total in FIU annals, surpassing the previous record of 201 set by both Kris Mitchell (2023) and Tyrese Chambers (2022).
- Rivers' three touchdown catches also marked a career best and he is the first FIU player with three TD catches in a game since Rivaldo Fairweather vs. Middle Tennessee (2022).
- 113 of Rivers' 295 receiving yards came after the catch.
- Tonight's game marked the first ever meeting between FIU and New Mexico State in Miami after the initial three games in the series (dating back to 2004) were played in Las Cruces.
- The teams played to a scoreless opening quarter – FIU's second consecutive game with no points in the opening 15 minutes by either team.
- The 52-yard touchdown pass from Keyone Jenkins to Eric Rivers in the second quarter marked the Panthers' longest offensive play of the season. It was surpassed later in the game by another Jenkins-Rivers scoring connection that went for 62 yards.
- The touchdown pass marked the 22nd of Keyone Jenkins career which puts him in sole possession of sixth place on the FIU career touchdown pass list. His current total is 25 TDs after finishing with four in win over New Mexico State.
- Junior linebacker Travion Barnes finished with 10 tackles – upping his career total to 109 – which ranks tied for sixth among FIU's all-time single season leaders.
- The 30 passing yards in the game for New Mexico State marked the third-fewest ever allowed by FIU to an opponent.
- Sophomore Hezekiah Masses recorded his first interception of the season and the second of his career in the third quarter.
- FIU senior place kicker Alejandro Prado blasted a career-best 38-yard field goal in the third quarter.
- Freshman tight end Antonio Ferguson caught a 21-yard pass in the fourth quarter – his longest of the season.
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.
2024 FIU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Aug. 31 |
at Indiana (Saturday) |
Big Ten Network |
L, 7-31 |
| Sept. 7 |
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (Saturday) |
ESPN+ |
W, 52-16 |
| Sept. 14 |
at Florida Atlantic (Saturday) |
ESPN+ |
L, 20-38 |
| Sept. 21 |
MONMOUTH (Saturday) |
ESPN+ |
L, 42-45 |
| Sept. 28 |
LOUISIANA TECH* (Saturday) |
ESPN+ |
W, 17-10 |
| Oct. 8 |
at Liberty* (Tuesday) |
CBSSN |
L, 24-31 (OT) |
| Oct. 16 |
at UTEP* (Wednesday) |
CBSSN |
L, 21-30 |
| Oct. 22 |
SAM HOUSTON* (Tuesday) |
ESPNU |
L, 7-10 |
| Oct. 29 |
NEW MEXICO STATE* (Tuesday) |
CBSSN |
W, 34-13 |
| Nov. 16 |
at Jacksonville State* (Saturday) |
ESPN Platforms |
2 p.m. |
| Nov. 23 |
at Kennesaw State* (Saturday) |
ESPN Platforms |
3 p.m. |
| Nov. 30 |
MIDDLE TENNESSEE* (Saturday) |
ESPN Platforms |
2 p.m. |
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
ALL TIMES LISTED ARE EASTERN (ET)
* CONFERENCE USA GAME
