GAME 11
FIU (3-7, 2-4 CUSA) at Kennesaw State (1-9, 1-5 CUSA)

DATE
Saturday, November 23, 2024

KICKOFF
3 p.m. ET

STADIUM
Fifth Third Stadium (10,200)
 
 

TV	ESPN+
AUDIO	Panther Online Network
LIVE STATS	Stats Link
FOLLOW US	Twitter | Instagram

 
THE COACHES
FIU                                                          
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (Georgia Tech '89)
Overall Record: 57-89 (12th season)
Record at FIU: 11-23 (3rd season)
 
Kennesaw State
Interim Head Coach: Chandler Burks
Overall Record: 0-1 (1st season)
Record at KSU: 0-1 (1st season)
 
QUICK HITS

• FIU and Kennesaw State will be meeting for the first time on Saturday.
• Saturday's contest will mark FIU's final road contest of the season.
• The Panthers are looking for their first road win of 2024 when they face the Owls.

PANTHERS TRAVEL NORTH TO BATTLE OWLS
The Panthers will be playing their second consecutive road game as well as their final away contest of the season when they travel to Kennesaw State on Saturday afternoon.
 
FIU and Kennesaw State will be meeting for the first time in program history.  The Owls officially became a member of Conference USA this season after playing at the FCS level since the program's inception in 2015.
 
Saturday's game will be aired on ESPN+ and called by Nolan Alexander (pxp), Barclay Miller (analyst) and Maria Martin (sideline).
 
The audio broadcast can be heard on The Panther Online Network with AJ Ricketts (pxp) on the mic.
 
The pregame show on The Panther Online Network will start 15 minutes prior to kickoff and a postgame show will follow the conclusion of the contest.
 
The Panther Online Network can be accessed by visiting fiusports.com/listen.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers close out the 2024 campaign at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30 with a 2 p.m. ET kickoff against Middle Tennessee.  The game will air on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING KENNESAW STATE
Kennesaw State enters Saturday's meeting with FIU with one win over the initial 10 games this season – a 27-24 victory over Liberty at home on Oct. 23.
 
The Owls have lost each of their last three games entering Saturday's clash with the Panthers – with losses coming at Western Kentucky, at UTEP and at home against Sam Houston.
 
The Owls are averaging 17.1 points per game and allowing an average of 31.5 to their opponents.  Kennesaw State is posting an average of 114.5 rushing yards and 136.2 passing yards per contest.
 
Defensively, the Owls allow 170.5 rushing and 241.0 passing yards per game to their opponents.
 
Kennesaw State has forced nine turnovers and committed 16 for a minus seven margin and have totaled 16 sacks over the first 10 games of 2024.
 
RIVERS ON VERGE OF BREAKING SINGLE-SEASON TD CATCH MARK
FIU junior wide receiver Eric Rivers enters Saturday's game at Kennesaw State with nine touchdown receptions in 2024 – which is tied for the program single-season record with Tyrese Chambers (2021).
 

1.	9	Tyrese Chambers	2021
	9	Eric Rivers	2024
2.	8	Thomas Owens	2015
	8	Jonnu Smith	2014

 
Rivers has already amassed 930 yards this season – which ranks as the fifth-highest total in program history and is 70 yards shy of becoming the fifth player in FIU annals to record over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. 
 

1.	1,118	Kris Mitchell (64-1,118)	2023
2.	1,074	Tyrese Chambers (45-1,074)	2021
3.	1,038	T.Y. Hilton (72-1,038)	2011
4.	1,013	T.Y. Hilton (41-1,013)	2008
5.	920	Eric Rivers (48-930)	2024

 
For his career, Rivers has tabbed 1,300 yards over the last two seasons – 195 behind Jonnu Smith for the 12th-highest career total in FIU history.
 
FRESHMAN DEVONTE LYONS SEES ACTION IN BACKFIELD
FIU freshman running back Devonte Lyons saw the first action of his collegiate career at running back in the Panthers' game at Jacksonville State on Nov. 16.
 
The true freshman carried 12 times for 88 yards and an 11-yard touchdown run against the Gamecocks.
 
Lyons had a standout prep career at St. Augustine High – rushing for for 1,558 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior while leading the Yellow Jackets to the Florida State 3S Championship Game.  For his career he rushed for 3,857 yards and 57 touchdowns, including a pair of 1,000-yard seasons.
 
PATTERSON HAS CAREER-DAY AT JAX STATE
FIU junior wide receiver Dean Patterson hauled in career-high nine passes for a career-best 116 receiving yards in the Panthers' game at Jax State on Nov. 16,
 
It marked his first 100-yard receiving performance of the season and the second of his career.
 
Patterson has tallied 1,237 receiving yards for his career at FIU and has amassed 516 this season and four touchdowns.
 
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM JAX STATE

• Junior offensive lineman John Bock II saw his first action of the season and started at center.
• Each team scored on their opening two possessions of the game.
• FIU running back Shomari Lawrence scored his first rushing touchdown of the season in the second quarter.
• Each team only punted once in the first half.
• FIU didn't trail until the 4:44 mark of the second quarter and as late as 9:56 of the fourth.
• FIU junior linebacker Eddie Walls II finished with a career-best two sacks.
• Redshirt freshman tight end Antonio Ferguson hauled in a 39-yard scoring catch for his first career touchdown reception in the third quarter.
• The Panthers played the game without starting linebacker Travion Barnes.
• The game featured three ties and five lead changes.

 
JNOPIERRE ESTABLISHES SELF AS NATION'S BEST RETURNER
FIU newcomer C'Quan Jnopierre has made his mark on special teams in his first season as a Panther as he currently leads all of FBS and Conference USA in kickoff return average at 30.3 yards.
 
Jnopierre has been key in establishing quality field position for the FIU offense and has posted 13 returns of over 30 yards this season.
 
RIVERS HAS RECORD-SETTING NIGHT VS. NM STATE
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 Oct. 29 in Miami.
 
Rivers' 295 receiving yards marked the second-highest total by any FBS player this season.  113 of Rivers' 295 receiving yards came after the catch.
 
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 leads Conference USA with nine touchdown receptions, including a career-high three in the win over New Mexico State.  He tabbed scoring grabs of 52, 51 and 62 yards in the win over the Aggies.
 
His 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).
 
RIVERS NAMED TO BILETNIKOFF AWARD WATCH LIST
FIU junior wide receiver Eric Rivers has been added to the 2024 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List, it was announced by The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the prestigious Biletnikoff Award announced.
 
The Chattanooga, Tenn., native leads Conference USA with eight touchdown receptions this season and ranks ninth among all players in FBS.  His 930 receiving yards this season also sits tops in CUSA and ranks 12th nationally.  Rivers is averaging 93.0 receiving yards per game – which leads the league and is the 12th-best total in FBS.
 
He has recorded a total of 12 catches that have went for over 30 yards this season – including six touchdown grabs that went for more than 30 yards.
 
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 600 prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners, and other former receivers. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted.
 
Rivers was one of two players added to the list, which now totals 70 candidates for the prestigious honor.
 
Recently, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation opened the 2024 FanVote. Every fan may vote once daily on the Biletnikoff Award FanVote page. The aggregate fan tally will be counted as one official vote to determine semi-finalists, finalists (three receivers), and the winner.
 
RIVERS NAMED CUSA CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
FIU junior wide receiver Eric Rivers has been selected as the Conference USA Co-Offensive Player of the Week for the period ending Nov. 2, conference officials announced.
 
Rivers, who shared the weekly honor with Jacksonville State running back Tre Stewart, hauled in 11 passes for a FIU single-game record 295 yards and three touchdowns in the Panthers' 34-13 victory over New Mexico State on Oct. 29 in Miami.
 
The 295 receiving yards represented the second-highest total among all players in FBS this season and each of his three touchdown catches came from distances of 51 yards or longer.  He tabbed scoring grabs of 52, 51 and 62 yards in the win over the Aggies and 113 of his 295 yards came after the catch.
 
Rivers' weekly CUSA honor marks the fourth overall for FIU this season and he is one of three Panthers to be recognized with a weekly conference honor in 2024, joining Travion Barnes, who has earned the Defensive Player of the Week honor twice this season and Keyone Jenkins, who was selected as CUSA Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 9.
 
JENKINS NAMED TO MANNING STARS OF THE WEEK
FIU sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins was honored as one of eight players selected as the Manning Award Stars of the Week following the Panthers' win over New Mexico State on Oct. 29.
 
Jenkins completed 18-of-27 pass attempts for 338 yards and matched a school-record with four touchdown passes in a 34-13 win over New Mexico State.  Three of his four touchdown tosses came from over 50 yards with scoring passes that stretched 62, 52 and 51 yards respectively.
  
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2004 to honor the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting. Since the Manning Award started recognizing Stars of the Week in 2011, 563 different quarterbacks from 135 schools have been recognized. Sixty-six players were honored during the 2023 season and 61 quarterbacks have been recognized so far in 2024.
 
The other eight members of this edition of the Manning Stars of the Week included Kaden Anderson (Wyoming), Zeon Chriss (Houston), Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), Jalen Kitna (UAB), Maddux Madsen (Boise State), LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina) and Cam Ward (Miami).
 
CLOSE CALLS
FIU has only been outscored by a total of three points by its opponents over the first 10 games with the Panthers scoring a total of 255 points and allowing 258.
 
The Panthers seven losses have come by a combined total of 66 points and four of their last five defeats have come by seven points or less.
 
JENKINS MOVES UP CAREER TD CHART
FIU sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins tossed his 26^th and 27th career touchdown passes in the Panthers' game vs. Jax State on Nov. 16 - which places him in sixth all-time among FIU career leaders.
 
Jenkins' 16 TD passes this season currently rank as tied for the fifth-highest total in program annals.
 
MOST PASSING TDS - CAREER

Rnk	TDs	Player	Years
1.	65	Alex McGough	2014-17
2.	42	Josh Padrick	2003-06
3.	40	James Morgan	2018-19
4.	34	Paul McCall	2007-09
5.	30	Wes Carroll	2010-11
6.	27	Keyone Jenkins	2023-pres.

 
MOST PASSING TDS - SEASON

1.	26	James Morgan	2018
2.	21	Alex McGough	2015
3.	19	Max Bortenschlager	2021
4.	17	Alex McGough	2017
5.	16	Wes Carroll	2010
	16	Keyone Jenkins	2024

 
JENKINS SHOOTING UP CAREER PASSING YARD LIST AS WELL
FIU sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins currently has tossed for 4,448 yards over the first two seasons at FIU – which already ranks sixth all-time.
 

1.	9,237	Josh Padrick	2002-06
2.	9,091	Alex McGough	2014-17
3.	5,375	James Morgan	2018-19
4.	5,189	Paul McCall	2005-09
5.	4,997	Wes Carroll	2010-11
6.	4,448	Keyone Jenkins	2023-24

 
JOJO EVANS POSTS 19 TACKLES AT UTEP
FIU junior defensive back JoJo Evans tabbed a career-best 19 tackles at UTEP on Oct. 16 - which ranked tied for the third-highest single game total in FIU history.
 
He also forced a fumble and added a QB hurry and pass breakup in game vs. Miners.
 
MOST TACKLES - SINGLE GAME

Rnk	No.	Player vs. Opp.	Date
1.	21	John Haritan at Youngstown State	9/11/04
2.	20	Keyonvis Bouie at Alabama	10/28/06
3.	19	Michael Dominguez vs. Louisiana	11/17/07
	19	Keyonvis Bouie at ULM	11/5/06
	19	JoJo Evans at UTEP	10/16/24

 
JONES FILLS IN AT UTEP
Sophomore quarterback Amari Jones saw his first extended playing time in the Panthers' game at UTEP on Oct. 16.
 
Jones entered the game after starting signal caller Keyone Jenkins was injured in the first quarter and completed his first collegiate TD pass on a 33-yard strike to Eric Rivers in the second quarter.
 
Jones entered the contest with one career completion – he finished 6-of-11 for 92 yards and a touchdown.
 
SALLA SNAGS FIRST PICK AT UTEP
FIU junior Bobby Salla Jr. hauled in the first interception of his career with 43 seconds left in the third quarter on Oct. 16 at UTEP.
 
He promptly returned it 32 yards to set up a FIU touchdown one play later.
 
PANTHERS RALLY FOR NEAR UPSET AT LIBERTY
FIU erased a 14-point deficit in the final 10:43 of regulation before eventually coming up just short in a 31-24 overtime loss at defending conference champion Liberty on Oct. 8.
 
The Flames, who entered the game with the nation's longest regular-season winning streak at 15 games, led by a 24-10 margin with under 11 minutes in the fourth quarter prior to the Panthers' rally.
 
FIU sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins ran for a one-yard touchdown with 1:42 left in regulation to force overtime.
 
The Panthers drove 61 yards in 3:44 to deadlock the score after opening the critical drive with 5:36 left and trailing 24-17. 
 
The push was keyed by a pair of catches by junior wide receiver Eric Rivers – who snagged a 23-yard catch before hauling in a crucial 17-yard gain to convert a fourth and four and set the Panthers up at the Liberty four-yard line.
 
Jenkins followed two plays later with the one-yard scoring run to force overtime and after the FIU defense held firm on Liberty's final possession of regulation.
 
Liberty escaped with the victory after scoring on a nine-yard run by Kaidon Salter on its first overtime possession and then forcing and recovering a fumble on the Panthers' possession in the extra period.
 
The Panthers got within 24-17 with 6:23 left in regulation on a three-yard rushing touchdown by Kejon Owens.  The drive was sparked by a 40-yard completion from Jenkins to Rivers.
 
BARNES LEADING THE WAY
Junior linebacker Travion Barnes has wasted no time in establishing himself as a leader of the FIU defense.
 
He currently ranks third among all FBS players in total tackles with an average of 12.1 per game - which is also tops in Conference USA.
 
In addition, Barnes sits fifth among FBS leaders and first in CUSA with an average of 5.7 solo tackles per contest through the opening 10 games of 2024.
 
BIG PLAY RIVERS
Junior wide receiver Eric Rivers is averaging 19.38 yards per catch through the opening 10 games of 2024 - which ranks second in CUSA and 19th among all FBS players.
 
Rivers has notched a total of 16 catches of at least 20 yards or more in 2024.
 
OTHER FIU NAMES IN CUSA/NCAA LEADERS
Quarterback Keyone Jenkins
42nd NCAA/2nd CUSA: Passing TDs (16)
73rd NCAA/3rd CUSA: Passing Yards (2,034)
62nd NCAA/4th CUSA: Points Responsible For (110)
68th NCAA/3rd CUSA: Passing Yards Per Game (203.4)
 
Kick Returner C'Quan Jnopierre
1st NCAA/1st CUSA: Kickoff Returns (30.3)
 
Defense
17th NCAA/4th CUSA: Red Zone Defense (0.744)
49th NCAA/4th CUSA: Passes Intercepted (9)
17th NCAA/1st CUSA: Defensive TDs (2)
 
Team
30th NCAA/3rd CUSA: Fewest Penalty yards (450)
3rd NCAA/1st CUSA: Kickoff Returns (27.00)
 
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.