MIAMI – The FIU football team got off to a quick start before two costly turnovers in the final five minutes of regulation sealed its fate in a 45-42 setback against Monmouth on Saturday night at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium.
 
With the score tied at 42-42, FIU's Josiah Miamen fumbled with 5:03 left in regulation - and it was recovered by Monmouth at the FIU 39.  Seven plays later, Michael Calton Jr. kicked a 43-yard field goal with 1:52 left in regulation to put the Hawks ahead 45-42.
 
The Panthers put together a solid two-minute drill as they moved the ball a total of 44 yards in just over a minute – with quarterback Keyone Jenkins completing a pass to Eric Rivers for a 20-yard gain down to the Monmouth one-yard line.  Rivers was stripped on the play by MU's Deuce Lee as he was fighting to get into the end zone – Lee also pounced on the loose football to seal the win for the Hawks - allowing them to run out the final 22 seconds.
 
The game featured a total of three ties – the Panthers led by as many as 14 as they held a 21-7 advantage early in the second quarter and didn't trail until 13:24 was left in the final quarter.
 
Jenkins finished with a career-high 362 passing yards while completing 23-of-32 pass attempts. He finished with two touchdowns and did not throw an interception.
 
A total of eight FIU receivers finished with at least one reception – led by Rivers who snagged seven catches for 101 yards.  Junior Dean Patterson added seven receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown.  He also scored his first career rushing touchdown on an eight-yard run in the third quarter.
 
Junior Kejon Owens paced the Panthers on the ground with 57 yards on 11 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
 
Defensively, FIU was led junior linebacker Travion Barnes, who recorded a game-high nine tackles and his first career interception – which he returned 85 yards for the Panthers' first score of the contest.
 
Monmouth signal caller Derek Robertson finished 35-for-51 for 361 yards and two touchdowns.  His top target was Josh Derry, who hauled in seven passes for 108 yards.  Rodney Nelson led the rushing attack with 117 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown.  Sone Ntoh added 53 yards on 12 attempts and scored three touchdowns.
 
Overall, the Monmouth offense produced a total of 540 yards, while the Panthers posted 475.  Monmouth converted 5-of-7 attempts on fourth down in the win.  Penalties also played a major factor as the Panthers were flagged a season-high 12 times for 108 yards.
 
Barnes stunned the Monmouth offense on its opening drive as it was stopped in its tracks after marching 57 yards on 10 plays when Barnes snatched a pass on a fourth down attempt for an interception and raced it 85 yards to the end zone - giving the Panthers an early 7-0 lead just over five minutes into the contest.
 
The 85-yard interception return by Barnes marked the longest interception return in FIU history – besting the previous long of 82 yards by Marshall McDuffie vs. Florida Atlantic on Nov. 26, 2005.
 
The FIU offense marched down the field on its opening possession as Jenkins completed 4-of-5 passes on the drive for 58 yards before Patterson hauled in his second touchdown catch of the season from one yard out, off a deflection, to make the score 14-0 with 4:49 left in the first.
 
Monmouth (2-2) got on the board on its second drive of the game which saw the Hawks push for 81 yards on eight plays.  Quarterback Derek Robertson connected with Sone Ntoh for a 30-yard scoring catch on a fourth and one attempt – trimming the FIU lead to 14-7 with 1:44 remaining in the opening period.
 
The Panthers used a balanced attack to extend the margin to 21-7 early in the second quarter.  FIU put together a drive that featured 42 rushing yards by three different players and a 30-yard connection from Jenkins to Eric Rivers.  All of which set up a two-yard scoring plunge by Owens, his second of the season - at 10:53 of the second quarter.
 
Monmouth responded on its next possession with a nine-play, 63-yard drive that was keyed by a30-yard completion from Robertson to Derry.  Ntoh capped the push with a three-yard rushing touchdownat 7:03 of the second to make the score 21-14.
 
Jenkins and the Panthers' offense wasted no time answering as he hit a wide-open JuJu Lewis for a 42-yard scoring strike to cap a scoring drive that covered 75 yards in just three plays to push the lead to 28-14 with just over six minutes left before the break.  The 42-yard completion marked FIU's longest passing play of the season to date.
 
Monmouth continued the back-and-forth offensive battle as it scored on its ensuing possession on a four-yard pass from Robertson to TJ Speight to get the Hawks within 28-21 with under two minutes left before half.
 
The Hawks forced a three and out on FIU's opening possession of the second half and followed with a six-play, 60-yard march that resulted in a four-yard TD catch by Gavin Nelson – tying the score at 28-28 at the 11:10 mark of the third.
 
FIU (1-3) reclaimed the lead on its next possession as a pair of big pass completions set up Patterson for an eight-yard touchdown rush – his first career rushing TD – to put the Panthers back in front at 35-28 with 8:07 left in the third.  The drive was keyed by a 25-yard catch by Patterson and a 19-yard catch and run by Eric Rivers.
 
Monmouth tied it up for a second time at 35-35 with 4:37 left in the third  quarter on a 59-yard touchdown run by Rodney Nelson – the scoring drive only took 71 seconds off the clock.
 
The Hawks claimed their first lead of the game at 42-35 on a one-yard scoring rush by Ntoh – his third of the contest – with 13:24 left in regulation.
 
FIU deadlocked the score for a third time at 42-42 on its next possession.  Owens was key throughout the surge as he posted a 29-yard rush before taking a lateral from Jenkins and racing to the pylon for a 13-yard score - his second TD of the game and third of the season.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers close out their current two-game homestand when they host Louisiana Tech in the Conference USA opener on Saturday, Sept. 28 in a 6 p.m. ET kickoff at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium.
 
The game will air live on ESPN+.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• FIU junior linebacker Travion Barnes returned an interception 85 yards for a touchdown with 9:53 left in the first quarter – breaking the record for the longest interception return in FIU history – besting the previous long of 82 yards by Marshall McDuffie vs. Florida Atlantic on Nov. 26, 2005.
• FIU's defense and offense both scored touchdowns during their respective opening drives of the game.  Barnes ran back the interception for a record 85 yards en route to a touchdown before the Panthers' offense put together an eight-play, 58-yard march for a touchdown on their first possession of the game.
• Sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins connected with sophomore wide receiver JuJu Lewis for a 42-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter – it marked the Panthers' longest pass play this season at the time.
• FIU junior JoJo Evans was ejected from the game for targeting with 2:54 left in the second quarter.
• The FIU and Monmouth offenses combined for four consecutive touchdowns (two each) during a stretch in the opening half.
• Monmouth attempted a total of six fourth-down conversions in the first half – and were successful on four of those chances.  Monmouth finished the game 5-for-7 on fourth down opportunities.
• The game featured a total of three ties.  
• FIU tight end Josiah Miamen fumbled on the FIU 39 with the score tied at 42-42 and 5:03 left in regulation.
• Quarterback Keyone Jenkins finished with a career-high 362 passing yards – his first 300-yard passing performance.
• Wide receiver Eric Rivers finished with 101 receiving yards – matching his career high set last week at Florida Atlantic.
• The Panthers were flagged for 12 penalties and a total of 108 yards – its most since getting 15 penalties for 127 yards at Liberty on Sept. 26, 2020.
   

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
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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+	6 p.m.
Oct. 8	at Liberty* (Tuesday)	CBSSN	7 p.m.
Oct. 16	at UTEP* (Wednesday)	CBSSN	9 p.m.
Oct. 22	SAM HOUSTON* (Tuesday)	ESPNU	7:30 p.m.
Oct. 29	NEW MEXICO STATE* (Tuesday)	CBSSN	7 p.m.
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