MIAMI – The FIU football team never trailed and held on for a hard fought 17-10 victory over Louisiana Tech on Saturday night in the Conference USA opener for both teams at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium.
 
The FIU defense made a number of critical plays to help lead the Panthers to the win including holding Louisiana Tech scoreless after they had a first and goal from the FIU one-yard line in the opening half and forcing a key turnover in the fourth quarter after the Bulldogs sliced into the Panthers' lead by scoring 10 unanswered points.
 
After trimming the score to 14-10 - Louisiana Tech was held scoreless for each of its final four possessions and the final 17:43 of regulation.
 
Junior linebacker Travion Barnes led the way for the defense with a game-high 14 tackles – his third double-figure tackle total in the last four games.  He added 2.5 TFLs and a sack.
 
FIU sophomore signal caller Keyone Jenkins completed 17-of-31 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown.  Junior Eric Rivers led all receivers with seven catches for 97 yards and a touchdown.  Dean Patterson added five receptions for 74 yards.
 
Graduate running back Lexington Joseph paced the Panthers' ground game with 13 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown.
 
Louisiana Tech (1-3, 0-1 CUSA) quarterback Evan Bullock finished 26-of-37 for 218 yards.  Marlion Jackson totaled five receptions for 81 yards.
 
Overall, FIU finished with 304 yards of total offense, while Louisiana Tech managed 297.
 
The Panthers led 14-0 early in the third quarter before Louisiana Tech trimmed the margin to 14-10 with 2:43 left in the third.  FIU's defense kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard for the remainder of the contest en route to winning its Conference USA opener for the first time since 2018.
 
After the teams traded punts on their opening possessions, the Panthers put together a 13-play, 84-yard drive that took a total of 7:02 off the clock and saw Jenkins complete 5-of-6 passes for 51 yards – including a 10-yard scoring strike to Rivers – that put FIU ahead 7-0 with just over two minutes left in the first quarter.
 
The FIU defense came up big late in the first half to maintain the 7-0 edge.  Louisiana Tech used a 17-play march to set up a first and goal from the one-yard line. The Panthers responded by stonewalling them on four consecutive attempts to force a turnover on downs.
 
The Panthers (2-3, 1-0 CUSA) used that momentum to extend the lead in the second half with a six-yard scoring run by Joseph that made the score 14-0 under five minutes into the third.  The drive was keyed by a 25-yard completion from Jenkins to Patterson and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Louisiana Tech.
 
The Bulldogs answered on their next possession to trim the margin to 14-7 with 7:04 left in the third.  Jimmy Holiday scored from five yards out on an end around to cap a drive that was aided by a 29-yard completion from Bullock to Jackson.
 
Following a failed attempt on fourth and three by the Panthers, Louisiana Tech gained possession at its own 46 and used a 23-yard completion from Bullock to Eli Finley to set up a successful 34-yard field goal by Buck Buchanan to cut the FIU lead to 14-10 with 2:43 left in the third quarter.
 
The FIU defense came up with another critical turnover to stymie the next drive for the Bulldogs. Junior Hezekiah Masses stripped the ball out of the hands of Louisiana Tech's Jackson before it was recovered by the Panthers' JoJo Evans, setting up FIU at its own 41.
 
The Panthers' offense returned the gift on the next possession as Owens was stripped by Louisiana Tech's Kolbe Field and covered by the Bulldogs at the La Tech 44.  The Panthers defense stiffened once again and forced a three and out to keep the lead at 14-10 with 12:25 left in regulation.
 
FIU used a 32-yard catch and run by Rivers and a huge 14-yard run by Joseph to convert a third and 14 to set up place kicker Alejandro Prado for a 25-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-10 with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers return to the road for the first of four consecutive nationally-televised weeknight games when they travel to meet Liberty on Tuesday, Oct. 8 beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
 
The contest will air live on CBS Sports Network.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• FIU posted a shutout in the opening half for the first time since Oct. 5, 2019 vs. UMass.
• Saturday's win marked the Panthers' first in a conference opener since 2018 when they opened CUSA play with a win over Old Dominion (28-20).
• FIU sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins missed one play during the Panthers' second drive of the game after taking a hit from Louisiana Tech's Sifa Leota.
• Junior wide receiver Eric Rivers caught his third touchdown of the season in the first quarter.
• A roughing the passer call against Louisiana Tech early in the second quarter negated a interception return for a touchdown by the Bulldogs' defense.
• The FIU defense held Louisiana Tech out of the end zone on a first and goal opportunity with four straight stops late in the opening half.
• FIU's 13-play, 84-yard drive in the first quarter marked its longest in terms of both plays and yardage this season.
• FIU's defense forced a key fumble with 13 seconds left in the third quarter.  Junior Hezekiah Masses stripped the ball and junior JoJo Evans recovered at the FIU 41.
• FIU's defense forced a key three and out early in the fourth quarter after a fumble by FIU set up Louisiana Tech close to midfield and trailing by four.
• Senior place kicker Alejandro Prado connected on a 25-yard field goal in the fourth quarter – his first made field goal as a member of FIU.
• The FIU defense held Louisiana Tech scoreless for each of the final four possessions and the final 17:43 seconds of regulation.
• Junior linebacker Travion Barnes totaled a game-high 14 tackles – his third double-digit tackle performance over the last four games.  He also recorded 2.5 TFLs and a sack.
   

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) (Homecoming)	ESPN+	L, 42-45
Sept. 28	LOUISIANA TECH* (Saturday)	ESPN+	W, 17-10
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