MIAMI — FIU's football program opens the remainder of its Conference USA (CUSA) schedule with a road clash at Western Kentucky on Tuesday evening in Bowling Green, the Panthers' first Weekday CUSA tilt of the season.
SERIES HISTORY
Series Record: WKU leads 11-6
Last Matchup: WKU def. FIU, 41-28 (Nov. 25, 2023)
Willie Simmons vs. WKU: First-Ever Meeting
HOW TO FOLLOW
Fans can follow along with the game on variety of platforms. The matchup will air live on ESPNU and also be available via audio stream on
fiusports.com/listenlive. Live stats will also be available on
fiusports.com/FBStats.
BROADCAST TEAMS
ESPNU
Play-by-Play: Chuckie Kempf
Analyst: Darius Walker
fiusports.com Audio Stream
Play-by-Play: Corey Brooks
Analyst: Zach Letson
MATCHUP NOTES
⁃ FIU and WKU meet for the 18th time in this series, of which started in 2002, FIU's inaugural season of football.
⁃ This will be the fourth night game of the 2025 campaign for the Panthers. FIU is 2-1 under the lights and 0-2 during daytime kicks.
⁃ Other than Fla. Atlantic who FIU has faced 23 times, WKU is FIU's next most-played opponent in program history with 17 previous meetings between the two.
⁃
Keyone Jenkins delivered one of his best games of his FIU career in his last meeting with the Hilltoppers, passing for 249 yards and three touchdowns on Nov. 25, 2023.
⁃
Kejon Owens remains the Conference USA leader in rushing touchdowns (5) and has now scored in 4-of-5 games.
⁃ The Panthers are tops in CUSA in time of possession, averaging 32:02 per game.
⁃ FIU is in the midst of a 10-game road losing streak, having last won away from home on Oct. 13, 2023 at Sam Houston.
⁃ The Panthers have also lost five-straight to the Hilltoppers, all during the Tyson Helton era, with their last win over WKU coming via a 38-15 road win.
⁃ Winning streaks have been a big theme in this matchup as FIU won four in a row from 2005-2010. WKU then won the next four from 2011-15 before the Panthers took the next two in 2017 and 2018.
⁃ Road teams are 8-9 in this matchup.
⁃ 2024 was the first time FIU did not play WKU since 2014.
⁃ The Hilltoppers are currently the lone 3-0 team in Conference USA (CUSA) team and sit atop the CUSA standings with a 5-1 overall record. WKU defeated Delaware 27-24 in a tight matchup in its last contest on Oct. 3 on the road.
⁃ The Hilltoppers have one of the nation's best passing offenses, averaging 306.2 yards per game through the air, of which ranks 16th-nationally. Quarterback Maverick McIvor leads CUSA by a wide margin in passing yards (1,704) and passing touchdowns (12). McIvor is also currently third in the country in passing yards.
⁃ WKU's rush defense is ranked 11th in CUSA of 12 teams, giving up 195.8 rushing yards per game and nine touchdowns on the ground so far. The Hilltoppers have sacked the quarterback just six times in six games, worst in CUSA, but have only surrendered nine total sacks, third-best in CUSA.
⁃ With a victory, WKU will be the first CUSA team to earn bowl eligibilty, reaching the six-win threshold. The Hilltoppers lost just one CUSA game at home last season, falling 12-7 to Louisiana Tech on Nov. 16, 2024.
FIU ATHLETICS APP
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GAME PREVIEW
The Panthers (2-3, 0-1 CUSA) travel to Kentucky to take on the Hilltoppers (5-1, 3-0 CUSA) for a stiff road test to begin the 2025 CUSA road slate. FIU fell in its CUSA opener to Delaware, but now, with non-conference play in the rear view, the Panthers turn their full attention to their seven remaining games all of which are in conference play.
FIU will battle WKU in the first of its three Weekday CUSA contests during the month of October. Since CUSA adopted the weekday-model in 2023, the Panthers have struggled in mid-week conference games, going 2-6 over the past two seasons.
FIU has the opportunity to change that narrative, however, under its new regime with
Willie Simmons at the helm, starting with its matchup with WKU on Tuesday night. The Panthers will be looking to snap a two-game skid against CUSA's top team and re-energize themselves with a crucial road victory as they embark on the bulk of their CUSA schedule.
FIU leads CUSA in time of possession, holding the ball for over 32 minutes per game. A large part of that success in possession has been due to an effective running game for the Panthers, of which ranks second in the conference with 175.6 yards per game.
Kejon Owens leads the rushing attack with his 463 rushing yards and 6.1 yards per carry. Both rank second in CUSA and in the top-30 nationally.
WKU features a strong passing offense that sits atop CUSA in all categories. Quarterback Maverick McIvor is currently third in the nation with his 1,704 passing yards and fourth in completions per game with 25 completions per contest. McIvor, a transfer from Abilene Christian, also leads CUSA with his 12 touchdown passes.
In looking at how the two sides match up, both offenses should have an advantage in their preferred areas of attack. FIU's second-ranked rushing offense will take on WKU's second-to-last-ranked rushing defense. On the flip side, the Hilltoppers' top-ranked passing offense will be facing off with the Panthers' second-to-last-ranked passing defense. Fans can expect a shootout in which both teams move the ball effectively on offense with FIU relying on its strong ground game and WKU utilizing its high-powered passing offense.
WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITIES
Willie Simmons
Nick Coleman
Keegan Davis
BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
THE WILLIE SIMMONS COACH'S SHOW
The Panthers will partner with Twin Peaks Doral, one of the highest-grossing restaurants in the entire franchise, for a weekly show with first-year Head Coach
Willie Simmons and other special guests. Host Corey Brooks will sit down with Coach Simmons to discuss all facets of Panther football, with an emphasis on recapping the previous week's match-ups and previewing the upcoming game. For more information, click
here.
TICKETS
For more information on FIU Football tickets, including season tickets, single game and multi-game package tickets, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the
FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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