MIAMI — FIU's football program notched a dramatic overtime victory over Liberty 34-27 in Conference USA (CUSA) on its homecoming on Saturday evening. 
 
The Panthers (5-5, 3-3 CUSA) outlasted the Flames (4-6, 3-3 CUSA) in an instant classic on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium. FIU led 27-24 in the waning moments of the game, but the Flames kicked a last-second field goal to even the score at 27-all to send the game into overtime. 
 
FIU didn't waver, however, as Joe Pesansky found Maguire Anderson for a seven-yard TD to put the Panthers ahead in the extra period. The FIU defense stood tall, forcing Liberty into 4th and 6 before Mister Clark sealed the victory with an interception in the end zone. 
 
Pesansky finished the evening with 206 passing yards and two touchdowns, adding 40 yards and a score on the ground. Kejon Owens, who eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark for the season, was effective on the ground and rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown. Alex Perry caught the first passing touchdown from Pesansky, an eight-yard score in the third quarter that gave FIU its first lead. Perry finished the day with eight catches for 88 yards and scored a touchdown for his third-straight week.
 
On defense, Jessiah McGrew was dynamic with a team-high 10 tackles, all solo, and added his fourth interception of the season. Shamir Sterlin matched McGrew with 10 tackles. Keegan Davis racked up two sacks to lead the defensive line effort. Johnny Chaney Jr. picked up a sack as well and had nine total tackles from his linebacker position.

Noah Grant was excellent in the kicking game on Saturday night, knocking in two key field goals of 39 and 40 yards while going 4-for-4 on PAT attempts. Trey Wilhoit punted twice, averaging 40.0 yards per kick, including one which was downed at the Liberty four yard line in the fourth quarter. 

QUICK NOTES
⁃            Owens now has 1,039 rushing yards for the season and is just the third-ever FIU running back to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season and the first since Kedrick Rhodes in 2011. With at least two games remaining, Owens is on pace to break Rhodes' all-time single season record of 1,159 yards from 2011. Owens now has 10 rushing touchdowns this season, of which is the third-most in school history. For his career, Owens now has 1,967 yards, of which ranks seventh all-time and 21 rushing touchdowns, tied-fifth all-time.
⁃            McGrew's interception, his fourth of the season, moves him into a tie for sixth all-time for interceptions in a season. The program record for interceptions in a season is five, which has been done five times previously.
⁃            Perry's 88 yards and eight catches are both season-highs and his touchdown was his sixth receiving TD of the season. Six receiving TDs are tied for 10th-best in a season in program history.
-            Grant, who started the season as solely the kickoff specialist, has now made 10 field goals this season, two shy of moving into the top-10 all-time for most made kicks in a season. 
⁃            Anderson's touchdown was the first of his career.
⁃            McGrew's 10 tackles are a season-high.
⁃            Davis' two sacks match a career-high, of which he equaled earlier this season at UConn on Oct. 4. His 5.5 sacks are now just outside of the all-time top 10 for most sacks in a season (six, 10th).
⁃            Clark's interception was his third of the season.
⁃            Chaney Jr. picked up his second sack of the season.
⁃            FIU earned its first-ever win over Liberty in four tries and its first homecoming victory since 2019.
⁃            The Panthers notched their fifth overall win and third in CUSA play, both of which are the most for the program since 2019.
-            FIU is now 9-7 all-time in overtime and 7-1 at home, securing its first OT victory since a 33-27 win over Sam Houston on Oct. 18, 2023. Additionally, it is the Panthers' first home OT win since Oct. 28, 2022 vs. Louisiana Tech. It is the first time FIU has won an overtime game without allowing a score under the new overtime rules and the first OT win without allowing a score overall in Sept. 8, 2012 vs. Akron. 

UP NEXT 
The Panthers host Jax State for their Senior Day matchup next weekend on Saturday, Nov. 22 for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Pitbull Stadium. 
 
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