Box Score DALLAS — In its first bowl game since the 2019 season, FIU's football program fell to UTSA 56-20 at the First Responder Bowl in Dallas on Friday evening.
The Panthers (7-6) jumped out to a 14-0 lead, of which was capped by a 97-yard punt return touchdown by Maguire Anderson, to take the early momentum. Anderson's touchdown is the longest-ever punt return touchdown in the history of college football bowl games and matches a school record, set by T.Y. Hilton against Fla. Atlantic in 2011. The Roadrunners (7-6), however, responded with 31 unanswered points to take a 31-14 lead into the locker room. UTSA outscored FIU 19-6 in the second half to secure the 36-point victory.
Joe Pesansky closed out his collegiate career with 102 passing yards and two touchdowns, completing 11-of-31 attempts. Dallas Payne and Kyle McNeal each scored touchdowns for FIU in the defeat. Jojo Stone led the receiving effort with 28 receiving yards. On the ground, Kejon Owens capped his historic season and incredible FIU career with 36 rushing yards, finishing off his school-record season total to 1,334 yards.
FIU's first drive of the game was extremely efficient as the Panthers moved the ball 73 yards over just six plays to go up 7-0. McNeal scored to cap the first drive on a 19-yard strike from Pesansky. After the half, Pesansky found Payne for a 22-yard score with 4:13 left in the third quarter for his second touchdown pass of the day.
QUICK NOTES
- Xion Chapman, Johnny Chaney Jr. and Quaylen Hill each had one sack defensively.
- Anderson's return TD was also the longest in Conference USA history.
- McNeal's receiving TD is the first of his career.
- Payne's receiving TD is his career-high fourth of the season.
- With seven wins, FIU achieved just its fifth winning season in program history and its most wins since 2018.
- FIU failed to convert on seven fourth downs, four of which were inside UTSA territory.
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