MIAMI — FIU's football program racked up 540 yards of offense in a wire-to-wire 33-20 win over Buffalo on Saturday evening in its home opener at Pitbull Stadium.
The Panthers (1-1) bounced back with a convincing victory over the Bulls (1-1), scoring on their first offensive possession and adding on from there. FIU led 21-6 at the half as its defense once again stood tall and ultimately cruised to a 13-point win.
JJ Kohl led the offensive effort with a season-high 367 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air, adding a 19-yard receiving TD.
Maguire Anderson opened the scoring for the Panthers on the first drive as Kohl found Anderson for a 45-yard touchdown, capping a six-play, 87-yard drive in 3:59. Following a Bulls field goal, FIU ended its second touchdown drive of the first quarter with a highlight-reel play.
In the red zone, the Panthers pulled off a trick play as Devonte Lyons pitched the ball to Jojo Stone behind the line of scrimmage, who heaved a deep pass to Kohl. Kohl leaped over two Buffalo defenders and hauled in the Stone pass to give the Panthers a 14-3 lead.
Anderson found the end zone for the second time, this one from 14 yards out, to extend the FIU advantage to 21-3 with seven minutes left in the second quarter. After two Buffalo scores, a field goal and touchdown, to bookend the second and third quarter, Stone broke lose on a crossing route from Kohl and ripped off a 68-yard touchdown.
Anderson racked up five catches for a career-high 99 yards and two touchdowns. Stone ended his day with a career-high 98 yards and one touchdown. Robert Czeremcha knocked in two field goals, from 36 and 35 yards.
Defensively, Elisha Baldridge had two sacks and a forced fumble, collecting six tackles overall. Deejay Holmes Jr. picked up his second sack of the season and had a forced fumble to add to the strong effort on the line. Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine had an interception late to seal the win.
Quick Notes
- Kohl's 367 passing yards in a game ranks ninth all-time for most in a single game. Additionally, 367 passing yards is the most for FIU since Haden Carlson passed for 414 yards against Middle Tennessee on Nov. 26, 2022.
- This is also the first time that an FIU QB has passed for 300+ yards in two straight weeks since Grayson James passed for 306 yards at Charlotte (Oct. 22, 2022) followed by 321 yards vs. Louisiana Tech (Oct. 28, 2022).
- Kohl's touchdown catch marks the first-ever touchdown catch for an FIU QB in program history.
- Anderson's two touchdowns and 99 yards are both career-highs.
- Stone's 98 yards are a career-high and his touchdown pass is the first by a wide receiver since T.Y. Hilton threw a 38-yard TD to Junior Mertile against Arkansas State on Nov. 8, 2008.
- Deejay Holmes Jr. has now recorded a sack in two-straight games.
- Celestine's interception is the first of the season for FIU and the second of his career.
25th Season Celebration, Presented by Miccosukee Casino and Resort
The upcoming 2026 season for the Panthers officially marks FIU's 25th season of football competition, dating back to the Panthers' first-ever season in 2002. Over that time period, FIU has qualified for six bowl games, secured six Shula Bowl victories and produced countless NFL players, including Pro Bowlers T.Y Hilton and Jonnu Smith. The program has also seen many legendary coaches and outstanding players pass through the Panther facilities throughout its history, creating a litany of incredible moments experienced by Panther Nation.
Fans can be expected to be taken on a journey back to the inception of the program all the way up to the present day, recognizing the standard set by the first teams and acknowledging how many past Panthers have helped to build on that legacy. All of this will lead up and continue through the 25th official season in 2026, the second under head coach Willie Simmons, following one of the most historic seasons on record in his first year on the sidelines.
As the campaign begins with a variety of content in the coming weeks, visit our one-stop shop for the 25th Season Celebration. In conjunction with this, fans are encouraged to follow along with the many highly-engaging pieces of content recognizing the past that will be released on FIU Football's social media channels, listed below.
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.
