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11-25-2017, 10:31 AM
FIU scored five different ways to thrash WKU, 41-17, Saturday night at Riccardo Silva Stadium and move one step closer to securing a bowl berth.
With Conference USA possibly having as many as 10 bowl-eligible teams after this weekend, the Panthers (7-4, 5-3 Conference USA) secured a huge seventh win while at the same time ending the Hilltoppers' regular season at .500.
WKU (6-6, 4-4 C-USA) along with FIU are two of eight current C-USA teams that are bowl-eligible. Old Dominion and Middle Tennessee each have five wins and play each other Saturday giving the league a ninth bowl-eligible team. If Louisiana Tech defeats UTSA, then the Bulldogs become the 10th C-USA team that can go bowling.
Thus, FIU notching a seventh win tonight and possibly an eighth victory next week against UMass would go a long way to helping the Panthers return to the postseason for the first time since 2011. The Panthers won a seventh game in a season for the third time in program history. The 2010 FIU Sun Belt Champion team was 7-6 and the 2011 FIU team was 8-5.
With the win the Panthers also snapped a four-game losing streak to WKU in their series that started when both teams were Division I-AA in 2002 and later continued when both moved up to Division I in the Sun Belt Conference.
FIU helped itself early building a 13-10 lead in the first half with a 4-yard touchdown run by Shawndarrius Phillips and two field goals by Jose Borregales before the Panthers really poured it on in the second half with some wacky scoring plays.
FIU outscored WKU 28-7 in the second half. The Hilltoppers took a brief 17-13 lead after Mike White threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Nacarius Fant early in the third quarter.
On the next series, FIU quarterback Alex McGough scrambled and escaped a possible sack before launching a 42-yard rainbow to the front left corner of the end zone where Darrius Scott outjumped Ta'Corian Darden for the touchdown catch. McGough was 17 of 26 for 227 yards.
FIU went ahead 20-17 and never looked back.
Besides scoring via the field goal, a rushing touchdown and passing touchdown, the Panthers scored two of their final three touchdowns on special teams.
Phillips added his second rushing touchdown, a 1-yard plunge, with 4:21 left in the third quarter to increase the FIU lead to 27-17. Phillips led the Panthers with 69 rushing yards and 2 TDs.
Near the end of the third quarter with WKU facing fourth-and-12 on the 50, Hilltoppers punter Jake Collins attempted a fake punt but stumbled when FIU defensive lineman Jordan Guest closed in. Collins fumbled the ball which D'Vonte Price scooped up to return it 38 yards for a touchdown. FIU led 34-17.
Midway through the fourth quarter FIU punter Stone Wilson executed a fake that worked and at the same time made FIU history.
From the WKU 24, Wilson and Borregales initially were going to lineup for a 41-yard field goal. However, Wilson moved into the shotgun position with Borregales lining up as the slot receiver. Wilson took the snap rolled right and found tight end Pharoah McKever near the left sideline. Wilson delivered a perfect pass and McKever rumbled into the end zone for the 24-yard touchdown. McKever led FIU with three receptions for 62 yards.
The play marked the first time in FIU's 16-year history that a Panthers punter had thrown a pass. Before Wilson's pass, several FIU receivers had been the only FIU non-quarterbacks to throw a pass in an FIU game.
Besides limiting WKU to seven points in the final 30 minutes, the FIU defense held the Hilltoppers to 46 rushing yards.
Treyvon Williams and Fermin Silva each had seven tackles to pace the Panthers. Silva and Anthony Johnson each recorded 2.5 sacks.
FIU concludes the regular season next Saturday when UMass comes to town. The Panthers and Minutemen get together for a 12 p.m. kickoff. The game was added to the FIU schedule after a game with Indiana was postponed in September because of Hurricane Irma.
http://www.fiusports.com/news/2017/11/24...ances.aspx
With Conference USA possibly having as many as 10 bowl-eligible teams after this weekend, the Panthers (7-4, 5-3 Conference USA) secured a huge seventh win while at the same time ending the Hilltoppers' regular season at .500.
WKU (6-6, 4-4 C-USA) along with FIU are two of eight current C-USA teams that are bowl-eligible. Old Dominion and Middle Tennessee each have five wins and play each other Saturday giving the league a ninth bowl-eligible team. If Louisiana Tech defeats UTSA, then the Bulldogs become the 10th C-USA team that can go bowling.
Thus, FIU notching a seventh win tonight and possibly an eighth victory next week against UMass would go a long way to helping the Panthers return to the postseason for the first time since 2011. The Panthers won a seventh game in a season for the third time in program history. The 2010 FIU Sun Belt Champion team was 7-6 and the 2011 FIU team was 8-5.
With the win the Panthers also snapped a four-game losing streak to WKU in their series that started when both teams were Division I-AA in 2002 and later continued when both moved up to Division I in the Sun Belt Conference.
FIU helped itself early building a 13-10 lead in the first half with a 4-yard touchdown run by Shawndarrius Phillips and two field goals by Jose Borregales before the Panthers really poured it on in the second half with some wacky scoring plays.
FIU outscored WKU 28-7 in the second half. The Hilltoppers took a brief 17-13 lead after Mike White threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Nacarius Fant early in the third quarter.
On the next series, FIU quarterback Alex McGough scrambled and escaped a possible sack before launching a 42-yard rainbow to the front left corner of the end zone where Darrius Scott outjumped Ta'Corian Darden for the touchdown catch. McGough was 17 of 26 for 227 yards.
FIU went ahead 20-17 and never looked back.
Besides scoring via the field goal, a rushing touchdown and passing touchdown, the Panthers scored two of their final three touchdowns on special teams.
Phillips added his second rushing touchdown, a 1-yard plunge, with 4:21 left in the third quarter to increase the FIU lead to 27-17. Phillips led the Panthers with 69 rushing yards and 2 TDs.
Near the end of the third quarter with WKU facing fourth-and-12 on the 50, Hilltoppers punter Jake Collins attempted a fake punt but stumbled when FIU defensive lineman Jordan Guest closed in. Collins fumbled the ball which D'Vonte Price scooped up to return it 38 yards for a touchdown. FIU led 34-17.
Midway through the fourth quarter FIU punter Stone Wilson executed a fake that worked and at the same time made FIU history.
From the WKU 24, Wilson and Borregales initially were going to lineup for a 41-yard field goal. However, Wilson moved into the shotgun position with Borregales lining up as the slot receiver. Wilson took the snap rolled right and found tight end Pharoah McKever near the left sideline. Wilson delivered a perfect pass and McKever rumbled into the end zone for the 24-yard touchdown. McKever led FIU with three receptions for 62 yards.
The play marked the first time in FIU's 16-year history that a Panthers punter had thrown a pass. Before Wilson's pass, several FIU receivers had been the only FIU non-quarterbacks to throw a pass in an FIU game.
Besides limiting WKU to seven points in the final 30 minutes, the FIU defense held the Hilltoppers to 46 rushing yards.
Treyvon Williams and Fermin Silva each had seven tackles to pace the Panthers. Silva and Anthony Johnson each recorded 2.5 sacks.
FIU concludes the regular season next Saturday when UMass comes to town. The Panthers and Minutemen get together for a 12 p.m. kickoff. The game was added to the FIU schedule after a game with Indiana was postponed in September because of Hurricane Irma.
http://www.fiusports.com/news/2017/11/24...ances.aspx
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