MIAMI (Oct. 7, 2020) – FIU opens its Conference USA slate at home this Saturday, as the Panthers welcome Middle Tennessee to Riccardo Silva Stadium.
Kickoff for Saturday’s contest is slated for 4:00 p.m. ET at Riccardo Silva Stadium and will be aired nationally on ESPNU. Fans can also listen to “Voice of the Panthers” AJ Ricketts on radio via Caracol 1260AM.
For this week’s complete game notes, click here.
SCOUTING THE BLUE RAIDERS
Middle Tennessee enters Saturday’s game with an 0-4 mark, with losses to Army (42-0), Troy (47-14), UTSA (37-35) and WKU (20-17). After being outscored 89-14 in their first two defeats, the Blue Raiders have lost by a combined five points in their last two defeats. QB Asher O’Hara leads the squad through the air and on the ground, with the redshirt junior throwing for 744 yards and rushing for 222 over the first four games. O’Hara has tossed four TDs this season, while running for a pair. The QB has also thrown five INTs, which is tied for the third-most in the nation.
FIU ON ESPNU
FIU’s showdown against Middle Tennessee will appear on ESPNU this Saturday, as the Panthers earn back-to-back games on the network. The Panthers have never appeared on ESPNU in back-to-back games and the appearance this Saturday will be just the ninth overall for the football program.
HOMECOMING AT FIU
This Saturday’s game against the Blue Raiders will serve as Homecoming for FIU. Under head coach Butch Davis, the Panthers are 3-0 in Homecoming games, with wins over Rice, UTSA and Charlotte. Overall, Davis is an impressive 12-1 all-time for Homecoming games dating back to his time at North Carolina and Miami. Davis is on an 11-game winning streak for Homecoming contests as well.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
Senior D’vonte Price opened the 2020 season with a career-high 148 yards rushing, while earning a pair of touchdowns on the ground and one on the receiving end of a Stone Norton TD toss. Price had TD runs of 65 and 30-yards, which gave him an 11.4 yards per carry average. That average tops the C-USA and ranks second in the country.
FLEX OFF TO THE RACES
Lexington “Flex” Joseph had quite the start to the 2020 campaign, as the sophomore returned the opening kickoff 100 yards to put FIU ahead 7-0 at Liberty. The 100-yard return tied FIU’s school record, set first by Richard Leonard on Nov. 16, 2012 against FAU. Joseph finished the game with 255 total return yards and a 42.5 average per return, which tops the C-USA and ranks fourth in the nation. After his efforts, Joseph was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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