FIU Destroys UTEP in Conference USA Home Opener

Jacob Spiwak

Asst. Sports Director

jacob.spiwak@fiusm.com

If you read my column last week, you would know how down I was on FIU football after they got absolutely embarrassed by the University of Massachusetts. I said they needed to respond in a major way in their next game if they wanted to have any chance to save their season and they did exactly that and then some.

FIU had a record-setting afternoon on Saturday, Oct. 10 in their Conference USA home opener, demolishing the University of Texas at El Paso Miners by a score of 52-12. Everything was working for the Panthers all day long, especially in the first half and it ended up being one of the best games FIU has played in years.

You could tell right away that FIU was a much better team than UTEP, as sophomore running back Alex Gardner led the offense down the field in the impressive two minute and 37 second opening drive, capping it off with a two-yard rushing touchdown.

Gardner, who finished the game with 56 rushing yards on 10 carries with a rushing touchdown, also led the Panthers in receptions (five) and receiving yards (96). He touched on how important it is for him to be a dual threat back in both the running game and as a receiver at the postgame press conference.

“It’s big,” Gardner said. “I came in wanting to help more in the passing game, because last year I only had [eight receptions]. This year’s coach is really putting me in the best position to make plays and I’m glad he is.”

The success of the FIU offense didn’t stop with Gardner. Quarterback Alex McGough set a career high in passing with 270 yards and led the Panthers to a touchdown on each of their first five offensive possessions. For an offense that looked horrendous against UMass just a week prior, the whole group drastically improved across the board.

After the game, a visibly lighthearted McGough discussed just how well his offense was clicking throughout the day.

“We executed almost to perfection,” McGough said. “We played our best game, probably since I’ve been here [at FIU], as far as the offensive line, wide receivers, running backs and myself included; and I think it showed.”

It absolutely did show, as the Panthers set a school record for most points scored in a half with 42. FIU has an incredible amount of talent on offense, from McGough, to Gardner, to tight end Jonnu Smith, to wide receiver Thomas Owens and the list goes on and on. This game was really the first time we saw this group play up to their ability and it made for a special afternoon.

Mixed in with those five offensive touchdowns in the first half was also FIU’s first defensive touchdown of the season. They thrived on creating scores off takeaways a season ago under former defensive coordinator Josh Conklin, but the defense hadn’t looked as aggressive through the first five games of this season. That changed against UTEP.

Senior cornerback Jeremiah McKinnon, who has been one of FIU’s best defenders all season long, jumped a route perfectly early in the second quarter and took it all the way to the house for a touchdown. This was one of the many defensive highlights for the Panthers on Saturday afternoon and McKinnon described how he wasn’t the only one who put forth a great effort on the pick six.

“Basically everybody did their job,” McKinnon said. “I couldn’t do it without my defensive line and linebackers. [Then] I just looked at the quarterback and he took me where I needed to go.”

FIU slowed down a bit in the second half, focusing a lot on the running game to chew the clock and bringing in redshirt senior Trey Anderson to relieve McGough midway through the third quarter. They ended up putting up 52 total points, but with the way the first half went, there’s no doubt in my mind that they could’ve finished with at least 60 or 65 points if they so chose.

This was overall probably the best game I’ve ever seen FIU play. Yeah, it was against an injury-riddled UTEP team that will finish near the bottom of the C-USA standings, but there’s a difference between just winning a game you’re supposed to win and completely destroying your opponent.

Moving forward, FIU will need to take the momentum from this huge win and apply it to their upcoming C-USA games. If the Panthers continue to play like they did on Saturday, they truly can be a legitimate sleeper to win the conference. It all comes down to consistency – will we see the FIU that manhandled UTEP throughout the rest of conference play or will the FIU that got humiliated by UMass return? Only time will tell.

The Panthers will head back on the road for another very important conference matchup on Saturday, Oct. 17 against the 2-4 Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders.

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