The last time wide receiver T.Y. Hilton fumbled a ball in the fourth quarter, he picked up the ball and threw a game-winning touchdown to Junior Mertile to defeat Arkansas State University 22-21.

On Oct. 24, there was no late game heroics, no “Hilton Heave.”

This time, ASU recovered Hilton’s fumble and it served as the final dagger in FIU’s 27-10 loss at ASU Stadium.

Trailing 17-10, FIU had the ball on its own six-yard line. Quarterback Paul McCall completed a pass to Hilton and his effort to obtain more yards led the sophomore to fumble.

Red Wolves (2-4, 1-2 Sun Belt) running back Reggie Arnold ran 14 yards on the next play for the touchdown to make the score 24-10.

“In the second half, we started moving the football,” said Coach Mario Cristobal. “We started doing things to give us a chance to win this football game.”

A tale of two halves

The Golden Panthers’ (1-6, 1-3 Sun Belt) loss is the second defeat at the hands of a team they defeated in 2008 – Toledo being the other.

ASU held FIU scoreless in the first half and kept McCall, who was a game-time decision with an injured foot, off balance.

“We did not think he would be able to play today,” Cristobal said. “He found a way to get out there, lots of courage, lots of guts by him.”

In the second half, the defensive chess match turned into an offensive contest. ASU came out in the third quarter and quickly manufactured a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.

A 26-yard field goal made it a 17-0 game. FIU answered with a 36-yard field goal and a two-yard touchdown by Darriet Perry to make it 17-10.

A key defensive stop gave FIU the ball back, but the comeback ended in the fourth quarter with Hilton’s turnover.

“He’s playing hurt, and he’s trying hard but the ball came loose,” Cristobal said.

The crowd of 18,779 saw the Red Wolves go 7-0 in their last seven homecoming games. Six of those wins are vs. Sun Belt Conference teams.

The Golden Panthers committed 10 penalties and had just 32 rushing yards as a team.

Banged up

With McCall’s foot ailing from an injury he sustained in practice on Oct. 22, backup Wayne Younger took over the offense on two drives. McCall returned and played the rest of the game. Even so, McCall was not pleased with his overall performance.

“The foot had nothing to do with it. I had the worst half of football I’ve ever played,” McCall said. “It feels bad as a senior, as the leader of this team not to be able to perform like we have been on offense.”

Heading into the game, the Golden Panthers were allowing 228 passing yards per game. They limited the Red Wolves to 154 yards through the air and defensive end Armond Willis sacked the quarterback twice.

Meanwhile, Hilton did not return punts or kickoffs because of a sprained knee he suffered vs. Western Kentucky two weeks ago.

Whether Hilton sees more playing time will be the coaching staff’s decision. But he said he is close to being back at full strength.

“It feels pretty good probably about 92, 93 percent,” Hilton said.

Despite the defense’s improved play, senior linebacker Scotty Bryant said the team needs to focus on the fundamentals to have a chance next week vs. the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

“That was our goal to eliminate as many big plays as possible,” Bryant said. “They capitalized on our weaknesses. We have to be more alert for things like that. Defense, we came out; we played our heart out.”