Who knows what made the big difference on Saturday?

Maybe it was because they were missing a few of their key leaders and their replacements felt they had to step up their game. Starting middle linebacker Toronto Smith didn’t dress for the game due to injury, and All-Sun Belt Conference corner Anthony Gaitor joined him on the sidelines early thanks to a nagging shoulder injury.

Maybe they felt slighted playing in front of the smallest crowd ever assembled in the renovated FIU Stadium. A paltry announced attendance of 8,539 that must have included about 4,500 ghosts, in keeping with the theme of the Halloween day game.

Maybe they were just dead tired of losing.

Whatever it was, the Golden Panthers, and in particular the defense, that showed up on Oct. 31 was one we haven’t seen since about the second quarter of the team’s first game against Alabama.

Despite an uncharacteristically turnover-laden game for the Golden Panthers offense (that played much of the game without its two top receivers), the defense played with a pride that had been until this point unknown this season.

Bend, Don’t Break

What was the difference on Saturday?

With just under eight minutes left in the game and FIU down by 4, FIU starting quarterback Paul McCall committed his second turnover of the game, fumbling the ball on his own 39. When Louisiana’s defensive tackle Jordan Topp jumped on it, it seemed somewhat like a script that has played out numerous times this season, starring the Golden Panthers as the team that just comes up short.

Everyone in the stadium knew that the Ragin’ Cajuns were going to run the ball right at FIU, knowing FIU has struggled mightily against the run this season. They were going to drive down the field and run the clock down so the Golden Panthers wouldn’t have time for much more than a desperation offense.

1 yard rush. 9 yard rush. 1 yard, 6 yards, 2 yards, 2 yards.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The Ragin’ Cajuns picked up three first downs and ate up a ton of clock running right at FIU, all the way down to the 6-yard line.

First and goal.

This was where FIU’s defense flipped the script.

They stood up two rushing attempts and on third down got into the backfield and into Louisiana quarterback Chris Masson’s face, forcing an incompletion and a field goal to keep the game within 1 score to give the offense, which had been stagnant the last eight quarters, one last chance.

A Fitting Ending

Coach Mario Cristobal is the type of coach who will always reward a player who works hard, no matter where they are on the depth chart or how young they are. Junior wideout Greg Ellingson sat out much of the first half after being outplayed in practice by some of the younger receivers on the depth chart.

As the Golden Panthers moved down the field in the last two minutes, players like freshman Wayne Times and junior Ariel Martinez, who had one catch on the season prior to this week, came up with the big plays they needed.

But when Paul McCall needed a red zone target, Ellingson, the big receiver with the great hands was there, standing alone in the back of the end zone on fourth and goal to give FIU the touchdown it needed to send the game to overtime.

And when FIU went up by a field goal in the first overtime and the Ragin’ Cajuns were looking to answer with a field goal of their own following another big defensive stand, it was one of those younger guys Cristobal had rewarded, freshman Tourek Williams, who got the push and got his hands up to block the kick and secure the victory for a Golden Panthers team that was desperately hungry for a win.

Looking ahead

It wasn’t a perfect win by any means, but a 1-6 team that can keep fighting back in front of a lackluster turnout at home is a team with a great deal of pride, and this is a team that may be able to somewhat salvage what has been a disappointing season.

Three of the final four games of the season are against Sun Belt foes, and each of them is a winnable game. Coming out after a 1-6 start and matching the team’s win total from last season would be the best possible way to head into next season with their heads held high.