Gamecocks Edge Panthers with Last-Minute Field Goal

Gamecocks Start Strong, but Panthers Battle Back

After the Gamecocks missed a field goal, the Panthers had a big opportunity to tie the score. FIU responded by marching 73 yards on six plays. JJ Kohl threw a 50-yard pass to Maguire Anderson for a touchdown, tying the game at seven.

Gotta see it to believe it 👇@JJKohl3 ➡️ @MaguireAnderso1 https://t.co/8jSFcYle8i pic.twitter.com/MCBVTLbEiA

— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) October 14, 2026

The game became a back-and-forth affair as Jacksonville State moved 76 yards on five plays. After a having thrown a big pass earlier in the drive, Creel connected with Deondre Johnson for a 36-yard touchdown. Jax State added to their advantage in the second quarter with a 47-yard field goal from Garrison Rippa, giving themselves a 17-7 lead.

On the next drive, FIU got yards but eventually settled for three points. Robert Czeremcha kicked a 33-yard field goal, trimming their deficit to 17-10. The Panthers kept the explosive Gamecocks offense off the field and went back to work on its next drive.

MAGUIRE. ANDERSON.

HE'S GOT TWO LAST NAMES AND YOU BETTER LEARN BOTH OF EM. @MaguireAnderso1 https://t.co/7c6vcNAlry pic.twitter.com/cz3HjiysBw

— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) October 14, 2026

FIU settled in on offense and responded with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Kohl to Anderson, tying the game at 17. They erased a 10-point deficit as Anderson consistently found space downfield and made game-changing plays. The Panthers had a chance to take a lead into halftime, but Czeremcha missed a field goal.

Jax State Regains Lead and Wins Fourth Quarter Battle

The Gamecocks entered the second half looking to retake control. They were able to set up a five-play, 46-yard scoring drive in the third quarter, ending with Justus Savage’s four-yard run to restore their lead, 24-17. Despite the momentum shift, FIU proved that they weren’t out of contention.

They responded with a 12-play, 75-yard drive, killing almost seven minutes off the clock. Devonte Lyons finished the possession with an eight-yard rush for a touchdown, tying the game 24-24. Kohl showed his ability to distribute the ball while Lyons showed his presence in their balanced offensive attack.

At the start of the fourth quarter, it was deemed obvious that one critical play or turnover could decide this Conference USA battle. FIU withstood pressure throughout the evening. The last quarter tested each program’s patience to execute. Neither team found the endzone and each drive became more critical as time was expiring.

Jacksonville State worked their way to put up a 13-play, 82-yard drive late in the fourth quarter. On third down, Creel completed a 34-yard pass to Ronnel Johnson, getting to FIU’s eight-yard line. The Gamecocks were within striking distance of reaching the end zone, but FIU’s defense denied them. Rippa kicked a 26-yard field goal to take a 27-24 lead with 44 seconds left.

With little time left, the pressure was on Kohl to make magic happen. On his last drive, he made four straight completions, but then he threw two straight incompletions. Czeremcha was brought on to kick an enormous 50-yard field goal. His kick had the distance but sailed wide right as time ended.

Players of the Game

Caden Creel led the Gamecocks offense with 214 yards, two touchdown passes, and 95 rushing yards on 19 carries. He displayed his dual-threat capabilities. Johnson led Jax State with 93 receiving yards on four receptions and a touchdown. Gilbert made three catches for 55 yards and a touchdown.

For the Panthers, JJ Kohl completed 24 of 38 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Anderson led FIU with eight receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns. His scoring plays kept his team remain competitive. Lyons also contributed with 73 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. “JJ, I thought, did enough to win the game,” said Willie Simmons. “Obviously, Maguire made some big plays for us, like he’s been doing all season.”

The Panthers totaled 404 yards while the Gamecocks had 387, showing how competitive this game was. Jacksonville State was more effective with the ball, averaging 7.2 yards per play while FIU averaged 5.5. The Gamecocks rushed for 173 yards while the Panthers finished with 124. However, FIU did have a 33:44 possession, compared to Jax State’s 26:16.

Final Takeaways

Jacksonville State improved to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in CUSA play, extending their win streak to four games. They showed their resilience and proved that they’re a threat in Conference USA. FIU falls to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in CUSA play. They can take some positives from their improved offense. Moving forward, they will need to turn these close conference games into wins.

“At the end of the day, we’ll find out a lot about who’s with us over the next seven days,” said Simmons. ‘That’s typically what happens in games like this. We have to take responsibility and accountability for our own actions. Every single person in that locker room contributed to the loss, and if each of us does 1% better, we win. Those little things that we’ve been talking about since this spring in close games, it comes back to bite you. We have to continue to understand the importance of the details, and that’s on and off the field. Too many of us fell short in some critical areas, and that’s the difference in close ball games.”

What’s Next

FIU returns home to Pitbull Stadium against Middle Tennessee next Tuesday, October 20th at 7 pm.

About Post Author

Ricardo Urrusuno

He’s a diehard 305 native who roots for his hometown teams in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Recently, he graduated from FIU with an MBA, but now he’s a Lemonhead covering UM basketball. Known to be anywhere and everywhere, you may catch him at a Miami sporting event.

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