Paws Up Preview – FIU Football @ UTEP

Date: Wednesday, October 16th

Time: 9:00 PM EST

Opponent: UTEP Miners (0-6)

Location: El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl)

TV Channel: CBS Sports Network

Betting Line: FIU -5

Can a loss… sometimes feel like a win?

For FIU, it might not be bad to think like that. Despite ultimately losing to the Liberty Flames, they went blow for blow against one of the best G5 programs, losing in overtime in a game which was double-digit underdogs.

Things could be worse for the Panthers, who must win four more games to become bowl-eligible. They’ll have some tough opponents here and there, but they’re admittedly taking on some of the worst teams in FBS in their final six games.

That starts with UTEP – a team with a first-year head coach still looking for his first win. FIU is favored on the road for the first time since 2018. This is a matchup they have to take advantage of.

Everything But The Final Score

In the big year of 2024, Keyone Jenkins outdueled Kaidon Salter – the quarterback that took Liberty to a New Year’s 6 Bowl last season.

Passing-wise, it was the Panthers who had the advantage. Jenkins was on his game, throwing for 245 yards and only one interception. Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson put near-equal numbers, being the two reliable receivers Jenkins could count on.

One big shortcoming of FIU’s offense that they still need to work on is their running game. They have yet to find a 100-yard runner in a game. Despite having a deadly running attack on paper, it hasn’t translated to on-field success.

Maybe the most impressive aspect of FIU’s offense was their offensive line, which granted Lyghtz more than enough time in the pocket. He was only sacked once, but unfortunately, it was the game-ending strip-sack in overtime.

FIU’s defense did the best they realistically could. When Salter was in the pocket, they put pressure on him, sacking him twice and limiting him to just 16 pass attempts. Their secondary did a good job limiting big plays through the air.

The rush defense was a bit more questionable. They started strong in limiting Salter on the run, but as they got more gassed as the game went on, the more success Salter had, including the final two touchdowns by the Flames.

Overall, FIU looked good. They almost did something that no team has done in the regular season since 2022, and they got closer than most. That builds confidence for a team that, despite their record, has a realistic shot of going bowling.

Things Aren’t Cool In El Chuco

Hailing from West Texas, the UTEP Miners have not had a good season. They’re winless, with losses to Nebraska, Southern Utah, (FCS) Liberty, Colorado State, Sam Houston State, and Western Kentucky. They’re one of three winless teams remaining in FBS, along with Kennesaw State and Kent State.

Scotty Walden has had the difficult task of rallying the troops in his first year as head coach for the Miners. While the fans have come out in droves to the Sun Bowl, that hasn’t translated well to on-field success.

They’ve had a massive quarterback dilemma. They run a dual-QB system with Skyler Locklear and Cade McConnell, but neither quarterback has impressed up to this point.

Locklear has nearly 800 passing yards and three touchdowns, but four interceptions and has been sacked 11 times. McConnell hasn’t been much better, with four scores and three picks.

Their diamond in the rough has been wide receiver Kenny Odom. With 19 receptions for 435 yards and four touchdowns, he’s been a reliable target that’s hard to contain.

UTEP’s running game has been subpar, with Jevon Jackson leading all backs with 239 yards and only two touchdowns as a whole for the running group.

The defense for the Miners is pretty good. They’re headlined by Dorian Hopkins – their senior linebacker with 52 tackles, which is the second-most in CUSA behind FIU’s Travion Barnes.

They also get to the quarterback well, with 15 sacks. Up front, the unit is solid, but the secondary has had its issues. With only two interceptions total this season, opposing offenses have had field days with passing against them.

Who Wins – FIU or UTEP?

UTEP seems like they’re going through a downward spiral with no hope in sight, which would create the perfect trap game for FIU.

The problem there is that they’re catching the Panthers at a bad time, with FIU playing some of their best football on both offense and defense, even through a loss. They’ll be a difficult unit to stop for any team in CUSA, let alone one of the worst.

While not surprising if both running attacks struggle, the Panthers should attack the Miners through the air. If they can connect on deep passes and avoid silly turnovers, there’s not much UTEP can do.

Defensively, FIU has the advantage. With arguably the best-passing defense in the conference, they can easily take advantage of a struggling passing offense that UTEP has.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen the Panthers dominate a team on the road, but you have to feel confident about them right now.

FIU – 35

UTEP – 10