TAMPA, FL – It was officially the dawn of a new season for the FIU Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. In only their second meeting against each other, the matchup got off to a defensive start, with FIU keeping it close all the way into the start of the fourth quarter. However, the Panthers were prevented from fully executing their fundamentals against the USF Bulls in a 19-9 loss.
Defense Keeps it Close into the Fourth Quarter
In the first half of the game, the storyline for FIU was their defense, which prevented USF from having too much fun on the field. The Bulls got three quick first down on their opening draft, getting to the FIU49. Then, the defense prevented USF from getting much further before they punted the ball away.
On their next drive, the Bulls had good field positioning, getting all the way past the 20-yard line, but they settled for three points to end the quarter with a field-goal lead. Nico Gramatica connected on a 53-yard field goal later in the second quarter to give USF a 6-0 lead at halftime.
#FIU again prevents USF from getting too productive on offense. It's only a 6-0 game with 3:04 left in the first half. The #Panthers need a strong drive here to close out the second quarter on a high note.
The Panthers were outpacingthe Bulls in yardage 166-107 at halftime. FIU limited the Bulls to just two third-down conversions at the time.
It took the Bulls until the end of the third quarter to finally have themselves a quality drive, thanks to a takeaway. South Florida got a lot of help from D.J. Crowther on his rushes to eventually reach the end zone and make it 13-3.
The defense was excellent in the first three quarters, holding USF to just 208 yards. DeAndre Boykins led the unit with nine tackles and one TFL. Elisha Baldridge and Deejay Holmes had 2.0 tackles for a loss. Coach Willie Simmons praised his defense, saying “if we continue to play like that, I think we have a chance to have one of the best defenses in America.”
@FIUFootball limited USF to 208 total yards of offense.
That marked least for the Panther defense since October of 2024, allowing 207 yards
“If we continue to play like that, I think we have a chance to have one of the best defenses in America.” – Willie Simmons#FIU#PawsUppic.twitter.com/JzloJaOlai
FIU’s initial approach on offense was mostly through the air, with JJ Kohl making some key passes. His first pass as a Panther was a 10-yarder to Kyle McNeal. Later in the drive, he got another first down on a nine-yard gain to JoJo Stone. On his next pass, Kohl completed a 15-yard pass to Jackson Verdugo. The drive ended with an incomplete pass on 4th and 5 at the USF 42, but despite that, it showed Willie Simmons’ aggression and gusty playcalling early on.
In the second quarter, Kohl made another 19-yard pass, this time to Maguire Anderson. JJ Kohl completed a pair of deep 21-yard passes and even used his legs on a play for a 10-yard gain. Kohl went 14/21 for 131 passing yards after two quarters.
FIU had its best chance to score its first touchdown in the third quarter. Kohl was once again reliable in his playmaking, completing several passes. He was also successful on 4th down. First, he completed an eight-yard pass to Anderson, and then ran for a 15-yard rush. However, the Panthers had to settle for a field goal from Robert Czeremcha to make it 6-3.
Big time run on 4th that leads to FIU's first points!
The first domino in Kohl’s fate fell late in the quarter when he threw a costly interception. His second turnover came in the final quarter, when he fumbled at the 34-yard line on a 4th-down play, resulting in a field goal for the Bulls, giving them a 16-3 lead.
Kohl threw another pick late in the fourth quarter, resulting in another Bulls field goal. Then with time expiring, JJ Kohl threw a late 21-yard touchdown pass to James Resar, completing what was an 87-yard drive.
JJ Kohl wrapped up his Panther debut with 31/50 301yds 1 TD (2INT) 🐾 🏈
Despite bearing responsibility for the three turnovers, Kohl finished the game strong, going 31/50 for 301 yards, the touchdown, and two interceptions. Willie Simmons said postgame about Kohl that “he’s going to be a dangerous quarterback.”
Anderson led the receiving unit with eight receptions and 87 yards, while McNeal and Stone had five catches.
The Difference Makers
The turning point in this game was the Panthers’ turnovers and their lack of takeaways in return. FIU had three while USF played a turnover-free game. JJ Kohl’s first interception was ultimately the nail in the coffin for the Panthers, changing the score from 6-3 to 13-3.
South Florida then scored their last two field goals on a fumble and then a late tipped-pass pick. USF scored 13 points off turnovers.
While the Panthers totaled 381 yards, they produced only nine points. They had several promising drives, but they ultimately fell short. The offense was inefficient when it mattered the most, as they couldn’t produce enough touchdown or even field-goal opportunities.
FIU outgained USF 381-208, but three turnovers and poorly timed penalties kept derailing promising drives in a FRUSTRATING 19-9 loss. pic.twitter.com/TiEpKfqnrt
FIU’s rushing attack was non-existent throughout the game. While it was impressive to see Kohl run the ball, he shouldn’t be the leading rusher. On 25 attempts, FIU only got 80 yards on the ground. Kohl had six carries for 31 yards.
Kohl was the best offensive player for the Panthers, but he faced pressure and had to put up a lot of work on the field. The consistent pass plays started becoming predictable in the second half, which led to the turnovers. Regarding these mistakes, Simmons said, “we have a chance to be a special football team. Obviously, we have to fix some things up, typical game one mistakes, we have to make sure we don’t drop passes and run routes too deep.”
Moving Forward
The final score wasn’t the moral of the whole story. Anyone who saw the stat sheet without looking at the score would’ve thought that FIU won this game. They won the first-down battle 19-14 and had 75 plays compared to 56 for USF. From the start, this was a winnable game for the Panthers.
Overall, the Panthers moved the ball a lot better than the Bulls did. FIU kept this game within one score for most of the contest. Unfortunately, turnovers, dropped passes, and lack of a proper run game prevented them from pulling off a major road upset against a Group of Six program.
Luckily, the mistakes the Panthers made on the field are fixable, and Coach Simmons reiterated that point after the game, saying “we can play with anybody. This group can play to-to-toe anywhere. Again, it doesn’t mean we’ll beat anyone, but we can play it.”
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.
More Stories
Malachi Toney breaks record as Hurricanes steamroll Stanford 45-6
Miami Hurricanes Week 1 Preview: Stanford Cardinal
Paws Up Preview: FIU Panthers vs. USF Bulls