Panthers Smash Blue Raiders In Second Half For Statement Win

Needing a win to shake off a two-game skid, FIU Football rolled into Murfreesboro and was all-business from the get-go. MTSU gave the Panthers some headaches in the first half, but the third quarter signaled the end of this game being competitive, as FIU rolled to a 56-30 win. FIU now stands with four wins this season, matching their win total for every season since 2022.

And yes, it was not Keyone Jenkins leading the charge for the Panthers. With some nagging injuries bothering him, FIU started Joe Pesansky, who made the most of his first start in FBS. It felt like watching Panthers offenses of yesteryear, as the passing game was the best it’s been all season.

“Joe’s continuing to make plays for us,” said head coach Willie Simmons postgame. “He’s a playmaker again. He’s feeling more and more comfortable in the offense, and his playmaking ability is showing up. So as we hit this November stretch. We’re definitely going to need him and other guys to continue to make plays.”

Overall, the Panthers ended up doing what they were expected to – dominate against an inferior team. It’s something they failed to do against Missouri State, but left no stone unturned this time around.

Perfection From Pesansky

Pesansky was exceptional against the Blue Raiders. He probably ended up playing against better teams in FCS than Middle Tennessee, anyway. He was accurate and careful with the football, throwing for 247 yards and four touchdowns. While he threw two interceptions, the first was off a bobble, and the second was a deep 50/50 ball.

He was even dangerous on the ground, with a rushing touchdown to boot. That means he was responsible for five scores in this game, which has never been done by an FIU Panther before.

Joe to JOJO 🚀 https://t.co/IrDsv0gkJw pic.twitter.com/PeP065lzSW

— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) November 8, 2025

Rushing-wise, the Panthers had a decent game. They were slow to start, with MTSU’s rush defense being one of the team’s bright spots. But after halftime, Kejon Owens and Anthony Carrie had their way, with 144 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Remember Your Opponent

On defense, FIU started quickly. They forced a pair of fumbles early on, both resulting in points for FIU. They started to wither with minutes to go, allowing 10 unanswered points as the Blue Raiders closed the deficit to 21-17 before halftime.

Just like the offense, however, the Panthers’ defense perfectly adjusted in the second half. After they gave up another touchdown off the latter Pesansky interception, they forced a pair of turnovers on downs along with an interception, with FIU scoring on all of those ensuing possessions.

That's that boy DEUCE @blades_ll https://t.co/1lVhq2XUPM pic.twitter.com/Gf1trQxtPq

— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) November 8, 2025

All in all, this was a solid performance from FIU. Though take most of it with a cautious grain of salt, as the opponent they faced was, well, not very good. But for guys like Julius Pierce and Willie Simmons, it’s impossible to deny that a win like this in Floyd Stadium felt a little special.

“People remember November,” said Simmons. “And so for us, we want to know November. And the goal now is to be 1-0 next week.”

If anything, this season will be known for snapping some of the longest losing streaks to opponents in program history.

The two-game road trip is over. FIU will head back to Pitbull Stadium for Homecoming against the Liberty Flames on Saturday, November 15th at 5pm.

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