Paws Up Preview – FIU Football @ Indiana

Photo by Indiana Athletics


Date: Saturday, August 31st

Time: 3:30 PM EST

Opponent: Indiana Hoosiers (0-0)

Location: Bloomington, Indiana (Memorial Stadium)

TV Channel: Big Ten Network

Betting Line: Indiana -21.5

Following what is typically one of the longest offseasons in sports, college football returns for all 134 FBS teams across the country, and the FIU Panthers are no exception as they begin their campaign this upcoming Saturday.

After back-to-back 4-8 seasons for head coach Mike MacIntyre, the Panthers will look to set the ceiling high and aim for their first bowl game appearance since 2019.

The team on their way to begin the season, is a Big Ten opponent looking to right their previous wrongs, leading to a matchup that SCREAMS upset alert in favor of the road team…maybe.

An Offense Made For The Bright Lyghtz

With a solid lineup of transfers who have entered the program, along with some returning faces looking for breakout seasons, this roster (and coaching staff) for FIU is one of the most well-defined groups that Coach MacIntyre has put out.

In one such case, the starting quarterback for FIU will be sophomore Keyone Jenkins. Unlike last season, where he was named the starter following the first game of the season, the keys will be handed to him from the get-go.

Jenkins has bulked up, honed his skills as a pocket passer and scrambler, and has taken leadership in an offense that’s been designed to work around him.

“I’ve been rolling past couple of weeks,” said Jenkins in Tuesday’s press conference. “I try to keep the intensity level high, and they try to match me, and we’re rolling right now.”

FIU might also house one of the best running back rooms in CUSA. They’re bringing back both Shomari Lawrence and Kejon Owens, but with the return of Lexington Joseph, the Panthers will have three dependable backs to rely on.

“As long as we do our part out front with the front five, things should be real smooth, and they’re gonna have a hard time trying to stop those guys in the backfield,” said Jenkins.

The receiver room for the Panthers is where questions start to open up, as they’ll have to find out who will become their next WR1 after Kris Mitchell left for Notre Dame.

Some players are up to the task, including Dean Patterson. With reliable hands and great speed, he’s already made a name for himself on punt return duties, but can still prove to be a receiver that Lyghtz can count on.

Both Desna Washington (New Mexico) and Nazeviah Burris (Stetson) look like solid transfers who can see playing time almost immediately.

We’ll also find out if the offense will utilize tight ends like Josiah Miamen and Rocky Beers more often in passing plays instead of being extra blockers.

FIU’s offensive line retains a good chunk of starters from last season, bringing experience to one of the most important positions on the team with a few newcomers that can also compete for a starting position, especially as injuries could pile up in the latter stretch of the season as it has in the past.

Keeping Opposing Offense At Bay

FIU’s defense featured a reliable amount of big-name returners, though none are more opposing than Reggie Peterson, a senior linebacker who’s aiming for a record-setting season with the Panthers.

Being mentored by Donovan Manuel last season – who has since been drafted by the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL – Peterson has taken over leadership duties for the defense.

“I did set personal goals, and it’s to beat Donovan in everything,” said Peterson. “I’m going for that tackling record because we have guys in our linebacker room who can beat that.”

Likely joining Peterson as a starting linebacker will be Elijah Anderson-Taylor, a redshirt senior who’s determined to have a breakout year.

The defensive line is spearheaded by Jeramy Passmore, who ironically began his collegiate career at Indiana. with solid stats and reliability at the spot, the rest of the D-line will have to match his tempo and longevity.

FIU’s secondary is a mixed bag. While you have solid returners like Hezekiah Masses, Jojo Evans, and Brian Blades II, there were games against the best offenses in CUSA where they struggled to keep up.

The defense gave up at least 40 points in their final four games of the season amid a push for bowl eligibility. With more experience across all positions, the hope is that this FIU defense can go blow for blow with teams like Liberty, Jacksonville State, FAU, and Indiana as far as limiting success.

Looking a Little Sun Belt-y

The Indiana Hoosiers are members of the Big Ten Conference, which has undergone massive expansion by adding teams like Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA to a conference that features powerhouses like Ohio State, Penn State, and the defending champion Michigan Wolverines.

This will be the fourth meeting between the Panthers and Hoosiers, with the most recent contest dating back to 2018 when FIU fell by a score of 38-28 in Miami.

Indiana had a rough 2023 season, going 3-9 with their lone wins being against Wisconsin, Indiana State, (FCS), and Akron in a quadruple-overtime thriller.

It was also the third straight season that the Hoosiers achieved an under .500 record, which prompted the firing of longtime head coach Tom Allen. Now, Curt Cignetti will take over following a solid tenure as the head coach of James Madison.

“Yeah, he comes from a coaching family. He’s a coach’s kid too,” said Mike MacIntyre. “Curt’s done great everywhere he’s been, and he’ll end up doing a heck of a job there in Indiana.”

He’ll be taking over a team that’s VERY different from 2023. Indiana features 38 departing players and 31 transfers – the second most in the country for both categories, trailing Colorado. A good majority of them joined Coach Cignetti from James Madison as well.

Kurtis Rourke will lead the Hoosiers at quarterback. A transfer from Ohio, he threw for 2,207 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions with the Bobcats last season.

“He had an excellent year two years ago,” said MacIntyre. “Last year, he got injured coming back off an ACL. He looked good in the spring game, moving around and throwing it. He’s a big thrower and can also run it and he has a lot of experience, so we expect him to play well.”

The running back room for Indiana is almost completely different, with all four of their biggest playmakers not returning for this season. With two backs coming from James Madison, it makes sense why FIU has watched so much film of the Dukes.

One returner to keep an eye out is wide receiver Donovan McCulley. With 644 yards and six touchdowns, he was their premiere WR1 and will threaten the Panthers’ defense.

Indiana’s defense gave up the second-most points per game last season with 29.9. Only Purdue gave up more, so this could be where FIU keeps the game close, matching up with Indiana’s offense or even outplaying them.

Who’s Winning – FIU or Indiana?

While I’m not gonna say that this is a trap game for Indiana, it feels way more even than what Vegas would tell you. The Hoosiers are not the cream of the crop in the Big Ten, and the Panthers could prove a lot about themselves if they perform well in this matchup.

The offenses feel even, with FIU’s ground game matching up well with Indiana’s receiver core. The defenses are where things could differ, and I still have questions about FIU’s secondary and their consistency.

I think it’ll be a low-scoring game in the first half, though I feel both offenses will step it up in the second half.

This is a coin toss, though I have to give Indiana the slight edge thanks to their receivers and defense, not to mention they have the home advantage. Still, a good performance for FIU will feel like a win.

Indiana – 27

FIU – 21

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