Paws Up Preview – FIU Football @ Liberty

Date: Tuesday, October 8th

Time: 7:00 PM EST

Opponent: Liberty Flames (4-0)

Location: Lynchburg, Virginia (Williams Stadium)

TV Channel: CBS Sports Network

Betting Line: Liberty -17.5

We have made it to October, which means midweek matchup galore for Conference USA.

For the FIU Panthers, it provides plenty of favorable matchups to aid in their push for a bowl game. That being said, it’s not starting that way.

FIU will begin the October slate of games on the road against the reigning Conference USA champion Liberty Flames.

The Flames have over-performed in their short tenure in the conference. They boast NFL talent on offense and a stout defense. They say you must beat the best to be the best, but this feels like a tough mountain for the Panthers to climb.

Downing The Dogs From Ruston

FIU is coming off a solid win over Louisiana Tech, going 1-0 in conference play for the first time since 2018.

Defensively it was a masterpiece for the Panthers, as they shut out LA Tech in the first half and then only allowed 10 points out of halftime. It included a goal-line stand in the second quarter that salified the first-half shutout.

In total, the Panther defense forced five punts, two failed fourth-down attempts, and a fumble in the second half. The Bulldogs hurt themselves in the process with eight penalties on the night.

The offense for the Panthers was okay but it could have been better. They also had to punt the ball five times and fumbled right after LA Tech did.

Keyone Jenkins looked solid with 17 completions for 208 yards and a passing touchdown, though he was sacked three times.

He took a massive hit on their second drive, had to step out for just a play, then went back in and led a 13-play, 84-yard drive that ended with a touchdown to Eric Rivers.

Overall, the Panthers got off to a hot start in conference play, but they still have work to do. While the defense looked solid, FIU’s running game (only 87 yards) and inability to convert on third down (6-14) need to be addressed.

Against Louisiana Tech, FIU was able to get away with this because their defense led the way against a struggling Bulldogs offense. But they likely won’t find such graces on Tuesday.

You Have To Beat The Best

Hailing from Lynchburg, Virginia, the Liberty Flames have already done it all in Conference USA in less than two full seasons here.

Last season, the Flames went undefeated in the regular season, including a blowout win over FIU on homecoming, then defeated New Mexico State in the conference championship game, but were ultimately blown out by Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.

So far this season, Liberty has wins over Campbell, (Same FCS conference as Monmouth) NM State, UTEP, and Eastern Carolina giving them a perfect 4-0 record.

Their game against Appalachian State was canceled due to the effects of Hurricane Helene on the city of Boone, North Carolina. That game will not be made up.

In just his second season, head coach Jamey Chadwell has turned Liberty into one of the premier Group Of Five teams in FBS, and a big part of that is retaining star talent.

Liberty’s offense is filled with veteran playmakers from last season, including their dual-threat quarterback Kaidon Salter. With 949 yards in the air and an additional 131 on the ground, he’s a threat no matter how they want to drive the ball down the field.

Salter has thrown for seven passing touchdowns, but his biggest strength might be his ability to steer clear from risky passes, as he’s thrown only one interception this season. He’s still susceptible to the big hit, however, as he’s been sacked three times.

Quinton Cooley and Billy Lucas highlight a running back room that’s as efficient as they come, with over 600 yards and eight touchdowns combined between the two.

Salter’s main weapon when throwing the ball is Treon Sibley with over 300 yards, but keep an eye on junior receiver Reese Smith, a West Virginia transfer who leads the group with three touchdowns.

On defense, Joseph Carter leads the unit with 26 total tackles, with 18 solo. The secondary only has three interceptions, though defensive back Dexter Ricks Jr is responsible for two of them.

Who Wins – FIU or Liberty?

I’m hopeful they can prove me wrong, but I feel that the Panthers are a bit outclassed on both sides of the ball.

While their defense looked solid against the Bulldogs, the Flames have a group that can rival some of the best G5 and even P4 teams in the country. Their historic inability to stop dual-threat quarterbacks might be on full display once again.

FIU’s offense might look good, but the common shortcomings that we’ve seen up to this point might not get fixed in time. If this turns into a shootout, Liberty has proven they’re the team to trust more in this scenario.

LIBERTY – 45

FIU – 24