FIU wins first 1A game

[Guest FIU Panther Fan]

Took us long enough but we finally got it!   ;D

Saturday, November 5, 2005

FIU Hangs on for 31-29 Sun Belt Conference Victory over League-Leading UL Monroe

Louisiana-Monroe’s Ragan Walters missed a 35-yard field goal attempts with 12 seconds remaining in regulation and FIU (2-5, 1-3 SBC) came away with a 31-29 Sun Belt Conference road victory, Saturday night in Monroe, La.

League leading ULM (3-5, 3-1 SBC) began its final drive at its own 31-yard line with 2:06 to play and drove the ball down to the FIU 18. On a third-and-two situation, ULM head coach Charlie Weatherbie sent Walter in to attempt the game-winning field goal.

But Walters kick sailed wide right, preserving FIU’s first ever conference win and first victory over a I-A program.

FIU quarterback Josh Padrick completed 21-of-35 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns to help secure the victory. The FIU offensive threw several new wrinkles at UL Monroe including Padrick running for 30 yards on seven carries and working from the shotgun formation in the second half.

Indians quarterback Steven Jyles throw the ball 49 times, completing 32 passes for 384 yards, but the Golden Panthers defense withstood the challenge.

ULM cracked the scoreboard on its initial drive, going 80 yards on 13 plays, with Calvin Dawson going in from three yards out. But the PAT failed when Keyonvis Bouie recorded the program’s first-ever blocked attempt.

The Golden Panthers quickly responded, however, with an 80-yard drive of their own, aided by a roughing the passer penalty on a third-and-long situation and followed by a 21-yard hook-up from Padrick to Julius Eppinger. FIU tied the score on a 22-yard TD completion to Cory McKinneyâ€â€his 40th consecutive game with a catchâ€â€and took the lead on Adam Moss’ PAT conversion.

Back came Jyles and the Indians offense, moving the ball down to the FIU 11 on a first-and-10 situation. But on the next play from scrimmage, FIU’s Alexander Bostic III stripped Dawson of the ball and it was recovered by Matt Castillo at the one, stopping the drive and preserving the FIU lead after one quarter.

Midway through the second quarter, FIU moved up 14-6 on a defensive score. On a ULM run up the middle, Kinsmon Lancaster had the ball knocked out of his hands by Kevin Akinbiyi. It sailed straight up in the air where it was grabbed by an opportunistic Nick Turnbull who raced 73 yards for a score.

Louisiana-Monroe closed to within 14-9 with 24 seconds remaining in the half on a 34-yard Walters’ field goal.

FIU took the opening kickoff of the second half and moved the ball 59 yards over 12 plays. The drive stalled at the ULM 32, but Adam Moss’ 39-yard field goal put the Golden Panthers up 17-9 with 9:55 to go.

The Golden Panthers then led 24-9 thanks to another ULM turnover. A Jyles pass bounced off the hands of tight end Jeremy Hammock and into the arms of safety Chris Smith who returned the interception to the Indians 26.

On FIU’s second play from the 22, Padrick saw Chandler Williams out in the flats and fired a pass in his direction. ULM defensive back Quintez Secka went for the interception, but missed. Williams caught the ball and, with no one near him, ran untouched into the end zone for a touchdown.

UL Monroe ended the third quarter with a touchdown drive that was capped by a one-yard sneak by Jyles. Dawson set up the score with a 23-yard run on a first-and-20 from the FIU 26 and Jyles scored two plays later, which made the score, 24-16.

FIU, which hadn’t had a turnover all game after committing 20 over its first three Sun Belt games, coughed up the ball when Eppinger lost the ball after a short gain on a pass play at the FIU 30. ULM took immediate advantage when Jyles found Quillen in the right far corner of the end zone.

The Indians went for the tie with a two point conversion and missed when on a Jyles incomplete pass. FIU was whistled off-sides, thus giving ULM a second chance but again, the attempt was denied why Jyles was stopped on a sneak.

Up now by only two, 24-22, Padrick engineered another drive, set up by a 41-yard kickoff return by Eppinger. On a second-and-goal from the 11, Padrick hit Eppinger for a TD and a 31-22 lead, but an unsportsmanlike excessive celebration penalty on the play would come back to haunt the Golden Panthers.

Kicking back from the 20 instead of the normal 35, Moss’ kickoff was fielded by Kevin Payne who returned it all the way back to the FIU 28. Three plays later from the eight, Jyles called his own number for a running touchdown. The PAT brought ULM to within, 31-29, with 10:19 remaining in the game.

[USFMikeB]

Congrats...

[bulls96go]

great win!

[BiggTipp]

very happy  FIU and FAU made the jump to D I-A. that gives the state 7 teams...excellent....question...how long do you guys stay in Sun Belt before looking for bigger and better things?? ;D

[TheGimp]

Congrats on your first win.  

Don't take this the wrong way, but I can't believe that a 3-5 team is leading the conference.  That can't be good...

Now that you have a win under your belt, wins will start to come a little easier.  It might take a few years, but FIU will be dominant in the Sunbelt.

[TakeItOrLeavitt]

I actually expected FIU and FAU to challenge for supremacy right away in the Sun Belt. It's been a strange year for the Sun Belt though with the usually dominant (in conference) N. Texas playing very mediocre and the two Florida teams in the cellar.

Btw, congrats on the win.