FIU’s late rally falls short in 20-14 home loss to Western Kentucky

MIAMI – It’s only one game.

That could be a way to put a positive spin on FIU’s 20-14 home opening loss to Western Kentucky last night (Sept. 7).

But the problem to that kind of spin is this sobering fact: The Panthers (No. 81 in USA Today’s latest rankings of all FBS teams) lost to presumably the nation’s worst team in the Hilltoppers (No. 130; USA Today).

Records now: FIU (0-2), Western Kentucky (1–1).

This is not easy to sink in, and it shouldn’t be for a once-rising program that won a school-record nine games and the Bahamas Bowl last year.

It’s becoming crystal clear that this year is an entirely different one for FIU, which mustered just 217 total yards of offense against Western Kentucky.

In a night that few things went right for FIU, backup quarterback Kaylan Wiggins did his best to will the team to a comeback win. But it was about two yards short – literally and figuratively.

Down 20-14 with less than five minutes left, Wiggins seemed to be on his way to the end zone. But the Hilltoppers defense stopped him just short, and that was the closest the Panthers would get.

But it wasn’t FIU’s last chance – far from it.

The Panthers somehow got a new set of downs and has four cracks at scoring for the possible lead and win. The last two were the most memorable, and they included starting quarterback James Morgan.

On third down, Morgan threw the ball out of bounds. And on fourth down, Morgan found a receiver, but he dropped the pass right near the goal line.

It was pretty much over from there.

“It was a hard game to win,” FIU head coach Butch Davis said. “We didn’t have our quarterback, who is one of our better players on the team. There was a lot of pressure on our defense, but they put the offense in position to make plays.”

Safety Richard Dames scored on an 80-yard interception return with 6:06 left in the first quarter. After the extra point by kicker Jose Borrageales, FIU was knotted in a 7-7 tie with Western Kentucky.

It would be the only time that FIU didn’t face a scoring deficit.

“That was a textbook…,” Davis said of Dames’ interception. “It was a huge, especially when you’re struggling to score on the offensive side of the ball.”

FIU’s other score came in the fourth quarter, when running back Napoleon Maxwell punched it in for a 15-yard touchdown run. This was preceded by another extra point from Borrageales.

FIU OFFENSIVE LEADERS

RB Napoleon Maxwell: 8 carries, 48 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 kickoff return, 12 yards

RB Anthony Jones: 11 carries, 43 yards

WR Maurice Alexander: 3 rec., 47 yds.; 3 punt returns, 29 yds.; 3 carries, 11 yards; led team in all-purpose yards with 87 total

FIU DEFENSIVE LEADERS

LB Sage Lewis: 10 tackles (team-high)

SS Olin Cushion: 8 tackles

DE Kevin Oliver and LB Jamal Gates: 7 tackles apiece

LOCAL STANDOUTS

LB Jamal Gates: 7 tackles (0.5 TFL)

LB Josh Powell: 5 tackles, 1 pass breakup

DE Noah Curtis: 2 tackles, 1 quarterback hurry