FIU off to best start since 2018 after hard-fought 46-39 win against North Texas

Journey would be proud.

FIU true freshman Keyone “Lights Out” Jenkins, waiting to be interviewed after the Panthers’ rousing 46-39 win over North Texas late Saturday night, started singing the following:

“Don’t stop believing …”

That lyric was appropriate considering that North Texas routed FIU 52-14 last year. Given Saturday’s result, that’s a 45-point FIU turnaround in just one year.

Then again, last season’s loss happened before Jenkins — incredibly confident and poised for an 18-year-old — arrived on campus.

Now that he’s here, FIU (2-1) is off to its best start since 2018, and the Panthers are 2-0 since Jenkins took over at quarterback.

Here are four takeaways from FIU’s big win over the Mean Green:

1: ROCKET MEN: Two of FIU’s biggest stars on Saturday — Jenkins and running back Kejon “K.J.” Owens — are from Miami Central High.

Jenkins completed 20 of 32 passes for 291 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 33 yards and a two-point conversion. His only blemishes were two interceptions.

Owens, who is in his fourth year at FIU, had a career night with 10 carries for 101 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to Saturday, his career numbers were just 83 yards, a 3.2 average and one touchdown.

Saturday’s game featured five lead changes and two ties before FIU took the lead for good on Owens’ career-long 47-yard TD run with 4:37 left in the third quarter.

Leading by just one point, Owens’ 6-yard-run with 7:09 left in the game was a huge play also.

2: REASSESSING RBs: Shomari “Showtime” Lawrence, who had 16 carries for 89 yards and one touchdown on Saturday, remains FIU’s starter. In three games, he has rushed for 254 yards, a 6.7 average and two scores.

But Owens, for now at least, has passed second-year freshman Antonio Patterson on the depth chart. Patterson had gotten 10 carries in FIU’s first two games but none on Saturday.

Owens, who had zero carries in FIU’s first two games, impressed MacIntyre in practice this past week. Then, on Saturday, Owens broke numerous tackles.

“KJ is growing up,” MacIntyre said. “He’s learning to follow his blockers. He’s running with toughness, and we believe he is that talented.

“He ran that same way in practice (last week) – making the right cuts, going downhill, slicing and dicing.”

3: PICK SIX: FIU’s defense gave up a combined 34 points in its first two games before allowing 39 to North Texas.

Still, the Panthers defense had a big moment in the second quarter when cornerback Hezekiah “Zeke” Masses scored on a 40-yard interception return.

It was FIU’s first pick-six since Rishard Dames went 80 yards in 2019.

Masses, who started six games as a true freshman last year, has a good frame for his position as a legit six-footer, and he is progressing as a player.

“Hezekiah has excellent hips, speed, quickness and length,” MacIntyre said. “He is starting to get a little bit better at learning the game.

“There are tricks to the trade at cornerback.”

4: UCONN’S NEXT: FIU will visit 0-2 Connecticut on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network).

A win would put the Panthers halfway to becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2019.

After going 1-16 in the final two years under coach Butch Davis, the Panthers are now a much-improved 6-9 under MacIntyre.

The North Texas game, MacIntyre acknowledged on Saturday, was the FIU’s best performance since he arrived as coach.

Confidence is not a problem right now at FIU.

“Our goal is to win as many games as possible,” Owens said. “A bowl game is definitely possible.”

Don’t stop believing.

Hold on to that feeling.