FIU snaps three-game losing streak, holds off Sam Houston State in double overtime
It’s rare to see a football coach jump for joy after defeating a 0-7 team, but that’s what happened late Wednesday night.
FIU coach Mike MacIntyre had a huge smile on his face after his Panthers defeated host Sam Houston State 33-27 in double overtime at Huntsville, Texas. The game was televised nationally by CBS Sports Network.
FIU (4-4 overall, 1-4 Conference USA) snapped a three-game losing streak. The Panthers also broke an eight-game conference losing skid that had been the third-longest active streak in the nation, trailing only New Mexico (14) and Nevada (10).
The Sam Houston State Bearkats (0-7, 0-4), who won an NCAA Division I FCS national title in May of 2021, are still looking for their first victory at the FBS level. They are one of only two winless teams in the nation in FBS, joined by 0-6 Nevada.
“We had a lot of guts and a lot of heart,” MacIntyre told the TV cameras in an on-field interview surrounded by about 10 of his players. “Our guys are starting to believe in we over me.”
Here are four takeaways from the game:
1. DRAMA PART ONE: The Panthers blew leads of 10-0 and 17-10, and they were one play from losing at the end of the fourth quarter.
FIU’s troubles began when Bearkats quarterback Keegan Shoemaker executed a perfectly placed 47-yard punt. The ball rolled to the Panthers’ 3-yard line, and FIU was forced to punt out of its end zone three plays later.
A roughing the punter penalty gave FIU a first down, saving what would’ve been excellent Bearkats field position.
However, a few plays later, Panthers freshman quarterback Keyone Jenkins had the ball slip out of his hands for a fumble, recovered at the Bearkats at the FIU 18 with just 1:52 left in regulation.
Had the Bearkats scored a touchdown there, it would have been a near-certain loss for FIU. Instead the Panthers held the Bearkats to Colby Sessums’ 32-yard field goal.
That gave the Bearkats a 20-17 lead with just 1:19 left.
On the ensuing drive, Jenkins took two sacks and fired an incomplete pass to give FIU a fourth-and-18 situation.
The Bearkats were one stop from victory.
Instead, Jenkins scrambled for 25 yards and a first down. After that, he completed three passes for 27 yards to set up Chase Gabriel’s 38-yard field goal with just five seconds left, forcing overtime.
“What a gutsy job by [Jenkins],” MacIntyre said. “I didn’t know if he could get it done or not. He got it done.”
2. DRAMA PART TWO: The Panthers got in immediate trouble in overtime as the Bearkats scored a touchdown on their first play, a 25-yard run by Noah Smith.
Jenkins, though, completed a 22-yard pass to Kris Mitchell, giving FIU a first down at the Bearkats’ 2-yard line. From there, it took four runs by FIU before Jenkins’ fourth-down, do-or-die quarterback sneak barely got him across the goal line.
FIU got the ball to start double overtime, and Mitchell threw his best pass on the night, a 25-yard touchdown to Mitchell, who was racing down the left sideline.
The Bearkats then failed to score on four plays. After two incomplete passes, FIU middle linebacker Donovan Manuel made a brilliant tackle to stop a Shoemaker scramble. Then, on fourth down, nose tackle Jack Daly came up with a sack to end the game.
3. DEFENSE AND SPECIAL-TEAM STARS: Panthers linebacker Reggie Peterson grabbed his second career interception in the first quarter. He stuck out his right arm to deflect the ball, bobbled it, caught it and returned it 61 yards to the Bearkats’ nine.
FIU cornerback Brian Blades made a spectacular effort in the second quarter, flying around the right side for a diving field-goal block.
The Panthers almost had another great special- teams play on a fake field goal. Holder Daton Montiel flipped the ball over his shoulders to kicker Gabriel on a fourth-and-11 play. Gabriel headed for the right pylon and got nine yards before he was pushed out of bounds at the two, turning the ball over on downs.
4. OFFENSIVE STARS: Mitchell was targeted 12 times and had a team-high eight catches for 75 yards and one touchdown.
Running back Kejon Owens broke a lot of tackles, carrying nine times for a team-high 60 yards and one TD. He averaged 6.7 yards per rush.
Jenkins, who was sacked four times and lost one fumble, completed 26-of-38 passes for 190 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
FIU improved to 4-0 when Jenkins throws at least one TD pass. Jenkins also scored on a TD run for the fifth consecutive game.
