Football Battles Adversity Before Falling in Road Test at UTEP

EL PASO, Texas – The FIU football team saw a pair of quarterbacks leave the game due to injury and committed four turnovers in a 30-21 road loss at UTEP on Wednesday night.
 
The Panthers led to start the fourth quarter but were unable to hang on after losing starting quarterback Keyone Jenkins early in the first half and backup signal caller Amari Jones with just over six minutes left in regulation.
 
FIU also committed four costly turnovers, including two interceptions by the third quarterback to see action for the Panthers, Haden Carlson, both came in the final five minutes of regulation.
 
For the majority of the contest, it was a back-and-forth affair with the lead changing a total of five times.
 
The Panthers led 21-20 to open the final quarter but were outscored 10-0 over the final 15 minutes.
 
Junior wide receiver Eric Rivers was a bright spot offensively in the loss with five catches for 91 yards and a touchdown.  Nazeviah Burris added seven receptions for 68 yards.
 
UTEP was led by running back Jevon Jackson, who posted 148 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries.  Overall, the Miners tabbed 211 yards on the ground.
 
Defensively, FIU junior JoJo Evans led the way with 19 tackles – which tied for the third-highest single game total in program annals.  Evans was joined by Travion Barnes (15) and Elijah Anderson-Taylor (13).  Barnes has recorded double-digit stops in three straight games and five of the last six overall.
 
Special teams got the action going early for the Panthers as freshman Josiah Taylor blocked a punt on UTEP’s opening possession to set up FIU deep in the Miners’ end of the field at the 30.
 
The Panthers wasted little time in taking advantage scoring a touchdown just three plays later on a 16-yard toss from Jenkins to Patterson to put FIU ahead 7-0 just 3:11 into regulation.
 
UTEP trimmed the lead to 7-3 with a 27-yard field goal by Buzz Flabiano on its next drive.  The score was setup by a 62-yard completion from Skyler Locklear to Kenny Odom – putting the Miners at the FIU 34 before the Panthers’ defense stiffened.
 
The teams traded turnovers on their next two possessions.  FIU’s Evans forced a UTEP fumble that was recovered by teammate CJ Christian at the UTEP 38.  Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Miners’ Dorian Hopkins would pick off a Jenkins pass six plays later at the UTEP six and return it 84 yards down to the FIU 10.
 
Two plays later, Locklaer would take it in for a touchdown from three yards out to give UTEP the lead at 10-7 with 14:29 left in the second.
 
Jenkins, who was injured on the previous interception return, was replaced by sophomore Amari Jones.  Jones helped put the Panthers back in front with a six-play, 67-yard drive, that was capped off by a 33-yard touchdown catch by Rivers on a fourth down attempt – his team-leading fourth of the season – putting FIU ahead 14-10 at 6:17 of the second.
 
A pair of botched snaps late in the second quarter flipped the field in favor of the Miners after the Panthers were forced to punt from their own end zone allowing UTEP to open on the FIU 42.  Four plays later, Locklear tossed his second touchdown pass of the game, this time connecting with Jevon Jackson from 22 yards and putting the Miners in front 17-14 with 25 ticks left before the break.
 
The second half began with FIU coming up short on a fourth and one attempt at its own 48.  UTEP followed by moving the ball 22 yards on five plays before posting the first points of the second half on a 44-yard field goal by Flabiano, increasing its lead to 20-14 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
 
Consecutive interceptions led to the Panthers jumping back in front 21-20 late in the third quarter.  Jones threw a pass that was picked off by UTEP’s Lantz Russell at the UTEP 26. 
 
The Panthers returned the favor one play later when junior Bobby Salla Jr. snagged his first career interception and returned it 32 yards to the UTEP eight-yard line.  FIU junior running back Kejon Owens punched it in from eight yards out a play late to put the Panthers up one entering the final quarter.
 
UTEP reclaimed the lead on its next drive as it marched 76 yards on 10 plays – 56 of which came on the ground including a one-yard touchdown rush by Jevon Jackson – making the score 27-21 with 11:29 left.
 
The Miners added a 39-yard field goal with 2:30 left for the final points of the contest.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers return home next week to take on Sam Houston on Tuesday, Oct. 22 for Vice Night beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium.
 
The game will be televised to a national audience on ESPNU.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• FIU freshman Josiah Taylor blocked a punt at the 13:07 mark of the first period – it was the first of his career.
• FIU junior JoJo Evans finished with 19 tackles – which is tied for the third-highest single game total in program history.
• FIU junior JoJo Evans forced a fumble which was recovered by senior CJ Christian at the 3:56 mark of the first quarter – setting FIU up at the UTEP 38.
• FIU sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins tossed his sixth interception of the season late in the first quarter – it was returned 84 yards to the FIU 10 by UTEP’s Dorian Hopkins.
• Jenkins was injured on the interception return and left the game.
• FIU sophomore quarterback Amari Jones completed his first collegiate TD pass on a 33-yard strike to Eric Rivers in the second quarter.
• Jones entered today’s game with one career completion – he finished tonight’s contest 6-of-11 for 92 yards and a touchdown.
• FIU junior Eric Rivers caught his team-leading fourth TD catch in the second quarter.
• FIU junior Bobby Salla Jr. snagged the first interception of his career with 43 seconds left in the third quarter and ran it back 32 yards to set up a FIU touchdown one play later.
• FIU’s backup quarterback Amari Jones was injured on a sack with 6:31 left in regulation.
• The game featured a total of five lead changes.
  
  

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