A night in Miami
UTSA travels to Miami to take on the Florida International Panthers
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UTSA continues its farewell tour to start Conference USA play by playing another team that the Roadrunners will wave goodbye to as UTSA heads to the American Athletic Conference in 2023.
This week it is the Florida International Panthers who will welcome UTSA to Miami one last time before the Roadrunners depart for the AAC. It will be the Roadrunners first trip to FIU since 2017 but a lot has changed for both programs since the last time UTSA traveled to Miami. More on that later but first a look at who UTSA will be going up against.
Like UTSA, Florida International University was a creation of the 1960s. The school was created by the Florida Legislature in 1965. That same year Florida International began playing sports in division II. From 1965 to 1987 the FIU teams were known as the Sunblazers. In 1987 the mascot changed to the Golden Panthers. In 1988 FIU moved up to Division I
UTSA had a hand in FIU moving into its first conference. The departure of the Roadrunners from the Trans American Athletic Conference (now known as the Atlantic Sun Conference) after the 1990-91 season allowed a spot to open up that was filled by Florida International. FIU stayed in the TAAC until the 1997-98 academic year.
FIU joined the Sun Belt in the fall of 1998 and would remain there for most of its sports until the 2012-13 academic year. FIU football began as an FCS independent in 2002 and in 2004 moved up to the FBS level. At the time it was the fastest climb by a startup program (Later surpassed by UTSA in 2012).
Since starting football in 2002, FIU has an all-time record of 72-157. The Panthers had 10 wins vacated from the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons because of NCAA infractions. If those were included the Panthers all-time mark would be 82-157.
| FIU | UTSA | |
|---|---|---|
|
Year school was founded |
1965 |
1969 |
|
First year of football |
2002 |
2011 |
|
Record since 2011 |
51-83 |
68-70 |
|
Last week |
L 33-12 v. Connecticut |
W 31-28 v. WKU |
|
Next Week |
Oct. 22 at Charlotte 2:30 p.m. CDT |
Oct. 22 v. North Texas 2:30 p.m. CDT |
A chance for the Roadrunners to put up some points
This year's version of FIU is 2-3. The Panthers opened the season with a 38-37 win over FCS-member Bryant in overtime. A week later FIU was clobbered in San Marcos by Texas State 41-12. It got worse for FIU before it got better. After losing at Texas State, FIU was shutout 73-0 in the conference opener at home against Western Kentucky. FIU did get their first win over an FBS school since November 2019 when they beat New Mexico State 21-7 on Oct. 1 before losing to UConn 33-12 last week.
UTSA will arrive in Miami with a 4-2 record and 2-0 in conference play. The Roadrunners will be looking to start 3-0 in conference for the second straight season.
Through the first five games the Panthers are averaging just 16.6 points per game and giving up 38.2 points per game. UTSA on the other side is scoring an average of 37.3 points per game and giving up 33 points per game. There is a chance the Roadrunners could improve on their scoring average this weekend.
On offense the Roadrunners have averaged 498.3 yards per game and allowed 447.8 yards per game on defense. UTSA's passing attack is averaging 350.3 yards per game and the Roadrunners ground game is averaging 148 yards per game. Defensively the Roadrunners have allowed opponents to average 273.5 yards passing per game and 174.3 yards rushing per game.
FIU counters with an offense that averages 325.6 yards per game. The Panthers throw for 224.6 yards per game and run for 101 yards per game. The FIU defense is allowing opponents an average of 446.6 yards per game. Opponents of FIU are passing for 259.8 yards per game and running for 186.8 yards per game.
NOTABLE PLAYERS
Six games into the season UTSA quarterback Frank Harris is fourth in the country for passing yards with 1,997. Harris needs just 151 yards to move into the top five in UTSA history for passing yards in a season. He should be able move past 2011 Eric Soza into the top five this weekend. It could be a rough week for Soza as Harris needs just two touchdowns to move past the Roadrunners first quarterback for fifth most touchdowns in a single season. Soza threw 14 in 10 games in 2011. Harris, who set the school mark with 27 last year, has 13 this season.
FIU's quarterback, Grayson James, will be making his fifth start of the season on Friday night. James has completed 100 of 162 passes for 919 yards and seven touchdowns.
Like Harris, the Roadrunner receiving corps is making a run at setting new records again this season. DeCorian "JT" Clark has led the Roadrunner receiving corps this season with 618 yards and seven touchdowns on 39 catches. Clark is just 65 yards away from fifth most yards in a season in UTSA history and 77 yards away from fourth most in a season. Zakhari Franklin has caught 43 passes for 586 yards and six touchdowns. Joshua Cephus leads in receptions with 44 while racking up 549 yards and two touchdowns.
Last season Franklin set new school records for receptions (81), yards (1,027) and touchdowns (12). Each one of those records could be surpassed by any one of the Roadrunner's trinity of receivers.
FIU's leading receiver is Tyrese Chambers who was injured in the loss to Connecticut on Saturday. Chambers had 27 catches for 262 yards and three touchdowns. FIU will likely call on a trio of Jalen Bracey (17 catches, 126 yards, one touchdown), Josiah Miamen (13 catches, 122 yards) and Dean Patterson (eight catches, 106 yards) to fill the shoes of Chambers if Chambers is unable to go on Friday night.
UTSA's running attack is starting to pick up steam as the season goes along. Last week was UTSA's best week on the ground this season. Brendan Brady leads the Roadrunners with 98 carries for 386 yards and five touchdowns. Trelon Smith has 45 carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Harris has also contributed to UTSA's ground attack with 52 carries for 254 yards and five touchdowns.
FIU's running game is led by Lexington Joseph. Joseph has 43 carries for 235 yards and last week scored his first touchdown of the season. EJ Wilson has 34 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers.
Prediction time
This will be UTSA's first trip to FIU since 2017 and the first time playing them since 2018. A lot has changed since then. In 2017 and 2018 the Panthers led by Butch Davis beat the Roadrunners led by Frank Wilson. The 2017 game in Miami was won by the Panthers 14-7. The meeting in 2018 was played in the Alamodome and won by FIU 45-7.
These are not those Roadrunners and they will not be going against the caliber of team that those Panthers were. This is the type of game UTSA could use to get the younger players some valuable playing time but it will only be possible by getting out to a big lead early.
UTSA is heavily favored in this one and will have a chance to put up some points on the Panthers. It could be the kind of game that sees the second unit come in for a good amount of time in the second half.
My Pick: UTSA 50 FIU 14
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