FIU needs answers after 8th loss in row
Florida International University’s decline continued on Saturday night.
The Panthers got blown out at home 47-24 by the Old Dominion University Monarchs.
FIU (1-8 overall, 0-5 Conference USA) has lost 15 of its past 16 games, including eight in a row. FIU has also lost 15 consecutive games against FCS teams, with its last victory in that category coming on Nov. 23, 2019 against Miami.
On Saturday night, FIU quarterback Max Bortenschlager completed 18of-32 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also threw an interception that was returned for a back-breaking
ODU score.
FIU wide receiver Bryce Singleton caught six passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. FIU running back D’vonte Price rushed 10 times for 45 yards, but he didn’t play the second half due to an unspecified injury.
Panthers coach Butch Davis indicated, however, that Price’s injury is not serious.
For ODU, quarterback Hayden Wolff completed 22-of-42 passes for 283 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Blake Watson rushed 28 times for 158 yards and two scores, and tight end Zack Kuntz caught nine passes for 102 yards and one TD.
Old Dominion, which led 10-0 after its first two possessions, never trailed on its way to a 24-10 halftime advantage.
The Monarchs opened with a five-play, 62-yard drive that was capped by Wolff’s 20-yard TD pass to Kuntz.
After FIU tight end Rivaldo Fairweather fumbled at the Panthers’ 31, ODU settled for Nick Rice’s career-long 50-yard field goal.
FIU cut its deficit to 10-7 on Bortenschlager’s 46yard TD pass to Tyrese Chambers. The ODU defender slipped and fell just before the Chambers reception.
ODU surged ahead 17-7 on Elijah Davis’ 61-yard run. Davis finished with
114 yards on 10 carries.
Bortenschlager’s 55-yard pass to Singleton gave FIU a first-and-goal at ODU’s three-yard line. But after a one-yard run and two incompletions, FIU settled for a 21-yard Chase Gabriel field goal and a 17-10 deficit.
ODU closed the first-half scoring, as Watson converted a third-and-one with a three-yard TD run.
The teams traded longdistance TDs in the third quarter. Wolff connected with Darius Savedge for 63 yards, and Bortenschlager countered with a 65-yard pass play to Singleton, cutting FIU’s deficit to 30-17.
But Bortenschlager threw that pick-six to ODU’s DeeVe Harris, who ran it back 40 yards with 14:46 left in the fourth quarter, clinching the game for the Monarchs.
FIU’s final score came from its backup quarterback, true freshman Grayson James, who tossed a 13-yard TD pass to Singleton in the right flat with 5:59 left in the game.