Tag: FIU

Dec 21, 2019; Montgomery, Alabama, USA; Fiu Golden Panthers place kicker Jose Borregales (30) reacts after missing a field goal late in the 4th quarter against Arkansas State Red Wolves at Cramton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Shorthanded FIU forced to cancel game with La. Tech

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Saturday’s game between Florida International University and Louisiana Tech has been canceled due to a shorthanded position group impacted by COVID-19 on the Panthers team.

“Due to FIU football’s lack of available healthy players at a key position, the Nov. 28 game against Louisiana Tech has been canceled,” was the extent of the statement released by FIU on Monday.

The Conference USA game will not be rescheduled. FIU is 0-3 in the East division; the Bulldogs are 3-2 in the West.

It’s the fourth straight week that La. Tech has had a game postponed or canceled outright, due to the pandemic. The Bulldogs haven’t played since Oct. 31.

“This is a disappointing announcement for our program and our fan base, but we understand that FIU is protecting their student-athletes,” La. Tech athletic director Eric Wood said in a statement. “We were really hoping to get back on the football field this coming weekend and allow our student-athletes to compete and represent their university. However, these things are out of our control with testing and contract tracing.”

La. Tech is scheduled to play North Texas in a makeup game on Dec. 3. That game was postponed from Nov. 7 due to COVID complications in the Mean Green program.

The cancellation marks the sixth postponement or cancellation for FIU. The Panthers are scheduled to play at Charlotte on Dec. 5.

–Field Level Media

Sep 1, 2018; Miami, FL, USA; FIU Golden Panthers place kicker Jose Borregales (30) wears a decal on back of helmet to honor Conference USA commissioner Mike Slive, who passed away in May 2018 at the age of 77 of prostate cancer, during the game against the FIU Golden Panthers at Riccardo Silva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

FIU cancels game at UTEP due to COVID-19 outbreak

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Florida International and UTEP football teams both will not play for the second week in a row as a COVID-19 outbreak at FIU caused the school to cancel the scheduled Saturday game in El Paso.

The FIU athletic department issued a statement that read, “In an abundance of caution, due to the number of healthy scholarship football student-athletes available for this game, and to ensure a sufficient number moving forward, we regret to announce that we will not be playing the football game this weekend.”

The Panthers (0-3, 0-1 Conference USA) previously postponed four games this season, including their scheduled Oct. 30 contest against then-No. 19 Marshall.

The Miners (3-3, 0-2) didn’t play their scheduled game against North Texas last week with the Mean Green deciding they didn’t want to go to El Paso, where COVID-19 cases were on the rise. UTEP’s scheduled Oct. 17 game against Southern Mississippi also was postponed due to an outbreak involving the Golden Eagles.

–Field Level Media

Sep 1, 2018; Miami, FL, USA; FIU Golden Panthers place kicker Jose Borregales (30) wears a decal on back of helmet to honor Conference USA commissioner Mike Slive, who passed away in May 2018 at the age of 77 of prostate cancer, during the game against the FIU Golden Panthers at Riccardo Silva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

FIU postpones game vs. No. 19 Marshall due to outbreak

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A COVID-19 outbreak within the Florida International program prompted the Panthers to postpone their scheduled Friday home game against No. 19 Marshall.

FIU posted a statement on its website Tuesday that read, in part, “Due to FIU football’s lack of available scholarship student-athletes, the Oct. 30 game against Marshall will be postponed to a later date.

“The action follows Conference USA COVID-19 guidelines, which require a threshold for the game to be played safely. The shortage is due to quarantining of COVID-19 positive tests and contact tracing, as well as injuries.”

The Panthers got the season off to a late start when the school postponed its full fall sports calendar until late September, citing an “abundance of caution” surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. The scheduled game against Jacksonville State (home opener on Sept. 3) was pushed back to last Friday, when FIU lost 19-10, and a scheduled Sept. 12 contest at UCF was canceled.

FIU (0-3, 0-1 C-USA) subsequently postponed its scheduled Oct. 17 game at Charlotte due to COVID-19 issues.

Both the Charlotte and Marshall games might be made up the first two weekends of December, with the C-USA championship game scheduled for Dec. 18.

Marshall (5-0, 3-0) is coming off a 20-9 home win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday. All five wins have been by double digits.

–Field Level Media

Sep 19, 2020; Huntington, West Virginia, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd running back Brenden Knox (20) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

No. 19 Marshall looks to keep rolling at winless FIU

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Fresh off a fifth consecutive double-digit victory, No. 19 Marshall hits the road for the third time in four games when it takes on winless Florida International in Miami on Friday night.

The Thundering Herd (5-0, 3-0 Conference USA) got by Florida Atlantic 20-9 last weekend, holding an FBS foe to single digits for the second time this season. The Herd won 17-7 over visiting Appalachian State on Sept. 19.

“When a defense can hold a team to nine points, you’ve got a shot at winning,” coach Doc Holliday said. “We got to keep getting better. At the end of the day it’s a ‘W’. We’re happy where we are. We’re still right on track. The leadership on this team is as good as any team I’ve been a part of at Marshall or anywhere.”

Even with No. 1 receiver Broc Thompson sidelined with a foot injury, quarterback Grant Wells passed for 251 yards and two touchdowns and Brenden Knox posted his fourth consecutive triple-digit rushing game with 101 yards on 25 carries. Knox also had a 58-yard touchdown reception, taking a short pass in the flat to the house in the first quarter against FAU.

Holliday called it a “grind-it-out” victory.

“Defense played lights out again,” he said. “Just so pleased with our team to get that victory and go 5-and-0. We weren’t sure exactly what we were getting into. It was like a first game for us.”

FIU will be making its second consecutive Friday night appearance after losing 19-10 to an FCS team, Jacksonville State, at home last week. The Panthers (0-3, 0-1 C-USA) have been dealing with COVID-19 issues throughout the season after their opener was delayed to Sept. 26.

FIU lost that game 36-34 at Liberty and then lost 31-28 to visiting Middle Tennessee on Oct. 10 before their scheduled conference opener against Charlotte on Oct 17 was postponed.

Among sick or injured FIU players for the loss to Jacksonville State were left tackle D’Antne Demery, starting center Shane McGough, and running back Shaun Peterson. Peterson rushed for 117 yards in the loss to Middle Tennessee.

Veteran wide receivers Shemar Thornton and JJ Holloman and freshman Teddy Richardson also have missed time.

“Between injuries and coronavirus, we are down 24 players, and we probably lost more tonight,” coach Butch Davis said after last week’s setback. “It’s not like it’s just a sprained ankle. When you have guys having knee and shoulder surgeries, they’re not coming back.”

Davis also has been dealing with quarterback issues with a different starter for each game. Redshirt freshman Steve Norton, who started against Jacksonville State, has completed 17 of 32 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns for the season, and junior Kaylan Wiggins, the starter against Middle Tennessee, has completed only six of 19 attempts for 42 yards with an interception in two appearances.

Maryland transfer Max Bortenschlager, the opening game starter, has only three completions in nine attempts for 29 yards.

Combined, FIU’s quarterbacks are 26 of 60 for the season for 278 yards with three touchdowns against one interception.

–Field Level Media

Sep 26, 2020; Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA; Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles head coach Scotty Walden yells to his players in the third quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at M. M. Roberts Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Southern Miss-UTEP the sixth Saturday game postponed

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Saturday’s scheduled game between Southern Miss and UTEP was postponed on Friday — the sixth college football game called off this weekend because of COVID-19.

Southern Miss said the Golden Eagles have seen an increase in COVID-19 cases in the football program and are unable to travel to Texas.

“The health and safety of everyone involved continues to be our guiding force which made this decision to postpone the game the appropriate one,” Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain said in a statement. “We are disappointed for our student-athletes who will not get a chance to participate for a second straight weekend, however, we will work with UTEP, in conjunction with Conference USA, to reschedule this game for later this season.”

Southern Miss (1-3, 1-1 C-USA) also had last weekend’s game against Florida Atlantic postponed amid a COVID-19 uptick among the Owls.

A new date for the Southern Miss-UTEP game was not announced.

Southern Miss is scheduled to play at Liberty next Saturday, with UTEP scheduled to meet Charlotte that day.

Charlotte also won’t play on Saturday. On Thursday night, FIU announced its game with the 49ers was postponed because of COVID-19 cases within its program.

This is the third game called off for Charlotte (1-2, 1-1 C-USA). The 49ers’ game against North Carolina was canceled, with a postponement against Georgia State.

FIU (0-2, 0-1) has lost games against Jacksonville State and UCF.

Other games postponed this weekend: Vanderbilt vs. Missouri and Florida vs. LSU in the Southeastern Conference; Cincinnati and Tulsa in the American Athletic Conference; and Baylor vs. Oklahoma State in the Big 12.

–Field Level Media