Week 13 - FIU @ Kennesaw State: How To Watch, Preview, Time/Date, Storylines

FIU will look to match their win marker from the 2022 and 2023 season on Saturday

Kevin Barral | Nov 21, 2024

Wide receiver Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson / FIU Athletics

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The best possible scenario for FIU at this point would be to finish the season 5-7, which would be an improvement in record from last season. That would also mean finishing 4-4 in conference play, which would be the most conference wins in the Mike MacIntyre era at FIU and the Panthers' most since 2018.

They can start that process on Saturday in their penultimate game of the year at Kennesaw State.

FIU Panthers (3-7, 2-4 Conference USA) @ Kennesaw State Owls (1-9, 1-5 Conference USA)

Date: Saturday, November 23

Time: 3:00 PM ET

Location: Fifth Third Stadium - Kennesaw, Georgia

TV: ESPN+

Radio: fiusports.com/listen and KSU Owl Network

Betting Line: FIU -8.5 on FanDuel

Storylines

Road Struggles Continue

Under MacIntyre, the Panthers are 4-13 on the road. In 2024, FIU has yet to win at an opposing team's stadium. Their last road win came in October of 2023. The last time FIU went winless on the road was in 2021, going 0-6.

A Chance At History

Wide receiver Eric Rivers currently finds himself with 930 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns this season. Rivers could become the fourth FIU receiver to finish a year with 1,000 receiving yards, but is also 188 receiving yards away from breaking the record for most receiving yards in a single-season by an FIU player. That record was set by Kris Mitchell in 2023.

Rivers' receiving touchdown in the third quarter last week was his ninth of the season, tying Tyrese Chambers for most by an FIU Panther in a single-season. Rivers will have an opportunity to be at the top of the record books with one more, becoming the first ever FIU player to have double-digit touchdowns receptions in a single season.

Need a tuddy, you can count on @eyb_3 https://t.co/cKpDT6sTTo pic.twitter.com/Qe8ifFhhkM
— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) November 16, 2024

"He just keeps improving every week," said MacIntyre. "Eric's coming to work and he's had an excellent season. Hopefully, he finishes out these last two games doing well and catching the ball, and gets over 1000 yards, which will be great."

Junior linebacker Travion Barnes is expected to play on Saturday. He is three assisted tackles away from holding the program record for most in a single season. He currently stands at 58. The total tackle record is 132, set by Sage Lewis in 2018. Barnes presently finds himself with 109 total tackles. He would get fairly close after the Kennesaw State game, with an opportunity to break the record at home against Middle Tennessee State next week.

Devonte Lyons To Get More Run

It was a surprise to most when freshman running back Devonte Lyons took the field with the offense against Jacksonville State. Now with just two games left, Lyons can get as much run as he needs while utilizing his redshirt.

First TD as a Panther for @DLyons1024 🎉 https://t.co/VaS5yzCmbw pic.twitter.com/oP01UEgVed
— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) November 16, 2024

"He has great vision," said MacIntyre. "He's able to make the second level guy miss. The safety couldn't tackle him. It happened a few different times when we got into the safety and he's the freshman that we've been bringing along and doing everything. We weren't sure early on. We didn't want to waste a redshirt year if we played him early on a couple and then didn't play him later on. We got to the four games here at the end and we started playing him with some special teams. Then last week, we had some different packages that we were having him in there and then he got hot."

The Owls Against The Run

If there's been one positive for Kennesaw State this season, it's been their success against the run game. The Owls rank fourth amongst Conference USA in run defense, allowing 170.5 yards per game.

One big hit the Owls took in the all the commotion of Brian Bohannon's firing was in their defensive line. Thomarius Walker, who prior to entering the portal this past week, was the #4 interior defender in Conference USA, according to Pro Football Focus.

Leading the way this season for the Owls is Donelius Johnson who leads the team with 75 total tackles (35 solo/40 assisted). At the moment, Johnson has not entered the transfer portal.