Panther football opens with a win

Fans didn’t let a little rain get in the way of their fun as thousands turned out Sept. 1 to tailgate and watch FIU begin its defense of the Sun Belt Conference title. The Panthers responded with a win against North Texas, 41-16, on Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium, backed by a relentless running game and swarming defense. 

FIU was in control the entire game. Reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Heisman hopeful T.Y. Hilton set the evening’s tone with a 62-yard return of the opening kickoff. A few plays later, sophomore Kedrick Rhodes got the Panthers on the board with a nine-yard touchdown run.

Hilton had a stellar game, amassing 283 all-purpose yards, including 60 on a touchdown pass from Wes Carroll early in the game. The senior quarterback finished the contest completing 16-of-22 passes for 193 yards.

On the ground, Darriet Perry led the way with 94 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. Rhodes added 77 yards and another pair of scores on 16 attempts.

Defensively, Winston Fraser led all players with 11 tackles, eight of them unassisted and one for a loss. Gregory Hickman was a force on the defensive line, sacking the quarterback twice and forcing a fumble.

The Panthers scored 28 points in the first quarter – a record for the program.

The Panthers will hit the road for an out-of-conference tilt with the Louisville Cardinals on Friday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. That game can be seen on ESPN.