The Liberty Flames will travel to the Sunshine State to defend their undefeated season against the FIU Golden Panthers.
The Flames and Panthers will showdown on Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium in Miami, Florida on Sept. 23 at 6:30PM. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and LFSN Radio (The Journey 88.3 FM).
FIU Stadium was the first dedicated sports facility at Florida International University (FIU). Construction on the stadium formally began in 1994 and the facility opened a year later as a 7,500-seat track and football stadium. The stadium now has 20,000 seats.
This Saturday will be the second time these two programs have played. During the 2020 season, the Flames beat the Panthers 36-34 at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The Panthers are currently 3-1 overall. The Panthers began the season with a 22-17 loss at Louisiana Tech. In that game, Panthers’ quarterback Grayson James threw 14 passes for five completions, four yards, and one interception. James has since lost the starting position to true freshman Keyone Jenkins, who has significantly changed the Panthers’ ability to move the ball.
Mike MacIntyre, the head coach at FIU, is in his second season with the Panthers. MacIntyre led the Panthers to a 4-8 record last season.
MacIntyre played defensive back for Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech in the 1980s. MacIntyre started his coaching career with Georgia in 1990, but his longest tenure was with Colorado for the 2013-2018 seasons. The majority of MacIntyre’s career has been focused on the defensive side of the ball.
The Panthers are currently 7th in Conference USA play, having lost to Louisiana Tech in week one. The Flames are first, having beat New Mexico State in week 2. FIU is in their 11th season with Conference USA.
The last time FIU made a bowl game was the 2019 season.
Three Players to Watch For
LB #10 – Donavan Manuel was a star on the Panther’s team last season with 97 total tackles. Manuel has quickly regained his spot atop the Panther’s defensive stats with 48 total tackles (29 of those solo), 0.5 sacks, one pass defense, and three forced fumbles already this season.
WR #10 – Kris Mitchell has made big plays for the Panthers since he joined the roster. This season, Mitchell has claimed 19 receptions for 370 yards and four touchdowns.
QB #1 – Keyone Jenkins is a true freshman at FIU. Jenkins’ has thrown for 867 yards and 5 touchdowns and rushed for 64 yards and 1 touchdown through three games. He is 3-0 as a starting quarterback.
Upcoming Games
Sept. 23 – FIU vs Liberty
Oct. 4 – FIU @ New Mexico State
Oct. 11 – FIU vs UTEP
