Christian Alexander leads the FIU Panthers to a record-setting victory in Bahamas Bowl
Christian Alexander knew a moment like Friday could have been awaiting him since the FIU Panthers began preparing for the Bahamas Bowl earlier this month. Alexander knew, of course, what the diagnosis was for James Morgan’s right tricep, so the redshirt junior anticipated getting the call to start against the Toledo Rockets in the Bahamas.
On Thursday, it all became official. Butch Davis publicly named Alexander his starter and about 24 hours later the coach was fighting back tears at his postgame press conference as he talked about the quarterback. Alexander had just made his first career start and guided Florida International to a program-record ninth victory with a 35-32 win against Toledo.
“As a parent and as a coach, you want players that absolutely put the entire football team ahead of their own playing ability and those kinds of things,” Davis said. “The love that he has for his teammates and what he did today, there was no doubt that he was going to play as well as he did today.”
Morgan finished the regular season by winning a trophy — Conference USA’s Newcomer of the Year. After just one start, Alexander got to hoist a trophy of his own, too. The quarterback took home offensive MVP honors for the bowl game, completing 17 of 26 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown, and adding another 83 rushing yards on only 11 carries.
The running ability was always the dimension FIU (9-4, 6-2) knew he could bring. The Panthers alternated quarterbacks this year, particularly early in the season, forcing opponents to contend with contrasting styles. Morgan is a statue, who netted negative rushing yardage this season and never went for more than 13 in a game. Alexander had his moments as a runner, including a 56-yard day against against the UMass Minutemen in September.
Alexander never got chances like he did Friday, though. The quarterback spent the spring as the Panthers’ starter before Morgan beat him out for the starting job in the fall after he transferred from the Bowling Green Falcons. It left Alexander prepared to take the reins and he pieced together enough to squeak past the Rockets (7-6, 5-3 Mid-American) in front of 13,510 at Thomas Robinson Stadium.
“I knew what it was,” Alexander said at the postgame press conference in Nassau. “I knew I had to carry the reins.”
Early on, Alexander carried FIU with his legs. Late in the second quarter, Alexander ripped off a 41-yard run down the left sideline to move the Panthers across midfield and within striking distance for him to throw his lone touchdown pass, a 36-yarder to tight end Sterling Palmer to cap a seven-play, 96-yard drive and give FIU the lead for the first time at 14-10.
In the third quarter, Alexander used his legs again. A 13-yard scramble up the middle once again pushed the Panthers across midfield and set up Anthony Jones for a 30-yard touchdown run, giving the Panthers back a 21-17 lead.
The touchdown was one of three for the running back, who was playing in just his fifth game since being wounded in a September drive-by shooting. The redshirt junior finished with a game-high 92 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries.
“We went out with a bang for our seniors, man, for our guys won’t be with us next year,” the Central alumnus said at the postgame press conference. “This was for them guys. We’re just extremely happy.”
But to win the game, Alexander had to trust his arm. Faced with a third and 9 from his own 31-yard line with a 28-25 lead and 3:20 remaining, Alexander went deep to wide receiver Bryce Singleton, who won a jump ball to extend the game-sealing drive.
Davis needed him to make one more throw, though. The coach brought out his offense for a fourth-and-6 play at Toledo’s 33-yard line and Rockets coach Jason Candle called a timeout with 2:45 to go to set up his defense. Davis brought the offense out again, trusting his backup quarterback to get the 6 yards he needed.
On the left of the formation, FIU ran two slant patterns. On the right, wide receiver Tony Gaiter IV ran an option route. Had Toledo played man-to-man defense, Alexander was to throw a slant, but he read the Rockets’ zone and Gaiter found space. Alexander made the throw to effectively clinch the game, then Jones ran in a 35-yard touchdown to truly end it.
“He’s worked hard the entire season,” Davis said. “He’s always had an unbelievable, upbeat, positive attitude and I couldn’t be prouder of Christian Alexander.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2018 at 4:23 PM.