North Texas mauls FIU in Butch Davis’ final home game in charge of Panthers

If Butch Davis was frustrated about the state of FIU’s football team ahead of his last home game in charge of the program, Saturday night did very little to ease that aggravation.

FIU (1-10) was mauled in its 2021 home finale, falling 49-7 to Conference USA foe North Texas (5-6) on a stormy Senior Night at Riccardo Silva Stadium.

The rout extended the Panthers’ losing streak to 10 games, and came hours after Davis publicly vented his issues with how the FIU administration has handled a number of things in recent years.

“For a last home game and for the seniors, it is a terrible way to have to try and end the season,” said Davis of the defeat.

The Panthers were thoroughly outplayed by the Mean Green in front of a sparse crowd, whose offense put up 603 yards compared to FIU’s 245 and who jumped out to a commanding 35-0 lead at halftime.

The one-sided first half set the tone for FIU’s sixth loss this season by 23 points or more, and fourth in a row by that at least that margin.

“Everything tonight is a microscope of the things that have happened all year long,” Davis said. “The inability to protect the quarterback, quarterback under pressure, the inability to run the football, not being able to stop the run.

“It goes back 20 months or so, the beginning of some of the very, very difficult and challenging things,” added Davis. “To not have an offseason summer workout program after the 2018 season. There are so many things. It is like dominoes. You push one over and it knocks over about 20 over a long period of time.”

The lone FIU touchdown came early in the third quarter. A play-action pass from senior quarterback Max Bortenschlager resulted in sophomore wide receiver Tyrese Chambers getting enough separation down the middle to catch the ball and run in untouched for a 60-yard score.

The score was one of few bright spots for the Panthers, whose ugly night in fittingly ugly weather started early.

FIU threatened on its opening drive, getting down to the five-yard line before Bortenschlager threw an interception on the goal line that North Texas linebacker Kevin Wood returned 75 yards.

The turnover led to Mean Green points, as sophomore Austin Aune ran into the end zone on a quarterback keeper from 11 yards with 8:03 remaining in the first quarter.

“We could not catch the momentum this game,” said FIU junior cornerback Rishard Dames.

Like the buckets of rain that immediately ensued, the North Texas points poured down on the FIU defense from there.

Mean Green doubled the lead when Aune hit sophomore wide receiver Roderic Burns for a 55-yard touchdown before senior running back DeAndre Torrey broke loose for a 50-yard rushing score.

The advantage was pushed to 28-0 when Aune connected with freshman receiver Khatib Lyles for a 35-yard touchdown. Torrey then capped the scoring with a 1-yard rush in the closing seconds of the half.

Aune finished the game 6 of 12 for 219 yards and two touchdowns while Torrey ran for 109 yards on 18 carries.

Bortenschlager, who completed 15 of 32 passes for 167 yards, remained short of the Panthers’ single-season passing record. He is 95 yards shy of Alex McGough’s 2017 mark of 2,798 yards heading into next week’s finale.

The Golden Panthers will close out the year and Davis’ tenure as head coach when they travel to play Southern Miss on Nov. 27

“Of course,” said Davis when asked if he wished that things could have ended differently. “Not for me. I have been blessed. I made it to Super Bowls and national championships and coached in the NFL.”

This story was originally published November 20, 2021 at 10:52 PM.