FIU using bye week to recover after worst performance of the season
Turnovers, penalties, issues with the punt game and trouble stopping the opponent on third down …
All of that combined to doom FIU on Saturday night as the host Panthers lost to Conference USA rival Delaware, 38-16.
It was the most disappointing game of the season for FIU (2-2, 0-1).
The Panthers are off next Saturday. Their next game is Oct. 4 at Connecticut at 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
FIU coach Willie Simmons hinted after the Delaware game that his star cornerback Brian Blades II and starting linebacker Percy Courtney Jr. should return from injury in time to play Connecticut. Simmons is also hopeful that wide receiver Juju Lewis will be ready for the Huskies.
Here are your five takeaways:
1: PANTHERS PROBLEMS: FIU quarterback Keyone Jenkins threw one touchdown pass and was intercepted twice.
“On the first [interception], I think [Jenkins] lost sight of the cornerback,” Simmons said. “He threw the ball too flat instead of putting more air on it because he had a receiver open.”
On the second interception, Simmons said Delaware bluffed as if an all-out blitz was coming before falling back into coverage and making the pick.
“Delaware did a good job of disguising,” Simmons said. “Teams are not going to be stagnant and stay in one coverage. [Jenkins] is capable of playing much better ball than he is right now.”
Indeed, Jenkins has more interceptions (three) than TD passes (two) so far this season. And he is on track for what would be a career-high 12 picks.
Defensively, FIU allowed Delaware to convert 11 of 16 third downs. Delaware also converted 1 of 2 fourth downs and five times in six trips to the the red zone.
“That’s a recipe for disaster,” Simmons said. “For the first time all year, I think we got outcoached and outplayed.”
2: PANTHERS PROBLEMS PART 2: Delaware played disciplined football, getting penalized just twice for 10 yards.
FIU, meanwhile, was penalized seven times for 68 yards. Some of the big penalties that went against FIU included two pass-interference calls and a defensive holding.
Simmons said injuries – such as the one to Blades – are a factor in the penalties.
3: PUNTING PROBLEMS: In his past two games, FIU’s Trey Wilhoit has had one punt blocked by FAU and one returned for a TD by Delaware.
“We have to get Trey’s confidence back,” Simmons said. “We have a tremendous weapon at punter (in Wilhoit).”
On the punt return, Simmons said there were five FIU players in position, but none of them made the tackle.
4: THE NATURAL: A bright spot for FIU was running back Kejon Owens, who rushed 15 times for a game-high 74 yards.
For the season, Owens leads FIU with 396 rushing yards in four games.
That’s more yards than he had all last season in 11 games. And it’s also just 57 yards short of his career high, set in 2023.
Owens, listed at 5-11 and 210 pounds, is a sixth-year player from Miami Central.
“He has a great combination of skills,” Simmons said recently. “He’s sturdy and compact with good functional speed and good balance. He can square his shoulders, get downhill and break tackles.
“If you have to teach a player to be a running back, he probably won’t be very good. KJ [Owens] was born to play running back.”
Simmons, who is in his first year at FIU, said he knew coming out of spring ball that Owens was one of the best players on the team, regardless of position.
“If he’s rolling,” Simmons said, “we have a chance to be very good.”
5: OTHER BRIGHT SPOTS: Backup running back Anthony Carrie had the best game of his career, gaining 73 yards on six carries. That included a 53-yard run that led to a TD.
In addition, wide receiver Alex Perry caught five passes for a career-high 84 yards and one touchdown.
On defense, Johnny Chaney Jr. made a game-high 13 tackles; Olasunkonmi Agunloye picked up his team-high second sack of the season, and Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine picked off a pass.
Chaney is tied with fellow linebacker Josiah Taylor for the team high in tackles this year (30).
This story was originally published September 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM.