Five things to watch as FIU football faces a road test at Missouri State

To get back on the winning track, the FIU football team will have to stop a former teammate.

Running back Shomari Lawrence, who led FIU in rushing with 566 yards in 2023, is now a key player for the Missouri State Bears. In fact, he ranks fifth in Conference USA with 446 rushing yards.

On Wednesday night, FIU (3-4, 1-2) will visit Missouri State (4-3, 2-1) in Springfield. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

Here are your Five Things To Watch:

1. KJ IS A-OK

Panthers running back Kejon “KJ” Owens is the only running back in the nation with three games of 150-plus-yards rushing.

Owens leads C-USA with a 7.0 rushing average, and he ranks second in rushing yards (824) and rushing touchdowns (seven).

Nationally, he ranks fourth in rushing yards and ninth in average.

Owens is hoping to beat FIU’s single-season record of 1,149 rushing yards, set by Kedrick Rhodes in 2011. Alex Gardner is second on FIU’s list with 930 yards in 2016.

“KJ is everything you want in a tailback,” FIU coach Willie Simmons said. “He’s having an All-American-type year, and our offensive line takes pride in opening running lanes for him.”

2. ANOTHER NEWCOMER

While FIU is coming off a 45-26 home loss to Kennesaw State, Missouri State is on a roll. The Bears are on a two-game winning streak with victories over Middle Tennessee State (22-20) and New Mexico State (24-17 in overtime).

Missouri State is in its first season as an FBS program. The last time FIU played a first-year FBS team was on Sept. 20, losing 38-16 to Delaware.

3. THE ONLY GAME

This will be FIU’s third and final mid-week game of the season.

FIU’s media staff announced that the Panthers’ first mid-week game, at Western Kentucky, drew 500,000 TV viewers. Last week’s game against Kennesaw State drew 700,000 viewers, and Simmons loves the exposure even if it throws off his normal schedule in terms of his daily life.

“It’s fun knowing that we’re the only (football game on TV that night),” Simmons said. “I don’t know that there’s a coach in the conference who doesn’t like it. I think it’s an asset for our league.”

4. CATCHING ON

Wide receiver Maguire Anderson, who started his career at BYU, caught zero passes in 10 games for FIU last season, playing mostly special teams.

This year, Anderson is second on the Panthers in catches (16) and receiving yards (190).

“I didn’t know anything about Maguire before I got here,” first-year FIU wide receivers coach Jelani Berassa said. “But I judge all kids off what they can do – not off scholarship or what year they’re in school.

“Maguire, from the day I got here to right now, has been on point. He is accountable, he’s able to execute, and he does everything at 100 mph.”

Berassa also said that Tyson Carter – a true freshman from Orlando Edgewater High – may be the fastest and smartest of all his receivers.

But, outside of Alex Perry, who leads FIU in catches (26), receiving yards (355) and TD receptions (two), Anderson has been the biggest surprise.

“He has the ability to make tough (receptions) and run the ball after the catch,” Berassa said of Anderson. “His main attribute is that he’s a tough guy.

“Maguire is the model of a kid you want to coach.”

5. INJURY IMPACT

Simmons said cornerback Ashton Levells, who slipped to the turf last week when beaten by a double move, is back at practice and should play on Wednesday.

However, kicker Robert Czeremcha (groin injury) is questionable. If he can’t go, it’ll be Noah Grant, who went 4-for-4, including a 51-yarder, against Western Kentucky. But Grant missed a 23-yarder against Kennesaw State.

FIU should also get some help for freshman Jackson Verdugo at tight end. Braiden Staten is expected to play, and Simmons said he’s optimistic Dallas Payne will return as well.