FIU searches for bright spots after 73-0 blowout loss to Western Kentucky

Coach Mike MacIntyre’s positivity can’t be beat.

The same can’t be said about his football team, however, as the FIU Panthers suffered the worst beating in program history on Saturday, losing to host Western Kentucky, 73-0, at Bowling Green.

The 73 points allowed on Saturday are the most in FIU history. The Panthers allowed 72 to Louisville in 2013.

“You can get depressed and mad, which I will be for a minute,” MacIntyre said. “But if you get depressed, you can’t perform.

“We have to get out of it and move forward. We have to show perseverance — keep fighting, keep working, keep moving, keep recruiting, keep pushing these kids, keep loving them, keep caring for them …

“Yea, [the loss] was ugly, but there are things we can take forward.”

FIU (1-2) played its Conference USA opener without two of its top defensive players who were out due to injury: linebacker Shaun Peterson Jr. and defensive tackle Davon Strickland.

“It was rough not having them,” MacIntyre said. “They are two good football players.”

On offense, quarterback Gunnar Holmberg missed his second consecutive game. He missed last week’s loss to Texas State due to a concussion. This time, he sat out due to a shoulder injury.

Grayson James started at quarterback, completing 13 of 23 passes for 85 yards with no interceptions.

Third-string quarterback Haden Carlson completed 6 of 13 passes for 39 yards and one interception.

“We were trying to find someone to give us a spark,” MacIntyre said of his quarterbacks. “It wasn’t all their fault. We kept rotating them, but Western Kentucky pretty much dominated us.”

MacIntyre said he tried to run the ball in an effort to shorten the game, rest his defense and keep WKU’s explosive offense off the field.

Didn’t work.

FIU starting running back Lexington Joseph ran 15 times for 31 yards and a 2.1 average. EJ Wilson ran four times for 15 yards and a 3.8 average, and Kejon Owens got six carries for one yard.

Combined with quarterback runs, FIU rushed 32 times for 56 yards and a 1.8 average.

“We were trying to run the ball, be hard-headed and get better at it,” MacIntyre said. “We wanted to grind out some first downs to keep [WKU] from pass-rushing all night.”

FIU, though, got just 10 first downs, including only three on the ground.

The Panthers weren’t very successful through the air, either, as star wide receiver Tyrese Chambers was held to just one catch for 17 yards.

Chambers had entered the game leading Conference USA with an average of nine catches per contest.

WKU outgained FIU in total yards, 688 to 180. In addition, FIU went just 2 for 16 on third-down conversions.

Bright spots for FIU on Saturday were hard to find, but wide receiver Nate Jefferson caught all four passes thrown his way, earning 27 yards.

Tight end Josiah Miamen, an Iowa transfer, continues to post positive numbers, making two receptions for 19 yards, including 18 yards after the catch.

Defensively, FIU safety Demetrius Hill had a game-high 10 tackles. Cornerback Hezekiah Masses and Latarie Kinsler each had a tackle for a loss.

But the bottom line is that the Panthers have lost 20 straight games against FBS teams. That skid started under FIU’s previous coach, Butch Davis.

The only wins during that span came last year against Long Island and this year in overtime over Bryant.

MacIntyre said he was impressed with Western Kentucky (3-1, 1-0), which led 42-0 at halftime before cruising to victory.

“That’s the best team we’ve played so far this year,” MacIntyre said of WKU, which nearly beat the Indiana Hoosiers before losing in overtime the previous week. “In watching other teams on our schedule, [WKU] will be either the best or second-best team we will play all season.”

Next up, the Panthers will conclude their three-game road trip next Saturday at the New Mexico State Aggies (1-4), who are coming off a 45-26 win over Hawaii.