‘Self-inflicted negatives’ cost FIU in close loss to MTSU

Florida International U admin October 21, 2026 0 Comments

‘Self-inflicted negatives’ cost FIU in close loss to MTSU

The phrase coined by FIU head coach Willie Simmons, “self-inflicted negatives,” once again proved costly for the Panthers. Mistakes in critical moments plagued FIU in a 26-23 home loss to Middle Tennessee, dropping the Panthers to 3-4 overall and 1-2 in Conference USA play.

For the second consecutive week, FIU suffered a three-point loss to a C-USA opponent, with missed scoring opportunities and pre-snap penalties continuing to haunt the Panthers.

Late in the first half, trailing 13-8, FIU had an opportunity to cut the deficit to two with a field goal. However, multiple timeouts intended to ice kicker Robert Czeremcha, along with two penalties, one on each team, delayed the attempt. When Czeremcha finally lined up, Middle Tennessee blocked the kick, leaving FIU without points on the possession.

“We have to clean up the little things, the presnap penalties because it’s been our Achilles heel,” Simmons said.

FIU’s lack of discipline also surfaced earlier in the half. Facing fourth-and-1 in MTSU territory, the Panthers committed an illegal formation penalty, pushing them back to fourth-and-6. They failed to convert, turning the ball over on downs and wasting a scoring opportunity.

Following the loss, Simmons stressed how the Panthers’ own mistakes continue to undermine their chances of winning.

“Tonight, it was FIU versus MTSU and FIU. And I told the players when that happens, it becomes increasingly difficult to win. So the next time we take the field we have to make sure it’s just FIU versus the opponent.”

Running back Devonte Lyons provided a bright spot in the defeat. Making his first start of the season with Anthony Carrie Jr. sidelined by injury, Lyons rushed for 115 yards on 19 carries and added four receptions for 32 yards. He became FIU’s first 100-yard rusher of the season and could earn a larger role moving forward.

As a team, the Panthers rushed for 168 yards on 29 carries, showing potential for a more balanced offense.

However, FIU’s defense continued to struggle after opening the season among the nation’s top 10 in total yards and points allowed. During the past two games, the Panthers have surrendered 53 points and 835 total yards, including 27 points and 387 yards against Jacksonville State and 26 points and 448 yards against Middle Tennessee.

Most alarming was FIU’s inability to stop the run. MTSU rushed for 248 yards while averaging more than 6 yards per carry.

“That was our worst tackling performance of the year, just not good football, and that’s not who we are,” Simmons said.

FIU was also without its top two tacklers in the secondary, Shamir Sterling and DeAndre Boykins, who leads the team with 37 tackles. Their absences may have contributed to the struggles, as MTSU running back Terrance Brown Jr. rushed for 158 yards on just 18 carries.

The Panthers also failed to record a sack for the first time all season, a surprising result for a defensive front that had consistently pressured opposing quarterbacks.

FIU now faces a tall task on the road against the Liberty Flames next Saturday after 11 days of rest. Liberty is 5-1 overall and leads C-USA 2-0 in conference play, setting up a critical matchup for the Panthers.

A loss would drop FIU to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in conference play, severely damaging its chances of reaching the C-USA championship game. With little room for error, the Panthers must correct their mistakes and deliver a more complete performance.

“We’re not in the driver seat anymore, but we still have to do our part. So we can’t think about the C-USA championship right now. We have to think about how we can get this football team playing better in all three phases.”