FIU mounts comeback in season opener to beat Bryant in OT for first win in nearly a year

The FIU Panthers football team won their first game in 364 days … but they lost their starting quarterback and their star linebacker in the process

That’s the upshot of FIU’s thrilling 38-37 season-opening victory in which the Panthers defeated visiting Bryant University in overtime on Thursday night.

FIU quarterback Gunnar Holmberg left the game due to a concussion sustained with 10:43 remaining in the third quarter. FIU was trailing 16-6 when Holmberg was hit high by Bryant defensive end Chris Eaton Jr.

Panthers inside linebacker Donovan Manuel was also lost to a concussion following a collision early in the second half.

Grayson James replaced Holmberg and essentially won the game, completing 16 of 31 passes for 207 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

The two winning throws by James were a 5-yarder for the overtime touchdown and a short flip to EJ Wilson for the two-point conversion.

That gave coach Mike MacIntyre his first win at FIU. This was also FIU’s biggest comeback win since the Panthers rallied from a 17-point hole against Old Dominion in 2018.

Here are four takeaways on FIU’s victory:

▪ 1: Crucial coaching matchup: Bryant was led by Chris Merritt, who previously coached Miami’s Columbus High for 18 years. On Thursday, Merritt directed his FCS squad to the near upset.

But perhaps the score should not be such a surprise considering Bryant had the more experienced team with 19 returning starters as opposed to just three for FIU.

Bryant dominated almost the entire first half and led 16-0 after more than 29 minutes had elapsed. But Holmberg led FIU to a 14-play, 75-yard drive, culminating with a 4-yard TD toss to Lexington Joseph, who scored with just four seconds left in the first half.

FIU took its first lead at 20-16, thanks to a pair of James TD passes — 6 yards to Tyrese Chambers and 17 yards to Kris Mitchell. Both of those scores came in the fourth quarter, with the Mitchell play happening with just 8:25 remaining.

From there, it was a back-and-forth affair that saw Bryant go ahead 23-20 before FIU went on top 27-23 on a 46-yard pass to Mitchell with 4:08 remaining.

Bryant appeared to put the game away on Ishod Byarm’s 1-yard run with 43 seconds left, but FIU sent the game to OT on Chase Gabriel’s 29-yard field goal that went through the uprights as time expired in regulation.

In overtime, Bryant scored on one play, a 25-yard pass from quarterback Zev Eckhaus to Anthony Frederick, who is from Miami Central High. Frederick, who had three catches for 101 yards and two kickoff returns for 95 yards, is one of 19 South Florida players on Bryant’s roster.

His score led to Chambers’ second TD and MacIntyre’s decision to go for two points, which he said was based on not being able to stop Bryant on its last three drives.

“[FIU offensive coordinator David Yost] said he had the perfect play [for the two-point conversion],” MacIntyre said. “I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ Sure enough, he did have the perfect play.”

The play was for the receivers to clear out, allowing Wilson to catch his short toss underneath while coming out of the backfield.

2: Homecoming for James: With Holmberg likely out for at least one week while he recovers from his concussion, James is poised to make the first start of his collegiate career on Sept. 10 at Texas State, which is located in San Marcos.

“Going home is always fun,” said James, who grew up about 220 miles away in the Dallas area. “You’re going to have your people, more people than usual. I’m not going to lie, I’m looking forward to the [Texas] food, too, because I definitely miss that.”

▪ 3: Concussion concerns: MacIntyre said Holmberg and Manuel would be re-evaluated often, starting with Friday.

“Gunnar has a concussion — I don’t know how long he will be out,” MacIntyre told the media. “We also lost our best inside linebacker [Manuel]. They will go through the (concussion) protocol, and we will see if they are able to get back within a week or not.

“Having a little bit more time [the next game is in eight days] helps us.”

▪ 4: Luck on FIU’s side: After having the misfortune of injuries and COVID disrupt things the past two years — helping to result in 18 losses in the Panthers’ previous 19 games, all under previous coach Butch Davis — perhaps luck has returned to FIU.

For starters, on the last play of the first half, Bryant nearly had a touchdown on a kickoff return by Frederick, who had crossed midfield when he tripped.

Secondly, FIU went 4 for 6 on fourth down, including the 46-yard TD pass to Mitchell, who was somehow alone at the 22 when he caught the pass from James.

Third, the game would have ended in the final minute on a fourth-down incompletion by James to Ross Fournet. Fortunately for FIU, Bryant’s Chris Yates was called for targeting, giving the Panthers a first down.

Finally, the overtime TD pass to Chambers came on another fourth-down play.

“Our kids kept playing hard,” MacIntyre said. “They kept believing, and they kept fighting.”