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FIU fends off Bryant in a overtime thriller to start the 2022 season
Florida International sophomore quarterback Grayson James, looking to ice the game for the
Golden Panthers, threw it towards heavily contested sophmore running back EJ Wilson Jr.
Wilson snatched the ball mid air and held on as he stood upon the 4,000 plus in attendance to
give FIU its first win in the Macintyre era.
FIU(1-0)defeated Bryant University(0-1) Thursday in an overtime thriller that saw the Panthers
comeback after being down early, 38-37. It is FIU’s first win in 364 days.
On the first offensive drive of the game for the Bulldogs, senior running back Ishod Byarm ran
into the end zone to give Bryant the lead early, 6-0.
Bryant, viewed as the underdogs, continued to extend the lead as the Panthers offense
struggled to move the ball towards the Bulldogs side of the field.
After senior tight end Jihad Edmond bulldozed his way through the FIU defense to score
another Bryant touchdown, lowering his shoulder into two Panthers to break the end zone
plane, the Panthers were down 16-0 with two minutes remaining in the first half.
However, graduate student quarterback Gunnar Holmberg orchestrated a two-minute drill before
the end of the second quarter to bring FIU within scoring range at the four yard line.
With 12 seconds to spare in the half, the Duke transfer lobbed it up to junior running back
Lexington Joseph as he beat out Bryant linebacker Ryan Saddler to the corner of the end zone
to score the Panthers first points of the 2022 season.
As FIU looked to turn the page in the second half, injuries struck the team in the third quarter.
Holmberg was hit high by Bryant defensive end Chris Eaton Jr., causing the starting quarterback
to leave the game due to a concussion. Panthers junior inside linebacker Donovan Manuel
would also follow the same fate, getting a concussion in a collision early in the third quarter.
Down two starters, the FIU defense continued to wither away as the Bulldogs offense marched
into another first and goal situation midway in the third.
Byarm, looking to punch in another rushing touchdown in close range, had the ball knocked out
of his arms as the Panthers quickly surrounded the ball at the goal line. The spark that FIU
needed.
With the defense now in a confident groove, the Panthers went on to shut out the Bulldogs in
the third quarter, collecting two turnovers after a strip sack by redshirt junior linebacker Shaun
Peterson Jr. on Bryant quarterback Gage Moloney.
Replacing Holmberg, sophomore quarterback Grayson James stepped up to the challenge for
the Panthers comeback.
James to start the fourth quarter went on a drive to score the first points of the second half,
targeting senior wide receiver Tyrese Chambers for a short bubble screen conversion for a
touchdown.
After a 17-yard dart thrown to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Kris Mitchell, the Panthers
grabbed its first lead of the night, 20-16.
The lead would be exchanged three times through the fourth, seeing the second touchdown’s of
the day for both Mitchell and Byarm.
With 43 seconds remaining in the game, Bryant led 30-27 and seemed on the verge of
completing the upset against FIU on the road.
However, on the Panthers last offensive drive of regulation, James led his team down the field
into field goal range after a completion to Mitchell, placing sophomore kicker Chase Gabriel for
a 29 yard field goal. With ease, he kicked the ball right through the uprights.
With the score tied 30 a piece, FIU and Bryant went into overtime.
Similar to the first drive of the game, Bryant immediately got themselves on the board in
overtime as sophomore quarterback Zevi Eckhaus threw to wide receiver Anthony Frederick for
a 25 yard touchdown in the only spot that his receiver could grab it.
With the Bulldogs' point after good following the Frederick touchdown to give Bryant a 37-30
lead, the Panthers needed to respond with a touchdown to stay in the game.
After two plays that led to only a few yards, Chambers ran a vertical route on third down. In a
home run shot by James to Chambers, the JUCO product was successful in forcing defensive
back Braden Sayles into a pass interference call. Setting up FIU at the 11 yard line.
Struggling to run the ball in to score, a fourth and goal attempt by the Panthers resulted in the
roars at FIU Stadium as James threw a fade route to Chambers for a touchdown. Now, down a
point, head coach Mike Macintyre needed to decide if he wanted to continue the back and forth
with Bryant to a second overtime, or finish the game right now with a two point conversion.
“Coach Yost (FIU’s offensive coordinator) said he had the perfect play,” Macintrye said. “I said,
let's do it. Sure enough, he did have the perfect play.”
Trusting his offensive coordinator, Macintrye sent out his offense back to the field to finish the
game in a do-or-die situation to win it with a two point conversion.
As the ball was snapped to the hands of James in an empty backfield, he tossed the ball to
Wilson as the running back caught it walking into the end zone, winning the game for the
Panthers, 38-37.
James, joining the game in the middle of the third quarter, threw four touchdowns and 207
yards. All touchdowns being received by Chambers(2) and Mitchell(2).
FIU will travel to San Marcos, Texas, to face the Texas State Bobcats Saturday at 7 p.m.
Written by: Brandon Hernandez
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