Paws Up Preview – FIU Football vs Jax State

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DATE – Saturday, November 22nd

TIME – 3:30 PM EST

OPPONENT – Jacksonville State Gamecocks (Conference USA)

VENUE – Pitbull Stadium (Miami, FL)

HOW TO WATCH – CBS Sports Network

ODDS – Jax State -1.5

Here we are, folks. The 5-5 FIU Sunblazers Panthers are ONE WIN AWAY from going to their first bowl game since 2019. Under a new head coach, this team is one win away from having its best season in recent memory.

How did they get here? Well, they’ve won two straight, including their Homecoming matchup against Liberty. With Joe Pesansky at the helm, FIU bent but didn’t break on both sides of the ball. It came down to overtime, but they got the job done. It turns out, this team can win in the clutch.

“We talked about building a winning streak here at Pitbull Stadium, and that was a great step in establishing that,” said Head Coach Willie Simmons. “We were able to celebrate it. But as we all know, it was short-lived. We got right back to work the next day. We take on the number one team in the conference, the top rushing attack in the conference, the leading rusher, the leading quarterback, and a team that’s playing really good football in Jacksonville State.”

Now, hold on. We haven’t gotten that sixth win yet. In their way now are the 7-3 Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Stop me if you’ve heard this before – FIU has to take on the #1 team in Conference USA.

Even their season finale at Sam Houston isn’t looking like a guaranteed win anymore. So if the Panthers were to get the job done on Senior Day, it would mean the world for this program. But can they actually get it done?

That’s What We’ve Been Waiting For!

Is that another snapped losing streak I smell?

Yes, it was a long time coming for FIU’s first win against Liberty. It didn’t come easy, and it looked like we were in for an old-fashioned shootout on offense. But with some second-half adjustments, the Panthers swooped in and limited the Flames to six points in the second half.

Sometimes you have to fall to rise back up. We're still writing our own legacy.

FIU vs Liberty Cinematic Recap 🎥

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— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) November 20, 2025

And Joe Pesansky continues to shine, so this might be it for the Keyone Jenkins era at FIU. The Holy P has the hot hand and is being smart with where he throws and how he runs. Even in disastrous situations – including his first snap in overtime – he doesn’t overreact and go overboard with playmaking. That’s the sign of a QB who deserves to lead this team to a bowl game.

Joe’s 206 passing yards and two touchdowns came against one of the best defenses in CUSA. Overall, this team is playing its best football at the moment. With a chance at six wins on the line, that’s a GREAT thing. They’ll need it, too, with what’s in store.

Getting Tired Of Facing The Run?

Too bad, you’ll be getting more of that.

When you look up who has the most rushing yards in FBS right now… It’s Ahmad Hardy at Missouri. But right under him? Cam Cook, Jax State’s star running back, with 1,313 yards and 13 touchdowns. This will obviously be the toughest back FIU will face this season, but how ready are they?

What A Night‼️#EmbraceTheGrind | #AKC pic.twitter.com/jQ3Q0FbnKr

— Jax State Football (@JaxStateFB) November 17, 2025

Well, they just faced Evan Dickens, who has the third-most rushing yards in CUSA. And they limited him to 106 yards. Who’s in second place? None other than Kejon Owens, whom Coach Simmons remarked as having a similar playstyle to Cook.

Look away from Cook, and Jax State has a one-two punch at the QB position. Caden Creel and Gavin Wimsatt are decent passers, but they excel in leaving the pocket. They happen to have the second and third-most rushing yards (730 and 245) for Jax State, respectively.

This is because the Gamecocks have the worst passing offense in CUSA, only averaging 157.9 yards per game. If they’re forced to pass, FIU’s secondary can make them pay.

On defense, Jax State struggles against the pass – the 10th-worst pass defense in CUSA. If Pesansky can excel against Liberty’s pass defense (The best in the conference), then they can make some more magic happen against the Gamecocks.

Who Wins – FIU or Jax State?

Both teams are entering this game red-hot, but there’s a difference here. Jax State is the #1 team in the conference for a reason. They’ve beaten some of the best teams the conference has to offer just to get here – Liberty, Delaware, and Kennesaw State.

The truth is, I think Cook is a different animal than any back FIU has faced this season. I don’t think he’ll have a career day against the Panthers, but he will still do enough to keep Jax State on top in this game.

On the bright side, I think the game will be close. Pesansky should have another fine game. And this isn’t the end of the world for FIU if they lose. They’ll have to head to Houston for a matchup against the 2-8 Bearkats, a much easier challenge for that coveted sixth win.

But jeez, wouldn’t it be sweet to clinch a spot in a bowl game on Senior Day?

JACKSONVILLE STATE – 42

FIU – 35

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