Ty Son Lawton rushed for a pair of touchdowns as Indiana beat Florida International 31-7 in Bloomington, Ind., on Saturday afternoon in the season opener for both teams.
It marked the Hoosiers’ first victory under first-year coach Curt Cignetti, who was debuting with his new team after spending the previous five seasons at James Madison. The Dukes went 52-9 with Cignetti at the helm.
Lawton went for 74 yards on 16 carries to complement an efficient performance from Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourke. Rourke completed 15 of 24 passes for 180 yards and a TD.
Elijah Green finished with 82 yards and a TD on just five touches for Indiana, which outgained the Panthers 414-182.
Keyone Jenkins threw for 129 yards and a score on 20-of-29 passing as Florida International lost for the fourth time in four all-time meetings with the Hoosiers. Jenkins was picked off once.
Indiana put together a monster drive in the second quarter, eating 8:05 of clock by going 93 yards in 16 plays. Lawton punctuated the march with a 2-yard scamper to the end zone, giving the Hoosiers a 21-0 cushion.
FIU answered with its first sustained drive, finally getting on the board when Jenkins connected with Rocky Beers for a 7-yard TD with 48 seconds left in the first half.
A 35-yard field goal from Nicolas Radicic pushed Indiana’s lead to 24-7 with 5:55 to play in the third quarter.
The Panthers’ comeback hopes officially died when the Hoosiers stopped Florida International on fourth-and-19 with 5:26 left in the game.
Green closed the scoring by bursting up the middle for a 51-yard TD with 1:06 remaining.
Rourke opened the scoring with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Zach Horton with 9:14 left in the first quarter.
The Hoosiers went up 14-0 with 1:23 remaining in the frame, as Lawton rushed for a 13-yard score to cap a nine-play, 76-yard drive.
Indiana racked up 23 first downs to FIU’s 13.
–Field Level Media