With resurrected bowl hopes and a two-game win streak on the line, Duke will look to continue its recent improvement as it squares off against Florida International Saturday night in Miami.
For the Blue Devils (2-2), the matchup represents a much greater challenge than previously expected. The Golden Panthers (3-1) come into Saturday already sporting impressive victories over Louisville and Central Florida, and will be inspired by the hostile road environment of FIU Stadium.
“We’re playing a very fast team in Florida International,” head coach David Cutcliffe said. “[And] we’re going to have to play our best football against a team that knows how to win.”
The defending Sun Belt Conference champions from a season ago, Florida International has built a strong resume early in the season. Using speed to overcome more physically oriented opponents, the Golden Panthers earned their first-ever victory over a BCS conference team in a road upset of Louisville three weeks ago. Going into last week’s loss against Louisiana-Lafayette, Florida International received votes in both national polls.
“It’s the best start we’ve ever had as a program,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “We’ve essentially started 0-4 or 1-3 the previous five seasons, so we have an opportunity to be a great football team…. [And] the opportunity to play a team from a BCS conference, a BCS program, for us it doesn’t get any more exciting than that.”
Offensively, Florida International is led by the play of senior wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who has racked up 395 receiving yards and three touchdown catches so far this season. In the Golden Panthers’ upset of the Cardinals, Hilton paved the way to victory with over 200 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. For Duke to win Saturday, the secondary will need to keep track of him throughout the entirety of the game.
Florida International’s corps of running backs will also be troublesome for the Blue Devils. Sophomore Kedrick Rhodes has accumulated 339 rushing yards on 4.8 yards per carry this season, and leads the Sun Belt with five touchdowns. Spelling him is senior teammate Darriet Perry, who has recorded 131 yards on 3.5 yards per carry, and is tied for second in conference with three rushing scores.
“We’re built a little better for those teams than some of the big physical teams that we play,” he said. “That’s what our 4-2-5 is built for. We’ll look to have those matchups in our favor.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the Golden Panthers are led by sophomore defensive back Sam Miller. The Miami, Fla., native has already recorded three sacks on the season, good enough for second in the Sun Belt. Beyond Miller, the team also sports an array of quick cornerbacks and position players in the secondary.
“They’re probably the fastest team we’ve seen so far this year at just about every position,” Duke quarterback Sean Renfree said. “They like to mix up what they do, they have a lot of stunts, and it’s going to come down to execution.”
For Duke to pull out the win Saturday, it will need to execute with a similar procession that marked its performance last week against Tulane. Opening with solid possessions and setting the tone early will be critical in taking the Florida International crowd out of the game, at a stadium referred to as “The Cage.” If Renfree can continue to move the chains and give the defense rest, it will make the job of handling Florida International’s speedy offensive attack significantly easier.
Another area that Duke will need to focus on is getting to the quarterback, a difficult task after losing defensive end Kenny Anunike to a season-ending knee injury last week. Golden Panther Wesley Carroll’s 139.0 passer rating is currently the best in the Sun Belt, and he has yet to throw an interception. Forcing him to make poor decisions could prove a difference in the game.
“They’re an outstanding program,” Cutcliffe said. “Their coaching staff has done a tremendous job. It will be a big challenge…[and] it should be exciting.”
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