The Hoosiers opened the game with a long drive, gaining 25 yards and lasting 4:36, but ended by turning the ball over on downs after Sudfeld was sacked for the first time of the season.
The IU defense, which saw defensive linemen Ralph Green and Darius Latham return to the line, started by forcing a Florida International three-and-out, after the Panthers started the drive at midfield.
At the 3:37 mark in the first quarter, after a 48-yard drive from their own side of the field, FIU quarterback Alex McGough passed to leading receiver Thomas Owens, who broke a tackle by sophomore cornerback Kiante Walton, and ran 21 yards down the sidelines for the first score of the game.
The first quarter ended with the Hoosiers down seven and in FIU's end zone, with yardage totals at 87 for IU and 70 for FIU. The Panthers rushed for just nine yards in the first quarter, but McGough went 8-of-11 for 61 yards and a touchdown. Senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld recorded 39 yards on six completions.
To open the second quarter, IU sophomore kicker Griffin Oakes hit a 35-yards field goal to pull the Hoosiers within four, 7-3.
Driving down the field in the second quarter, IU's drive died in the FIU red zone, and, with 156 yards recorded, the Hoosiers had just six points to show, after Oakes hit another short field goal.
FIU responded in their next drive, though, as Owens ran by freshman Andre Brown, caught the ball and broke sophomore Tony Fields' tackle on his way to a 75-yard receiving touchdown down the right sideline.
At the five-minute mark in the second quarter, Sudfeld was flushed from the pocket and dove into the endzone to pull the Hoosiers within one point, 14-13.
Taylor Lehman
