Bowl-eligible but not bowl certain, FIU is riding a two-game losing streak, no longer has a chance to win Conference USA and will host to the league’s top-ranked passing offense Friday night when the Panthers take on Western Kentucky.
To make matters even more precarious for FIU (6-4, 4-3), the Panthers will be playing without their two top receivers, Thomas Owens and Julian Williams, who are both injured and out for the rest of the regular season.
Owens, a senior, leads the league in receiving yards per game (98.6). He also leads FIU in catches (59), yards (887) and touchdowns (six).