Florida International 31, Florida Atlantic 10

[October 03, 2014]  Florida International 31, Florida Atlantic 10: Cornerback Richard Leonard returned a fumble a school-record 100 yards for a score and made an interception in the end zone to lead the host Panthers past the turnover-prone Owls.

Alex Gardner ran for 100 yards and a touchdown while Anthon Samuel added a pair of rushing scores as Florida International (3-3, 2-0 Conference USA) defeated Florida Atlantic for the third time in the last four meetings. Alex McGough went 18-of-29 for 160 yards and ran for a TD while the defense forced four turnovers, raising its season total to 21 and ratio to plus-13.

Jay Warren scored a touchdown for the Owls (2-4, 1-1), but fumbled on a first-and-goal carry with Florida Atlantic poised to tie the game in the second half. Leonard, the reigning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week, scooped up the loose ball and went the length of the field - his third return for a touchdown this season - to make it 24-10 with 3:39 left in the third quarter.

Leonard intercepted Jaquez Johnson (19-of-42, 225 yards) in the fourth quarter and the Panthers cashed in with an 80-yard drive in 10 plays, capped by McGough's 1-yard run with 8:23 remaining to make it 31-10. Florida International rushed for 185 yards after averaging 85.8 in its first five games.

Gardner ran for 42 yards in the first quarter, including a 24-yard burst up the middle which gave the Panthers a 7-3 lead, while Samuel's 1-yard run on fourth down extended the advantage to 14-3 in the second. Consecutive 31-yard plays by the Owls - a pass to Lucky Whitehead and Warren's touchdown run - trimmed the deficit to 14-10 at halftime before the game was stopped for nearly two hours because of lightning, marking Florida International's third delay of the season.

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