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FACTS & STATS: Site: FIU Stadium (23,500) -- Miami, Florida.. Television: ESPN2. Home Record: Troy 2-1, FIU 2-2. Away Record: Troy 0-3, FIU 2-1. Neutral Record: Troy 0-0, FIU 0-0. Conference Record: Troy 1-2, FIU 1-2. Series Record: Troy leads, 6-1.

GAME NOTES: The Troy Trojans, who are usually sitting near the top of the standings in the Sun Belt Conference, are in unfamiliar territory, as they take on the FIU Panthers this Tuesday, in conference action from FIU Stadium.

It has been a rough year for Troy, which has been of the elite squads in the Sun Belt for quite some time. Troy rolls into this game with only two narrow victories over Middle Tennessee and UAB. The Trojans enter this contest off two straight games, falling to Louisiana (31-17) and most recently ULM (38-10). The team was idle this past weekend.

The Panthers were on the prowl early in the year, winning three straight games, but since then the team has dropped three of its last four matchups, and is coming off a rough, 34-16 setback to Arkansas State.

The Trojans have dominated this series, winning six of the seven matchups. However, the lone win for FIU came last year, as the Panthers defeated Troy, 52-35.

It wasn't long ago that Troy was lighting up the scoreboard during league affairs, but so far in 2011, that offensive magic is gone.

A big problem has been the team's lack of success on the ground. The Trojans are producing a pedestrian 102.7 ypg, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. There is no workhorse thus far, as tailback Shawn Southward leads the charge with only 239 yards and two touchdowns.

It doesn't help that the quarterback did not get much experience last year and is now learning on the fly. Corey Robinson has done some good things, but the signal caller has also made mistakes. Robinson comes into this game with a completion percentage over 60.0 and nine touchdowns, but he has also tossed seven interceptions.

Until the rushing attack can produce consistently the Trojans will continue to struggle on the offensive side of things.

Troy comes into this weekend allowing 34.7 ppg and that is largely because the team has been generous in its pass defense. Through six games opponents are lighting up the sky for 287.5 ypg and have already scored 14 times via the pass.

To make matters worse, the defense has been porous against the run as well, allowing 173.3 ypg. The run is the problem that landed the Trojans in the loss column to ULM, as the defense was gashed for 248 yards and four scores on 5.6 yards per attempt.

Troy did force two turnovers, but the unit finished with just one sack and allowed the Warhawks to convert all five of their red zone chances.

Xavier Lamb and Brannon Bryan had impressive performances even though the team lost. Lamb racked up 14 tackles, while Bryan finished with 13 stops. If this defense is going to have any success, those two players will need to be on the field.

The Panthers have also hit a bit of a skid offensively, as the Red Wolves shut down the Panthers, who managed a season-low 16 points. FIU.

The combination of Kedrick Rhodes and Darriet Perry has proven to be lethal, as Rhodes has amassed 590 yards and six scores on the year, while Perry is helping out with 330 yards and five TDs.

The Panthers are averaging a decent 245.0 yards per game through the air. Quarterback Wes Carroll has completed 63.5 percent of his throws thus far, for 1,455 yards and seven TDs.

Wideout T.Y. Hilton is the top playmaker on the FIU roster. An All-American candidate as a kick returner, Hilton also leads the team in receptions (43), receiving yards (738) and TD catches (5).

In the team's recent loss to Arkansas State, the Panthers did not find much room to run, managing just 66 yards on 2.3 yards per attempt. Rhodes led the way with 74 yards, while Perry struggled, gaining only 12 yards.

With the ground game out of commission the pressure fell on the shoulders of Carroll, who threw for 223 yards and one score. However, the quarterback was intercepted once and sacked twice.

Defensively the Panthers have had their ups and downs, but the team has been able to hold opponents to just 23.0 ppg. The front line has plenty to do with the success, as this unit has helped rack up 19 sacks, while also limiting the opposition to just 125.4 ypg on just 3.5 yards per attempt.

Big plays have been hard to come by however, as FIU has forced just eight turnovers. One came in the loss to Arkansas State, as Willis Wright hauled in an interception. It was just the third interception on the year for FIU. One of those interceptions belongs to Winston Fraser, who comes into this game with 72 tackles and two sacks as well.

Both teams have struggled this year, but the Trojans have been miserable at times. Until the team can put together a balanced effort on both sides of the football, the losses with continue to pile up.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: FIU 27, Troy 21