MIAMI _ Mike Ford ran for two short touchdowns and No. 12 South Florida spoiled FIU's debut in its new on-campus stadium, winning 17-9 today in a game marred by a scary injury to starting Bulls linebacker Brouce Mompremier.

Matt Grothe completed 14 of 22 passes for 137 yards for South Florida (4-0), but was held without a passing or rushing touchdown for just the second time in his 30-game career.

FIU (0-3), which came in ranked last among all FBS schools in total offense (178.5 yards per game) and scoring (5.0), got a 61-yard catch-and-run from Wayne Younger to T.Y. Hilton with 2:03 remaining, setting up Julian Reams' 1-yard TD run — the Golden Panthers' first offensive touchdown this season.

South Florida's A.J. Love recovered the onside kick with 50 seconds left, and the Bulls escaped.

Mompremier was injured after colliding with teammate Carlton Williams while attempting a tackle with 6:43 left in the third quarter. Mompremier remained motionless on the turf for about 20 minutes before being removed by ambulance and later airlifted to a downtown Miami hospital with what doctors suspected was a spinal injury.

Players from both teams met at midfield, kneeling for moment of prayer before Mompremier was driven off the field.

Before the helicopter departed, there was good news: Mompremier — a Miami native, who had relatives at the game for his homecoming — was seen slowly moving his arms, and was believed to be regaining some movement in his legs. An official at Jackson Memorial Hospital declined to reveal any information, citing privacy laws, and no announcement was made at the game regarding Mompremier's diagnosis.

It didn't take long for South Florida to set a FIU Stadium record that'll never be broken — a 99-yard scoring drive.

The Bulls fumbled the ball away on their first possession, started their second series on the USF 1, and needed 13 plays before Ford rushed in from 2 yards out for first points ever recorded at the stadium. FIU safety Jeremiah Weatherspoon forced the turnover on the opening drive and knocked the ball loose twice on the next drive as well, but USF kept possession and took the early lead.

Maikon Bonani pulled a 25-yard field goal attempt wide left with 10 seconds left before intermission, got another chance after a roughing-the-kicker penalty against FIU, only to have the subsequent 21-yard try blocked by Robert Mitchell.

At halftime, the Bulls had a dominant 218-40 edge in total yards, but held just a 10-0 lead. It stayed that way until early in the fourth, when Ford scored from a yard out — giving him his fifth two-TD rushing performance in his last eight games dating back to last season.

Ford got tackled in the end zone for a safety with 2:20 left, and FIU then made it plenty interesting after Hilton — who had the only other TD for FIU this season, a punt return in the opener against Kansas — set up Reams' touchdown. The Bulls were four-touchdown favorites, yet were tested again by FIU, which blew a 20-7 lead before losing 21-20 at Tampa two seasons ago in the only other meeting between the schools.

The stadium is on the same site as FIU's previous football home, a 7,000-seat facility that was more suited for high school games than big-time college football. The current structure — which still lacks a scoreboard on one end, isn't yet enclosed on the visitors' side and will eventually have a massive field house attached to it — was built in 16 months.

Building FIU into a winner is taking a bit longer.

The Golden Panthers have lost 26 of 27 games since the start of the 2006 season, but have long pointed to the opening of the stadium as the first significant step toward a turnaround. And recruits in talent-rich South Florida are quickly taking notice; a slew of players from the Miami area have already committed to enroll at FIU next fall, and plenty more attended the stadium's debut.