FIU Golden Panthers football
Encyclopedia
The FIU Golden Panthers football team represent Florida International University
in Miami, Florida
in the sport of college football
. The FIU Panthers are a mid-major
NCAA FBS college football
team in the Sun Belt Conference
led by Mario Cristobal
and play at the on-campus FIU Stadium
.
to be FIU’s Director of Football Operations. One year later, Don Strock
was named Head Coach with plans to lay the foundations for a college football team. QB David Tabor was the first FIU football recruit. In February 2002, FIU found its star QB in highly touted Jamie Burke from Cardinal Mooney High, Sarasota, FL. Burke was the only player to ever throw for over 500 yards in a single game in Florida as well as led the state in touchdown passes in a season with 34. Burke was being recruited by the University of Florida
but opted instead for FIU when Steve Spurrier
left to coach the Washington Redskins
. FIU had everything it needed to begin competing in NCAA Football. FIU was placed in the Division I-AA level as an Independent team.
After the 2004 season, FIU moved up to Division I FBS, formerly known as Division I-A, despite their relative lack of success in their first three seasons in Division 1 FCS. FIU became the fastest school in the history of college football to reach the highest level.
The Panthers moved to Division I-A in 2005. Many of the season's players were from the 2003 recruiting class. Keyonvis Bouie, FIU's linebacker recorded 118 tackles in nine games, 11 for a loss and three interceptions. A second linebacker, Antwan Barnes
recorded 15 tackles for a loss and added 11 sacks to his statistics. On offense, FIU's quarterback, Josh Padrick who passed for 2743 yards and 13 touchdowns. His primary target was Chandler Williams
, who caught 61 passes for a total of 870 yards. It was these defensive performances that allowed FIU to compete with the teams in Division I-A and finish the season 5-6.
FIU had found the foundation upon which the team would be built. As characteristic of FIU’s athletic department, the following year, FIU signed to play harder teams. FIU was headed in the right direction but still lacked consistency, and organization. As they began their 2006 season they almost evenly matched the teams which they played, losing almost all of their first few games by very narrow margins. Middle Tennessee
7-6, USF
21-20, Bowling Green
33-28, Maryland
14-10, and University of North Texas
22-25 (7OTs).
On October 14, 2006, FIU and the Miami Hurricanes
met for the first time in what was supposed to be the beginning of an annual cross-town rivalry game
. Nine minutes into the second half the two teams engaged in a brawl
involving players from both schools, including one injured FIU player on crutches and one UM player using his helmet as a weapon. The violence later spilled into the stands, where several spectators were arrested and later released without charges. On the field, police officers were hit with bottles from the stands. 31 players were later punished for the incident, including 13 Miami players and 18 FIU players. Two FIU players were kicked off the team.
The FIU defense still finished 28th nationally, and 4th in pass defense. Antwan Barnes ranked 3rd in the nation in tackles for loss with 22 and 6 sacks. Bouie gained 119 tackles 18 for loss, and Alexander Bostic would add 98 tackles, 19 for loss and 8 sacks. Barnes, Bouie and, Bostic came to be known as the “Killer B’s”. On offense, FIU’s receiver Chandler Williams, caught 67 passes for 664 yards.
In 2006, Barnes and Williams were both drafted to the NFL. That same year, the FIU Athletics Department hired a new athletic director Pete Garcia
, and found a new head coach for the team, Mario Cristobal
. Cristobal became the second youngest Division I-A coach at 37. Cristobal brought in a new coaching staff in hopes to turn the program around. In 2007, FIU was the second-youngest team in Division I-A. 2/3 were underclassmen; mostly freshmen. During the 2007 season, FIU played its home games in the Miami Orange Bowl
during the expansion of FIU Stadium to 20,000 seats. The Golden Panthers concluded the season with a win against North Texas 38-19. It was the last college football game ever played at the historic Orange Bowl prior to its demolition and the last home win at that stadium (the University of Miami Hurricanes had played their last home game there several weeks prior and lost to the Virginia Cavaliers
48-0 in the worst home shutout loss in their school's history.)
In September 2008, the Panthers inaugurated the expanded FIU Stadium by hosting the South Florida Bulls
with a crowd of over 16,000. FIU lost the game 17-9. The team would go on to win the next three games in a showing of a much improved team from the 2006 and 2007 team.
On Saturday, November 27, 2010, FIU defeated Arkansas State University to clinch the SunBelt Conference Title. This earned FIU its first bowl berth in the short history of its football program. Twenty-nine days later, on December 26, they became Little Caesars Champions.
In 2008, the non-conference schedule was announced for the 2011 through 2014 football seasons. The new non-conference schedule marked a new home-and-home approach with higher caliber opponents, bringing bigger name schools to FIU Stadium
.
2012
@ Duke
Louisville
Akron
@ UCF
2013
Texas A&M
UCF
@ Louisville
2014
Louisville
@ UCF
Pittsburgh
and boasts a seating capacity of 23,500. The largest attended game was on October 1, 2011 versus Duke University
with an attendance of 22,682; FIU lost 27–31.
Conference affiliations:
* Shula Bowl
, annual rivalry game
|-
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="width:80%;"
|- style="color:#c5960c;"
! style="background:#002D62;"| Year
! style="background:#002D62;"| Conference
! style="background:#002D62;"| Overall record
! style="background:#002D62;"| Conference record
|- style="text-align:center"
| 2010
|| Sun Belt Conference
|| 7-6 || 6-2
|- style="text-align:center; background:#c5960c"
| colspan="3"| Total conference titles:
| colspan="1"| 1
|}
|-
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="width:80%;"
|- style="color:#c5960c;"
! style="background:#002D62;"| Year
! style="background:#002D62;"| Coach
! style="background:#002D62;"| Record
! style="background:#002D62;"| Bowl
! style="background:#002D62;"| Result
|- style="text-align:center"
| style="background:#dfd;"| 2010
|| style="background:#dfd;"| Mario Cristobal
|| style="background:#dfd;"| 7-6 ||style="background:#dfd;"| Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
|| style="background:#dfd;"| FIU 34, Toledo
32
|- style="text-align:center; background:#c5960c"
| colspan="4"| Total bowl championships:
| colspan="2"| 1
|}
Notable Panthers in the NFL:
DB Nick Turnbull
OLB Antwan Barnes
WR Chandler Williams
CB Anthony Gaitor
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
in the sport of college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. The FIU Panthers are a mid-major
Mid-major
Mid-major is a term used in American Division I college sports, to refer to athletic conferences that are not among the major six conferences...
NCAA FBS college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team in the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
led by Mario Cristobal
Mario Cristobal
-External links:*...
and play at the on-campus FIU Stadium
FIU Stadium
FIU Stadium, popularly known as "The Cage", is the on-campus American football stadium of Florida International University in Miami, Florida, United States. It is the home field of the FIU Golden Panthers football team. The stadium opened in 1995, replacing nearby Tamiami Field, which was used for...
.
History
On September 1, 1999, when after several years of contemplating the commencement of a football team, FIU moved a step closer by hiring Don StrockDon Strock
Don Strock is a former professional football player who was the head coach of the Florida International University football team from 2002–2006.-College:Strock played college football at Virginia Tech, and graduated in 1973...
to be FIU’s Director of Football Operations. One year later, Don Strock
Don Strock
Don Strock is a former professional football player who was the head coach of the Florida International University football team from 2002–2006.-College:Strock played college football at Virginia Tech, and graduated in 1973...
was named Head Coach with plans to lay the foundations for a college football team. QB David Tabor was the first FIU football recruit. In February 2002, FIU found its star QB in highly touted Jamie Burke from Cardinal Mooney High, Sarasota, FL. Burke was the only player to ever throw for over 500 yards in a single game in Florida as well as led the state in touchdown passes in a season with 34. Burke was being recruited by the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
but opted instead for FIU when Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
left to coach the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. FIU had everything it needed to begin competing in NCAA Football. FIU was placed in the Division I-AA level as an Independent team.
Early years
FIU won its inaugural game on August 29, 2002 against Saint Peter's College (New Jersey), 27 - 3. The team faired fairly well against the competition that season and managed to finish with a 5-6 record. The Golden Panthers then hoped to build on that in the coming 2003 season. FIU signed to play more challenging teams of the division in hopes to get more recognition as a solid football team. The opening game of the following season started with a loss to Indiana State and it led to a 0-8 start for the second year team. They failed to reach the standard set the season before and fell to a 2-10 season. The next season followed with similar results, finishing with a 3-7 record.After the 2004 season, FIU moved up to Division I FBS, formerly known as Division I-A, despite their relative lack of success in their first three seasons in Division 1 FCS. FIU became the fastest school in the history of college football to reach the highest level.
Recent history
Antwan Barnes
Antwan Barnes is an American football outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
recorded 15 tackles for a loss and added 11 sacks to his statistics. On offense, FIU's quarterback, Josh Padrick who passed for 2743 yards and 13 touchdowns. His primary target was Chandler Williams
Chandler Williams
Chandler Williams, III is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, who caught 61 passes for a total of 870 yards. It was these defensive performances that allowed FIU to compete with the teams in Division I-A and finish the season 5-6.
FIU had found the foundation upon which the team would be built. As characteristic of FIU’s athletic department, the following year, FIU signed to play harder teams. FIU was headed in the right direction but still lacked consistency, and organization. As they began their 2006 season they almost evenly matched the teams which they played, losing almost all of their first few games by very narrow margins. Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
7-6, USF
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
21-20, Bowling Green
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
33-28, Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
14-10, and University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
22-25 (7OTs).
On October 14, 2006, FIU and the Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
met for the first time in what was supposed to be the beginning of an annual cross-town rivalry game
Sports rivalry
A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the...
. Nine minutes into the second half the two teams engaged in a brawl
Miami-FIU brawl
The Florida International University – University of Miami was a bench-clearing brawl that occurred on October 14, 2006 in a college football game between the University of Miami Hurricanes and the at the Orange Bowl stadium in Miami, Florida....
involving players from both schools, including one injured FIU player on crutches and one UM player using his helmet as a weapon. The violence later spilled into the stands, where several spectators were arrested and later released without charges. On the field, police officers were hit with bottles from the stands. 31 players were later punished for the incident, including 13 Miami players and 18 FIU players. Two FIU players were kicked off the team.
The FIU defense still finished 28th nationally, and 4th in pass defense. Antwan Barnes ranked 3rd in the nation in tackles for loss with 22 and 6 sacks. Bouie gained 119 tackles 18 for loss, and Alexander Bostic would add 98 tackles, 19 for loss and 8 sacks. Barnes, Bouie and, Bostic came to be known as the “Killer B’s”. On offense, FIU’s receiver Chandler Williams, caught 67 passes for 664 yards.
In 2006, Barnes and Williams were both drafted to the NFL. That same year, the FIU Athletics Department hired a new athletic director Pete Garcia
Pete Garcia
Pete Garcia is the current athletic director of the Florida International University Golden Panthers athletic teams.-References:...
, and found a new head coach for the team, Mario Cristobal
Mario Cristobal
-External links:*...
. Cristobal became the second youngest Division I-A coach at 37. Cristobal brought in a new coaching staff in hopes to turn the program around. In 2007, FIU was the second-youngest team in Division I-A. 2/3 were underclassmen; mostly freshmen. During the 2007 season, FIU played its home games in the Miami Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
during the expansion of FIU Stadium to 20,000 seats. The Golden Panthers concluded the season with a win against North Texas 38-19. It was the last college football game ever played at the historic Orange Bowl prior to its demolition and the last home win at that stadium (the University of Miami Hurricanes had played their last home game there several weeks prior and lost to the Virginia Cavaliers
2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's coach is coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Preseason :...
48-0 in the worst home shutout loss in their school's history.)
In September 2008, the Panthers inaugurated the expanded FIU Stadium by hosting the South Florida Bulls
South Florida Bulls
The South Florida Bulls are the athletic teams for the University of South Florida. The university competes in NCAA Division I, USF is a member of the Big East Conference, and has been since 2005...
with a crowd of over 16,000. FIU lost the game 17-9. The team would go on to win the next three games in a showing of a much improved team from the 2006 and 2007 team.
On Saturday, November 27, 2010, FIU defeated Arkansas State University to clinch the SunBelt Conference Title. This earned FIU its first bowl berth in the short history of its football program. Twenty-nine days later, on December 26, they became Little Caesars Champions.
Current coaching staff
| Name | Current Title | Years at FIU | Alma mater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Cristobal Mario Cristobal -External links:*... |
Head Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
2006 - | Miami University of Miami The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12... |
| Scott Satterfield | Offensive Coordinator Offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach... , Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... s |
2010 - | Appalachian State Appalachian State University Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system... |
| Todd Orlando | Defensive Coordinator Defensive coordinator A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach... , Linebacker Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... s |
2011 - | Wisconsin |
| Apollo Wright | Special Teams Coordinator, Running Backs Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
2007 - | Wagner College Wagner College Wagner College is a private, co-educational, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 total students located atop Grymes Hill in New York City's borough of Staten Island... |
| Cedric Calhoun | Defensive Line | | 2010 - | Morehouse Morehouse College Morehouse College is a private, all-male, liberal arts, historically black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Wabash College, Morehouse is one of three remaining traditional men's colleges in the United States.... |
| Greg Laffere | Tight End Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be... s |
| 2007 - | Miami University of Miami The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12... |
| Alex Mirabal | Offensive Line | 2007 - | FIU Florida International University Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park... |
| Frank Ponce | Wide Receivers Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible... |
2007 - | FIU Florida International University Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park... |
| Jeff Popovich | Defensive Backs Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
| 2006 - | Miami University of Miami The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12... |
| Roderick Moore | Strength & Conditioning Coach | |2007 - | Morehead Morehead State University Morehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S... |
| Juan Navarro | Defensive Assistant | |2007 - | Redlands University of Redlands The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands, California. The university's campus sits on near downtown Redlands. The university was founded in 1907 and was associated with the American Baptist Church. The land for the university was donated by... |
| Phil Ockinga | Defensive Graduate Assistant Coach | | 2009 - | Hastings College Hastings College Hastings College is a private, undergraduate, four-year, residential liberal arts college in Hastings, Nebraska, USA.- History :The college was founded in 1882 by a group of men and women seeking to establish a Presbyterian college dedicated to high academic and cultural standards... |
| Edwin Pata | Offensive Graduate Assistant Coach | | 2011 - | FAMU |
| Dennis Smith | Director of Player Personnel | | 2007 - | Miami |
| Andrew Green | Director of Football Operations | | 2008 - | Dickinson College Dickinson College Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly... |
| Dan Hernandez | Asst. Director of Football Operations | | 2009 - | Upper Iowa |
| Shawn Burns | Football Operations Coordinator | | 2009 - | Jacksonville University Jacksonville University Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its... |
| Isabel Pena | Football Operations | | 2010 - | Miami |
| Christian Terlizzo | Asst. Equipment Manager | | 2008 - | FIU Florida International University Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park... |
| Video Coordinator | |- |
Future non-conference opponents
FIU Stadium
FIU Stadium, popularly known as "The Cage", is the on-campus American football stadium of Florida International University in Miami, Florida, United States. It is the home field of the FIU Golden Panthers football team. The stadium opened in 1995, replacing nearby Tamiami Field, which was used for...
.
2012
@ Duke
Louisville
Akron
@ UCF
2013
Texas A&M
UCF
@ Louisville
2014
Louisville
@ UCF
Pittsburgh
Individual award winners
- 2006 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year: Keyonvis Bouie (LB)
- 2008 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year: T. Y. HiltonT. Y. HiltonEugene "T. Y." Hilton is an American football wide receiver. He currently attends Florida International University in his senior year.- Early years :...
(WR) - 2010 Sun Belt Player of the Year: T. Y. Hilton (WR)
All Americans
- DB Nick Turnbull (2002, 2005) The Sports Network All American
- WR Lionell Singleton (2006: Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
Honorable Mention) - WR T.Y. Hilton (2008: Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
Honorable Mention, Sporting News Freshman Team, scout.comScout.comScout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
Freshman Team)
FIU Stadium
FIU Stadium, nicknamed "The Cage", is the home field of the FIU Panthers football team. The stadium opened in 1995, and was expanded in 2007 thereby increasing the stadium's capacity to 23,500. FIU stadium is nicknamed "The Cage" by FIU students and alumni. FIU Stadium was designed by Rossetti ArchitectsRossetti Architects
Rossetti Architects is an architectural firm headquartered in Southfield, Michigan The firm is involved in the design of professional sports stadiums, institutions and commercial buildings.- Current projects :...
and boasts a seating capacity of 23,500. The largest attended game was on October 1, 2011 versus Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
with an attendance of 22,682; FIU lost 27–31.
Records and championships
- 2002–2004: NCAA Division I-AA independent
- 2005–present: Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
All-time record
| Year | Record | Conference | Finish | Coach | Attendance average |
Bowl game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 5-6 (.454) | -- | -- | Don Strock Don Strock Don Strock is a former professional football player who was the head coach of the Florida International University football team from 2002–2006.-College:Strock played college football at Virginia Tech, and graduated in 1973... |
8,294 | |
| 2003 | 2-10 (.166) | -- | -- | Don Strock | 7,073 | |
| 2004 | 3-7 (.300) | -- | -- | Don Strock | 11,108 | |
| 2005 | 5-6 (.454) | 3-4 (.429) | 4th | Don Strock | 15,477 | |
| 2006 | 0-12 (.000) | 0-7 (.000) | 8th | Don Strock | 15,110 | |
| 2007 2007 FIU Golden Panthers football team The 2007 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Golden Panthers were led by first-year head coach Mario Cristobal and played their home games at the Miami Orange Bowl while FIU Stadium, their normal home... |
1-11 (.083) | 1-6 (.142) | 7th | Mario Cristobal Mario Cristobal -External links:*... |
13,471 | |
| 2008 2008 FIU Golden Panthers football team The 2008 FIU Golden Panthers football team represents Florida International University in their 4th season of NCAA Division I FBS football and their 7th season overall. The team is coached by Mario Cristobal and play their homes games at the on-campus FIU Stadium.-Regular season:The 2008 season... |
5-7 (.417) | 3-4 (.429) | T-5th | Mario Cristobal | 13,852 | |
| 2009 2009 FIU Golden Panthers football team The 2009 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University during their 5th season of NCAA Division I FBS football and their 8th season overall. The team was coached by Mario Cristobal and played their homes games at the on-campus FIU Stadium... |
3-9 (.200) | 3-4 (.429) | 6th | Mario Cristobal | 10,204 | |
| 2010 2010 FIU Golden Panthers football team The 2010 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University during their 6th season of NCAA Division I FBS football and their 9th season overall... |
7-6 (.538) | 6-2 (.750) | T-1st | Mario Cristobal | 16,544 | Little Caesars Pizza Bowl 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl The 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl was a NCAA bowl game played at 8:30 p.m. EST on December 26, 2010 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and aired on ESPN... vs Toledo 2010 Toledo Rockets football team The 2010 Toledo Rockets football team represented the University of Toledo during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rockets, led by second-year head coach Tim Beckman, compete in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference and played their home games at the Glass Bowl... , W 34-32 |
| 2011 2011 FIU Golden Panthers football team The 2011 FIU Golden Panthers football team represents Florida International University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Golden Panthers are led by fifth-year head coach Mario Cristobal and play their home games at FIU Stadium in Miami, Florida... |
8-4 (.667) | 5-3 (.625) | 4th | Mario Cristobal | 18,411 | |
| - | 39-78 (.333) | 21-30 (.412) | - | 2 coaches | - | 1 Bowl game |
All-time record vs Sun Belt and in-state rivals
| Opponent | Won | Lost | Percentage | First Meeting | Last Meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas State Arkansas State Red Wolves football The Arkansas State Red Wolves football team represents Arkansas State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition. The team was originally founded in 1911, and, since 2001, Arkansas State has competed as a member of the... |
2 | 5 | .286 | 2005 | 2011 |
| Florida Atlantic Florida Atlantic Owls football The Florida Atlantic Owls football team represents Florida Atlantic University, a mid-major NCAA Division I-A college football team, that competes in the Sun Belt Conference.-Overview and history:... * |
2 | 8 | .200 | 2002 | 2011 |
| Louisiana-Lafayette | 2 | 7 | .222 | 2003 | 2011 |
| Louisiana-Monroe | 3 | 5 | .375 | 2004 | 2011 |
| Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represents Middle Tennessee State University in NCAA Division I FBS football competition. The Blue Raiders, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, play their home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.Rick Stockstill has... |
3 | 4 | .429 | 2005 | 2011 |
| North Texas North Texas Mean Green football The North Texas Mean Green football team represents the University of North Texas in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-FBS college football and competes as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Mean Green have attained several conference championships, including four... |
5 | 2 | .714 | 2005 | 2011 |
| South Florida South Florida Bulls football The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus... |
0 | 1 | .000 | 2008 | 2008 |
| Troy Troy Trojans football The Troy Trojans football program represents Troy University, Alabama, in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-A, of which it has been a member since 2001... |
2 | 5 | .286 | 2005 | 2011 |
| UCF | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Western Kentucky Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football program is a college football team that represents Western Kentucky University. The team is currently a member of the Sun Belt Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
4 | 3 | .571 | 2002 | 2011 |
Shula Bowl
The Shula Bowl is an annual college football rivalry game between the Florida Atlantic University Owls and the Florida International University Golden Panthers. The game's winner receives a traveling trophy, the "Don Shula Award" for one year. The current winner is FIU, winning 41-7 on 12 November...
, annual rivalry game
Conference champions
{| border="0" style="width:100%;"|-
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="width:80%;"
|- style="color:#c5960c;"
! style="background:#002D62;"| Year
! style="background:#002D62;"| Conference
! style="background:#002D62;"| Overall record
! style="background:#002D62;"| Conference record
|- style="text-align:center"
| 2010
2010 FIU Golden Panthers football team
The 2010 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University during their 6th season of NCAA Division I FBS football and their 9th season overall...
|| Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
|| 7-6 || 6-2
|- style="text-align:center; background:#c5960c"
| colspan="3"| Total conference titles:
| colspan="1"| 1
|}
Bowl championships
{| border="0" style="width:100%;"|-
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="width:80%;"
|- style="color:#c5960c;"
! style="background:#002D62;"| Year
! style="background:#002D62;"| Coach
! style="background:#002D62;"| Record
! style="background:#002D62;"| Bowl
! style="background:#002D62;"| Result
|- style="text-align:center"
| style="background:#dfd;"| 2010
2010 FIU Golden Panthers football team
The 2010 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University during their 6th season of NCAA Division I FBS football and their 9th season overall...
|| style="background:#dfd;"| Mario Cristobal
Mario Cristobal
-External links:*...
|| style="background:#dfd;"| 7-6 ||style="background:#dfd;"| Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
The 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl was a NCAA bowl game played at 8:30 p.m. EST on December 26, 2010 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and aired on ESPN...
|| style="background:#dfd;"| FIU 34, Toledo
2010 Toledo Rockets football team
The 2010 Toledo Rockets football team represented the University of Toledo during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rockets, led by second-year head coach Tim Beckman, compete in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference and played their home games at the Glass Bowl...
32
|- style="text-align:center; background:#c5960c"
| colspan="4"| Total bowl championships:
| colspan="2"| 1
|}
Alumni in the NFL
A total of six FIU Panthers players have played in the NFL, and four going undrafted.Notable Panthers in the NFL:
DB Nick Turnbull
Nick Turnbull
Nick Turnbull is an American football safety for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
OLB Antwan Barnes
Antwan Barnes
Antwan Barnes is an American football outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
WR Chandler Williams
Chandler Williams
Chandler Williams, III is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
CB Anthony Gaitor
Anthony Gaitor
Anthony Gaitor is an American football cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida International.-External links:*...