2020 FIU Panthers football team

2020 FIU Panthers football
ConferenceConference USA
DivisionEast Division
Record0–5 (0–3 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRich Skrosky (4th season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Co-defensive coordinatorJeff Copp (2nd season)
Co-defensive coordinatorJerod Kruse (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumRiccardo Silva Stadium
Seasons
← 2019
2021 →
2020 Conference USA football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Marshall xy   4 1     7 3  
Florida Atlantic   4 2     5 4  
Western Kentucky   4 3     5 7  
Charlotte   2 2     2 4  
Middle Tennessee   2 4     3 6  
FIU   0 3     0 5  
West Division
UAB xy$   3 1     6 3  
UTSA   5 2     7 5  
Louisiana Tech   4 2     5 5  
North Texas   3 4     4 6  
Rice   2 3     2 3  
Southern Miss   2 4     3 7  
UTEP   0 4     3 5  
Championship: UAB 22, Marshall 13
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • Note: Due to COVID-19, Old Dominion opted out of the season.

The 2020 FIU Panthers football team represented Florida International University (FIU) in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Panthers played their home games at Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami, Florida, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They were led by fourth-year head coach Butch Davis. The season was notably truncated due to several cancellations stemming from the effects of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Schedule

This years season intended to feature nine games. FIU had scheduled Old Dominion and UMass, which were canceled. Both schools would not play football in the fall over concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] Although UMass reversed their decision they intend to schedule and play a limited number of football games this fall.[2] UCF was also scheduled for September 12, 2020 but later called off due to FIU choosing to resume athletics on September 16, 2020.[3] On November 3, 2020, the game against UTEP was canceled due to positive testing of COVID-19.

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 261:00 p.m.at Liberty*ESPNUL 34–361,000
October 104:00 p.m.Middle TennesseeESPNUL 28–312,213
October 237:00 p.m.Jacksonville State*
  • Riccardo Silva Stadium
  • Miami, FL
ESPN3L 10–191,041
November 137:00 p.m.Florida Atlantic
CBSSNL 19–381,512
November 212:00 p.m.at Western KentuckyESPN3L 21–383,823
Schedule Source:[4][5]

Game summaries

At Liberty

Florida International at Liberty
1 234Total
Panthers 14 0146 34
Flames 14 0139 36
  • Date: September 26, 2020
  • Location: Williams Stadium
    Lynchburg, VA
  • Game start: 1:05 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 19 minutes
  • Game attendance: 1,000
  • Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C) • Weather: Cloudy • Wind: 3 E MPH
  • Referee: Riley Johnson
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Matt Warner (play–by–play), Joe Jauch (analyst), and Emily Austen (sideline reporter)
         
Pregame line Over/under
LIB –7 59[6]
Statistics FIU Liberty
First downs 16 31
Total yards 304 527
Rushing yards 168 219
Passing yards 136 308
Turnovers 0 0
Time of possession 22:39 37:21
Team Category Player Statistics
FIU Passing Stone Norton 9/13, 120 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing D'Vonte Price 13 carries, 148 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Bryce Singleton 2 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 24/30, 285 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing Joshua Mack 13 carries, 107 yards, 1 TD
Receiving DJ Stubbs 8 receptions, 119 yards, 1 TD

Middle Tennessee

Middle Tennessee at Florida International
1 234Total
Blue Raiders 0 1777 31
Panthers 7 7140 28
     
Pregame line Over/under
FIU –6.5 57[7]
Statistics Middle Tennessee FIU
First downs 23 15
Total yards 404 328
Rushing yards 136 270
Passing yards 268 58
Turnovers 2 1
Time of possession 31:46 28:14
Team Category Player Statistics
Middle Tennessee Passing Asher O'Hara 23/42, 268 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
Rushing Asher O'Hara 23 carries, 106 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Jarrin Pierce 5 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD
FIU Passing Kaylan Wiggins 5/15, 37 yards, 1 INT
Rushing Shaun Peterson Jr. 15 carries, 117 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Nate Jefferson 2 receptions, 19 yards

Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State at Florida International
1 234Total
Gamecocks 3 1033 19
Panthers 3 070 10
  • Date: October 23, 2020
  • Location: Riccardo Silva Stadium
    Miami, FL
  • Game start: 7:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours
  • Game attendance: 1,041
  • Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C) • Weather: Mostly Cloudy • Wind: E 10 MPH
  • Referee: Jonathan Noli
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): A. J. Ricketts (play–by–play) and Cam Lynch (analyst)
   
Pregame line Over/under
FIU –10 56[8]
Statistics Jacksonville State FIU
First downs 26 6
Total yards 444 156
Rushing yards 285 72
Passing yards 159 84
Turnovers 0 1
Time of possession 42:16 17:44
Team Category Player Statistics
Jacksonville State Passing Zion Webb 12/17, 103 yards
Rushing Josh Samuel 25 carries, 163 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Ahmad Edwards 3 receptions, 62 yards
FIU Passing Stone Norton 5/14, 66 yards, 1 TD
Rushing D'Vonte Price 9 carries, 43 yards
Receiving Nate Jefferson 2 receptions, 38 yards, 1 TD

Florida Atlantic

Florida Atlantic at Florida International
1 234Total
Owls 7 17014 38
Panthers 0 1009 19
       
Pregame line Over/under
FAU –9.5 42[9]
Statistics Florida Atlantic FIU
First downs 22 15
Total yards 461 348
Rushing yards 381 156
Passing yards 80 192
Turnovers 1 0
Time of possession 31:28 28:32
Team Category Player Statistics
Florida Atlantic Passing Javion Posey 10/16, 80 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing Javion Posey 18 carries, 182 yards, 1 TD
Receiving TJ Chase 1 reception, 28 yards
FIU Passing Max Bortenschlager 11/21, 149 yards, 1 TD
Rushing D'Vonte Price 26 carries, 178 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Rivaldo Fairweather 7 receptions, 116 yards, 1 TD

At Western Kentucky

Florida International at Western Kentucky
1 234Total
Panthers 7 608 21
Hilltoppers 0 101414 38
     
Pregame line Over/under
WKU –7 42[10]
Statistics FIU Western Kentucky
First downs 17 13
Total yards 268 278
Rushing yards 121 157
Passing yards 147 121
Turnovers 2 0
Time of possession 33:51 26:09
Team Category Player Statistics
FIU Passing Max Bortenschlager 8/18, 106 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing D'Vonte Price 24 carries, 100 yards
Receiving JJ Holloman 2 receptions, 54 yards, 1 TD
Western Kentucky Passing Tyrrell Pigrome 14/25, 121 yards
Rushing Gaej Walker 17 carries, 127 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Mitchell Tinsley 3 receptions, 28 yards

References

  1. ^ "Old Dominion postponing football and fall sports". The Virginian Pilot. August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  2. ^ "UMass reverses call, to play limited fall schedule". ESPN.com. September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "UCF football schedule in flux after FIU game is called off". Orlando Sentinel. August 14, 2020.
  4. ^ "2020 Football Schedule". FIU Athletics. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  5. ^ "2020 Florida International Panthers Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "FIU Panthers vs Liberty Flames". Odds Shark. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  7. ^ "Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs FIU Panthers". Odds Shark. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  8. ^ "Jacksonville State Gamecocks vs FIU Panthers". Odds Shark. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  9. ^ "Florida Atlantic Owls vs FIU Panthers". Odds Shark. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  10. ^ "FIU Panthers vs WKU Hilltoppers". Odds Shark. Retrieved December 29, 2020.