NBC 6 sports anchor Hailey Sutton has a look at how the Panthers are preparing for Thursday’s game against Bryant.
On November 2, 2019, the FIU Panthers defeated the Old Dominion Monarchs at home. Three weeks later, the Panthers pulled off a shocking upset over the crosstown Miami Hurricanes. Why are those two games significant? Well, they were the last FIU wins over a Conference USA opponent and FBS opponent respectively.
Since beating the ‘Canes, the Panthers have won just one of their last 19 games and officially ended the Butch Davis era. In comes Mike Macintyre, the former head coach at programs like Colorado and San Jose State who may not have an idea about the rebuild that is going to be taking place on Southwest 8th Street.
FIU is preparing to take the field with 31 players who transferred from other programs – including former Duke quarterback Gunnar Holmberg, who will be the starting signal caller for the September 1st opener against Bryant.
Is this the season that the Panthers do something that hasn’t taken place since before the COVID pandemic and beat a FBS team? Can MacIntyre right the ship that seemed to have more leaks than the Titanic over the past two seasons?
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Here’s a complete season preview of the 2022 FIU Panthers.
Most Important Player: Wide receiver Tyrese Chambers
There is not a doubt Holmberg will be throwing the ball to the man in the No. 0 jersey. The Baltimore native and Sacred Heart transfer was one of the bright spots for FIU last season, setting the school’s single season records for receiving yards with 1,074 and touchdowns with nine.
Biggest question: Can FIU stick with the rebuild no matter how long it takes?
There were points toward the end of last season where the Panthers appear to have given up hope – and by that it means losing the final five games by an average of 33 points each game. If MacIntyre wants his tenure in South Florida to last longer than a couple seasons, he has to have the players at least put up a fight even if the results don’t show.
Biggest game: October 8th vs. UConn
Sports
As sad as it may sound, this might be the Panthers’ best chance - well, maybe their only real chance - of getting a win against a FBS opponent this coming season. Mostly that is because the Huskies are just barely a FBS team at this rate and are ripe for a loss to a desperate Panthers team.
