By Pete Pelegrin
Twitter: @Petepelegrin

It has been an historic 2017 season for FIU. The Panthers have matched the program record for wins in a season, broken all kinds of FIU records and can cap an outstanding first season for FIU coach Butch Davis by defeating Temple in the Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 21.

The Gasparilla Bowl is the third bowl game in FIU's short history and the last time the Panthers were in the postseason was in the same building – Tropicana Field – in the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl.

Today marks 9 days until kickoff between FIU and Temple. Until Dec. 21 we're going to count down the days until the Gasparilla Bowl by re-visiting the Top 10 moments of the 2017 FIU football season.

Of course, the number one moment could happen in the Gasparilla Bowl, but until then there is another No. 1 moment that we'll reveal on Dec. 20. Let's continue the countdown:

9. SWEET "HOME" ALABAMA

The winning this season had to start somewhere for FIU and in this extraordinary season it might as well have been with a "home game" in another state.

FIU's scheduled home opener against Alcorn on Sept. 9 in Miami had to be moved to Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama on Sept. 8 because of Hurricane Irma's trajectory to hit the Miami area.

FIU played on a Friday night one day before Irma impacted Miami. With their minds – for good reason – on the hurricane, the Panthers struggled against Division I-AA Alcorn for nearly the entire game.

The teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter and field goals in the third and four quarters to have a 10-10 score with 3:49 left in the game.

In the final three minutes the Panthers started at their 20 and went 79 yards behind a couple of passes by Alex McGough and 27 yards rushing by Alex Gardner. McGough dived in from the 1 to give FIU the lead, 17-10.

The Braves made their way to the FIU 45 before Alcorn quarterback Lenorris Footman launched two Hail Mary passes that fell incomplete and gave the Panthers and new coach Butch Davis their first win of the season.

TOP 10 MOMENTS OF 2017 FIU FOOTBALL SEASON COUNTDOWN

10. TWO-YARD SPECIAL