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 5 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 No. 1 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:
5. COOKED RICE
Since this is a countdown of the top moments of the 2017 FIU football season, if there was an initial moment this season when the Panthers started to believe that they might be in for a special season then it happened in one of the oldest football stadiums in America.
Rice Stadium opened in 1950 and in 1974 it hosted Super Bowl VIII. In that Super Bowl a team from Miami with one of the best defenses in the history of football defeated the Minnesota Vikings for the Dolphins second world title.
The FIU defense had to put up a Super Bowl-quality effort to defeat Rice in the waning moments of a game in late September.
With less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter and FIU leading 13-7, Rice had first-and-goal from the FIU 9.
The Panthers defense rose to the occasion and stopped the Owls on four consecutive plays to preserve the win.
Safety
Niko Gonzalez made a tackle for no gain on first down. Linebacker
Sage Lewis tackled Rice receiver Austin Walter for a two-yard loss on second down. Defensive lineman
Anthony Johnson stopped quarterback Jackson Tyner for no gain on third down and on fourth down the Panthers defensive line pressured Tyner into overthrowing Aaron Cephus, who was well-covered by
Isaiah Brown, in the back of the end zone.
That goal line stand helped build the Panthers confidence knowing they can come through late when the game is on the line.
TOP 10 MOMENTS OF 2017 FIU FOOTBALL SEASON COUNTDOWN
10. TWO-YARD SPECIAL
9. SWEET "HOME" ALABAMA
8. TULANE BECOMES ONE LANE
7. OVER HERD
6. UNSUNG PANTHERS
