MIAMI — FIU's football program is set to embark on its 2025 season under newly-minted head coach Willie Simmons on Friday evening, taking on in-state foe Bethune-Cookman at 7 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
Series Record: BCU leads 4-0
Last Matchup: Aug. 30, 2014 (BCU def. FIU, 14-12)
Willie Simmons vs. BCU: 3-2 (current three-game win streak)
GAME SPONSOR
Pini Insurance is the presenting sponsor of FIU-BCU. For a one-stop shop for affordable insurance, visit piniinsurance.com.
FAN FITS / PROMOTIONS
Fan Fit: Wear Navy!
Promotion: FREE FIU Clear Fanny Packs — First 1,000 Students
HOW TO FOLLOW
Fans can follow along with the game on variety of platforms. The match-up will air live on ESPN+ and also be available via audio stream on fiusports.com/listenlive. Live stats will also be available on fiusports.com/FBStats.
BROADCAST TEAMS
ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Steve Goldstein
Analyst: Kim Bokamper
fiusports.com Audio Stream
Play-by-Play: Corey Brooks
Analyst: Jackson McDonald
Analyst: Billy Gil
MATCHUP NOTES
- FIU returns junior quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who passed for 22 TDs last season and was named the 2025 Conference USA (CUSA) Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
- The Panthers' opening week 'two-deep' depth chart features 15 new additions directly from the transfer portal. Overall, this week's depth chart features 20 newcomers to the FIU roster and 27 returners.
- FIU has 80 players (of the 104 rostered) that are from Florida and 21 that specifically hail from Miami or the immediate area.
- Willie Simmons will be coaching in his 91st overall game, but his first at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)-level as a head coach.
- Bethune-Cookman is the first of two games against Florida teams to open the Panthers' home slate as FIU takes on rival-Fla. Atlantic at home on Sept. 13.
- The Panthers have won five-straight home openers dating back to the 2021 season. A win would be the Panthers' first season-opening win since a 38-37 overtime victory over Bryant on Sept. 1, 2022.
- FIU went 4-2 at home last season with both defeats coming by a combined six points. Additionally, all four home wins were by seven points or more.
- Bethune-Cookman will have back-to-back games in the Miami-area as the Wildcats take on the University of Miami in Miami Gardens for their Week 2 tilt.
- Bethune-Cookman compiled a 2-10 record in 2024 and was defeated by both of its FBS opponents USF and Western Michigan. The Wildcats fell 48-3 to USF on August 31 and were downed 59-31 by Western Michigan on September 14.
- BCU's Maleek Huggins returns as the top offensive threat after racking up 543 receiving yards on 37 catches and three touchdowns in 2024.
TWO GAMES. ONE WEEKEND. ALL VIBES.
Week 1 of the college football season is shaping up to be a great one in the 305 with FIU Athletics and the Invesco QQQ Orange Blossom Classic (OBC) teaming up to create One Big Community Weekend: Two Games. One Weekend. All Vibes. The action kicks off Labor Day Weekend with FIU hosting Bethune-Cookman at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium on Friday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. before Florida A&M faces Howard on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 4 p.m. from Hard Rock Stadium. To find out more, click here.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR GAMEDAY
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of everything students, alumni, donors and Panther supporters of any capacity need to know about the home gameday experience surrounding FIU football in 2025.
GAME PREVIEW
The Panthers (0-0) will take on the Wildcats (0-0) under the lights on South Dada Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium in the opening matchup of FIU's 2025 campaign. While Simmons is new to FIU, Bethune-Cookman is a familiar foe for him and his staff, many of which re-united with Simmons after coaching together at Florida A&M from 2018-2023.
Simmons and his staff were wildly successful with the Rattler program, of which included winning an HBCU National Championship and 12-1 overall record in his final season at FAMU. After a one-year stint at Duke as the Running Backs Coach, Simmons has arrived in South Florida ready to make an instant impact with the Panther program.
He has produced winning seasons in each of his eight years as head coach (Prairie View A&M, Florida A&M) and is currently riding a three-game winning streak against Friday's foe, BCU, from his time in Tallahassee. Overall, Simmons is 66-24 in his coaching career and has displayed a proven ability to build a winning culture from the moment he has arrived at his previous stops as head coach.
FIU returns star quarterback Keyone Jenkins to lead the offense, now entering his third season as the primary signal-caller. The Opa-Locka, Fla. native is firmly on the national radar this preseason, having already been named the 2025 CUSA Offensive Player of the Year along with receiving nods on multiple national award watch lists. In 2024, Jenkins showed his ability as a passer with 22 touchdowns as a true sophomore, the second-most in a single season in program history.
He finished his second season as a starter with 2,457 passing yards and 188 completions, completing 62 percent of his throws. Jenkins ranked first in CUSA in 2024 in passing efficiency and 19th-nationally. The Miami Central prep is surging up the all-time career charts at FIU as well, currently sitting sixth in career passing yards (4,971) and completions (382) and fifth in passing touchdowns (33).
Brian Blades II will be the main focus on the defensive end as an experienced defensive back who excels in both coverage and run support. Blades II was named a member of the East-West Shrine Bowl 100 prior to the season. Blades, a local product from American Heritage in Fort Lauderdale, started all 12 games last season and had a pick-six against Central Michigan in FIU's home opener of 2024. He also was often rated as one of the top corners in coverage by Pro Football Focus (PFF) throughout last season.
WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITIES
BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
THE WILLIE SIMMONS COACH'S SHOW
The Panthers will partner with Twin Peaks Doral, one of the highest-grossing restaurants in the entire franchise, for a weekly show with first-year Head Coach
Willie Simmons and other special guests.
Host Corey Brooks will sit down with Coach Simmons to discuss all facets of Panther football, with an emphasis on recapping the previous week's match-ups and previewing the upcoming game. For more information, click
here.
SEASON TICKETS
For more information on FIU Football tickets, including season tickets, single game and multi-game package tickets, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIU.Football on Instagram and @FIUFootball on Twitter and Facebook.
General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
