MIAMI – As FIU Football continues to highlight 25 moments in celebration of the program's upcoming 25th season, we revisit one of the most memorable victories in Panther history.
On Nov. 26, 2005, FIU captured its first-ever victory in the famed Shula Bowl rivalry, defeating Florida Atlantic in dominant fashion, 52-6.
SHULA BOWL HISTORY
In the early 2000s, both FIU and Florida Atlantic sought to establish themselves in the college football landscape. The two South Florida universities received approval to launch football programs, creating the foundation for what would become one of the state's most recognizable rivalries.
Florida Atlantic, located approximately 50 miles north of FIU, began competition in 2001, while FIU officially launched its program in 2002.
The rivalry became known as the Shula Bowl, named after legendary Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula. Both programs share direct ties to the Hall of Fame coach. Florida Atlantic's inaugural head coach, Howard Schnellenberger, served as an assistant under Shula with the Dolphins in the 1970s, while FIU's first head coach, Don Strock, played quarterback for Shula from 1973-87 and was a member of the Dolphins' undefeated Super Bowl team in 1972.
Since the rivalry began in 2002, FIU and Florida Atlantic have met 23 times. In the fourth meeting between the two programs, the Panthers delivered one of the most dominant performances in series history to claim their first Shula Bowl trophy.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Entering the matchup, FIU was coming off a homecoming victory over Western Kentucky and looking to carry that momentum into the Shula Bowl during its first season competing at the FBS level.
The Panthers did exactly that.
Playing in front of their home crowd, FIU rolled to a 52-6 victory, securing a signature win for the young program and etching its name into Shula Bowl history.
FIU opened the scoring with a 32-yard field goal from Adam Moss following a 6:28 opening drive. The Panthers extended their lead to 10-0 after a 10-yard touchdown run by Ben West before West added a 21-yard scoring run later in the quarter to make it 17-0.
The Panthers struck again when Keyonvis Bouie intercepted a Sean Clayton pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 24-0.
The FIU defense continued its dominance in the second half. Lionell Singleton intercepted another Clayton pass and raced 51 yards for a touchdown, giving the Panthers a commanding 31-0 advantage.
Moments later, FIU capped a 13-play, all-rushing touchdown drive with West's third rushing score of the evening, a one-yard plunge that extended the lead to 38-0.
The Panthers added two more defensive touchdowns to complete the rout. Senior Nick Turnbull returned the 16th interception of his career—a program record—34 yards for a touchdown.
Sophomore Marshall McDuffie later intercepted an errant pass from McKinson Souverain and returned it 82 yards for a score, a return that still ranks among the longest interception returns in program history.
The four pick-sixes in a single game still rank as a tie for the NCAA record and is marked as a program record.
In addition, the 46-point victory margin was the largest in FIU Football history at the time and served as a statement win for a program continuing to establish itself on the FBS stage.
DON STROCK'S REACTION
"The whole team worked hard in all phases of the game," said FIU head coach Don Strock. "Special teams were very good, the defense, obviously, was excellent and offensively, we carried the ball very well. I was very pleased with the overall team effort. Tonight was definitely a team victory."
25TH SEASON CELEBRATION
The upcoming 2026 season for the Panthers officially marks FIU's 25th season of football competition, dating back to the Panthers' first-ever season in 2002. Over that time period, FIU has qualified for six bowl games, secured six Shula Bowl victories and produced countless NFL players, including Pro Bowlers T.Y Hilton and Jonnu Smith. The program has also seen many legendary coaches and outstanding players pass through the Panther facilities throughout its history, creating a litany of incredible moments experienced by Panther Nation.
Fans can be expected to be taken on a journey back to the inception of the program all the way up to the present day, recognizing the standard set by the first teams and acknowledging how many past Panthers have helped to build on that legacy. All of this will lead up and continue through the 25th official season in 2026, the second under head coach Willie Simmons, following one of the most historic seasons on record in his first year on the sidelines.
As the campaign begins with a variety of content in the coming weeks, visit our one-stop shop for the 25th Season Celebration. In conjunction with this, fans are encouraged to follow along with the many highly-engaging pieces of content recognizing the past that will be released on FIU Football's social media channels, listed below.
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.
