TAMPA — FIU's football program suffered a season-opening defeat at South Florida, 19-9, in non-conference play on Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium.
The Panthers (0-1) went toe-to-toe with the Bulls (1-0), one of the top programs in the Group of Six, but ultimately could not muster enough offense to pull off the upset. Trailing 6-0 at the half, FIU came out with a field goal from Robert Czeremcha in the third quarter to get within three points with 15 minutes to go.
However, two fourth quarter turnovers for the Panthers resulted in 10 points for South Florida, allowing the Bulls to pull away late. FIU's lone touchdown of the game came as time expired as JJ Kohl found James Resar for a 21-yard score, capping a seven-play, 87-yard drive over the final 1:40.
JJ Kohl passed for 301 yards and one touchdown to lead the attack, completing 31 of his 50 attempts. Maguire Anderson paced the receiving effort with eight catches for 87 yards. Kyle McNeal and Jojo Stone each had five catches in support.
Defensively, FIU's unit allowed just 208 yards of total offense, 100 through the air and 108 on the ground. DeAndre Boykins had nine tackles to lead the way. Elisha Baldridge and Deejay Holmes each had 2.0 tackles for loss. Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine and Ryan Gadson both had one pass breakup.
Quick Notes
- Deejay Holmes racked up his first career sack.
- Anderson set a career-high for receptions (8) and receiving yards (81) in a single game.
- Resar's touchdown with no time remaining is the first of his collegiate career.
- JJ Kohl's 31 completions mark a single-game career-high for the redshirt junior.
- FIU's 208 yards surrendered are the least for the defensive unit since allowing 207 yards on Oct. 22, 2024.
25th Season Celebration, Presented by Miccosukee Casino and Resort
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.
