Setting The Stage: FIU Bowl History & Information
This will be FIU's sixth all-time bowl game but first since 2019 and comes in Willie Simmons initial season as an FBS head coach. The Panthers (7-5) are guaranteed their first winning season since 2018. It also continued Simmons' streak of having a winning campaign in all nine of his years as a head coach (first eight at the FCS level between Prairie View A&M and Florida A&M).
A bowl game triumph would be the 8th victory of the season for FIU, which would be tied for the 2nd most in program history (2011, 2017) behind only a nine-win year in 2018.
FIU's inaugural season was 2002, and the Panthers played three years at the FCS level (formerly Division I-AA) before making the jump to FBS (formerly Division I-A) in 2005. FIU made its first bowl appearance in 2010, and has a 2-3 all-time bowl record:
2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (Dec. 26 in Detroit, MI)
FIU def. Toledo, 34-32 (Box Score)
GRIFFIN KICKS FIU TO 34-32 PIZZA BOWL VICTORY
A Jack Griffin field goal as time expired gave FIU a 34-32 win in its first-ever bowl game in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, Sunday night at Ford Field in Detroit. When it looked like Toledo had tied the contest with 1:14 to play, the Rockets elected to go for two and were successful, giving them a 32-31 lead. With less than a minute to go, FIU faced a fourthand-17 situation and was able to pick it up with a hook-and-ladder play to T.Y. Hilton. Three plays later, sophomore kicker Jack Griffin sent the ball through the uprights as time expired to give FIU the victory. Down 21-7 at halftime, the Panthers mounted a furious comeback, eventually taking a 31-24 lead, but the two point conversion by Toledo appeared to be too much to overcome for the Panthers. However, FIU’s offense was up to the task, setting up the game-winning kick. For the Panthers, Darriet Perry carried 16 times for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Greg Ellingson led all receivers with seven catches for 67 yards. Quarterback Wesley Carroll completed 16-of27 passes for 140 yards and one score.
2011 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl (Dec. 20 in St. Petersburg, FL)
Marshall def. FIU, 20-10 (Box Score)
PANTHERS COME UP SHORT IN BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S BOWL
A blocked punt by Marshall in the fourth quarter set up what proved to be the game-winning field goal as the FIU Panthers fell, 20-10, Tuesday night in the 2011 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl. With the game knotted at 10, Marshall’s Zack Dunston blocked a punt that gave the Thundering Herd the football on the FIU 23-yard line. FIU’s defense kept the Thundering Herd out of the endzone, but a 39-yard field goal gave Marshall a lead it would not give up. For FIU, Hilton was named the team’s MVP as he caught eight balls for 88 yards to go along with three carries for 23 yards and a touchdown. Senior quarterback Wesley Carroll completed 19-of-29 passes for 150 yards. On defense, Jordan Hunt had his best game as a Panther, racking up a career-best 13 tackles, including two for loss and one sack. Sam Miller added 11 tackles, and Richard Leonard had one interception.
2017 Bad Boy Movers Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 21 in St. Petersburg, FL)
Temple def. FIU, 28-3 (Box Score)
FIU FALLS TO TEMPLE 28-3 IN GASPARILLA BOWL
Temple had three rushing touchdowns and one passing score to get past FIU, 28-3, in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. The Owls got a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Frank Nutile in the second quarter and a 1-yard touchdown by David Hood near the end of the third quarter to build a 14-3 lead. The Panthers’ fortunes took a turn for the worse on their third offensive play of the game. Quarterback Alex McGough ran through the Owls defense for a 17-yard pick up but sustained an injury to his left shoulder when he landed on the turf. McGough did not return and watched the remainder of the game on the sideline with a sling on his left shoulder. McGough, a senior, finished his career as FIU’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (65) and single-season record holder in pass attempts, completions, passing yards, passing TDs and total offense.
2018 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl (Dec. 21 in Nassau, Bahamas)
FIU def. Toledo, 35-32 (Box Score)
JONES SCORES THREE TIMES TO LEAD FIU PAST TOLEDO
Running back Anthony Jones scored three times for the Panthers as FIU raced past the Toledo Rockets 35-32 to claim the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl title. Toledo jumped out to a 10-0 start following a miscue on the opening kickoff that led to a touchdown and a first quarter field goal. The Panthers responded however in the second quarter, as FIU scored twice to take a 14-10 lead before the break. FIU’s Jones punched in the first Panther touchdown from six yards out, while Christian Alexander found Sterling Palmer open down the seam for a 36-yard score. The Panthers pushed their lead to a commanding 28-17 early in the fourth quarter, after Maurice Alexander’s jet sweep around the edge went 16 yards for a touchdown. The Rockets quickly trimmed eight points from the deficit however, as Toledo marched 75 yards in only 3:51 to score on a short touchdown pass followed by a successful two-point conversion. A bowl victory and a comeback story for the ages was sealed with 41 seconds left when Jones scampered for 18 yards and his third rushing touchdown on the day. Toledo added a Hail Mary touchdown in the final seconds but was unable to recover the onside kick before FIU ran out the clock.
2019 Camelia Bowl (Dec. 21 in Montgomery, AL)
Arkansas State def. FIU, 34-26 (Box Score)
FIU DROPS HIGH-SCORING BATTLE TO ARKANSAS STATE
FIU rallied back but couldn’t overcome Arkansas State, as the Panthers fell to the Red Wolves in the Camellia Bowl on a wet and cold night in Montgomery. FIU rallied back from a 27-13 hole to make it 27-26 late in the fourth quarter, but ASU scored a touchdown with just over a minute left in regulation to keep the game out of reach at 34-26. James Morgan had a great night as he threw for 312 yards and a score. Most of Morgan’s damage came from Austin Maloney as the Panther set career-best and bowl records with his 10-catch, 178-yard performance receiving. On defense, Sage Lewis earned 13 tackles to push his career total to 306 and finish his FIU career ranked in the Top 3 all-time for tackles by a Panther. Jose Borregales nailed four field goals, including a Camellia Bowl-record 52- yard field goal, to lead the Panthers on special teams.
