# 2013 Florida Tech Panthers football team

The 2013 Florida Tech Panthers football team represented the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) during the NCAA Division II football season. They were led by head coach Steve Englehart, who was in his first year at Florida Tech. The Panthers played their home games at Pirate Stadium, approximately one mile from the Florida Tech campus and were a member of the Gulf South Conference. The 2013 season was the Panthers' first, after having football approved at FIT in April, 2010.
In a season full of firsts, the Panthers memorably won their first ever game by defeating Stetson, 20-13, on a touchdown with 1:09 to play. Later on, they would earn their first GSC win in dramatic fashion by scoring 21 unanswered fourth quarter points to defeat Shorter, 28-24. They would cap their inaugural campaign by winning on the road for the first time in their first ever bowl game in a 32-20 win over Alderson-Broaddus in the ECAC Futures Bowl.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 7 | 7:00 pm | Stetson* | Pirate StadiumMelbourne, FL | | W 20-13 | 5,400 |
| September 14 | 1:00 pm | at Newberry* | Setzler FieldNewberry, SC | | L 19–23 | 2,544 |
| September 19 | 8:00 pm | No. 16 West Alabama | Pirate StadiumMelbourne, FL | CBSSN | L 3–45 | 4,812 |
| September 28 | 6:00 pm | at Delta State* | Parker–McCool StadiumCleveland, MS | | L 31–52 | 8,012 |
| October 5 | 3:00 pm | at No. 1 Valdosta State | Bazemore-Hyder StadiumValdosta, GA | | L 14–52 | 7,612 |
| October 12 | 1:00 pm | at Ave Maria* | AMU Football FieldAve Maria, FL | | L 41–45 | 1,345 |
| October 19 | 2:00 pm | Shorter | Pirate StadiumMelbourne, FL | | W 28–24 | 4,000 |
| October 26 | 1:00 pm | Warner* | Pirate StadiumMelbourne, FL | | W 37–3 | 3,975 |
| October 31 | 7:35 pm | at West Georgia | University StadiumCarrollton, GA | ESPN3 | L 14–28 | 2,611 |
| November 9 | 2:00 pm | No. 24 North Alabama | Pirate StadiumMelbourne, FL | | L 28–55 | 2,867 |
| November 16 | 2:00 pm | Webber International* | Pirate StadiumMelbourne, FL | | W 17–3 | 2,641 |
| November 23 | 2:00 pm | at Alderson Broaddus* | AB StadiumPhilippi, WV (ECAC Futures Bowl) | | W 32-20 | 1,002 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game |||||||

## Game summaries
### Stetson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hatters | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
| Panthers | 0 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 20 |

### At Newberry

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 19 |
| Wolves | 0 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 23 |

### West Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 14 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 45 |
| Panthers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |

### At Delta State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
| Statesmen | 7 | 14 | 10 | 21 | 52 |

### At Valdosta State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Blazers | 10 | 7 | 28 | 7 | 52 |

### At Ave Maria

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 3 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 41 |
| Gyrenes | 7 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 45 |

### Shorter

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hawks | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 28 |

### Warner

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Royals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Panthers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 37 |

### At West Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Wolves | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |

### North Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 14 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 55 |
| Panthers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |

### Webber International

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Warriors | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Panthers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |

### At Alderson-Broaddus

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 32 |
| Battlers | 3 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 20 |

## Awards and milestones
### Gulf South Conference honors

Eight players from Florida Tech were honored as All-GSC selections by the league's coaches. Linebacker Chris Stapleton was named the GSC Defensive Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Panther to receive any such honor.
* Gulf South Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year: LB Chris Stapleton

#### Gulf South Conference All-Conference First Team

* Xavier Milton, WR
* Gabe Hughes, TE

#### Gulf South Conference All-Conference Second Team

* Bobby Vega, QB
* Ramsey Sellers, G
* Skylar Sheffield, DL
* Justin Arcune, LB
* Chris Stapleton, LB
* Manny Abad, DB

#### Gulf South Conference special teams player of the week

* September 16: Brion Ashley