# 2018 FIU Panthers football team

The 2018 FIU Panthers football team represented Florida International University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Panthers played their home games at the Riccardo Silva Stadium in University Park, Florida as members of the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by second-year head coach Butch Davis. They finished the season 9–4, 6–2 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for second place in the East Division. They were invited to the Bahamas Bowl where they defeated Toledo.

## Spring Game

The 2018 Spring Game took place in University Park, on April 6, at 7 p.m.
| Date | Time | Spring Game | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| April 6 | 7:00 p.m. | Offense vs. Defense | Riccardo Silva Stadium • University Park, Florida | CUSA.tv | Offense 14–13 | - |

## Offseason

Following the conclusion of the 2017 season, several Panthers were invited to participate in the Tropical Bowl, a postseason all star game held on January 14, 2018. Invitations include: Brad Muhammad (DB), Pharoah Mckever (TE) and Anthony Wint (LB).

### Departures

Notable departures from the 2017 squad included:
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Alex McGough | #12 | QB | 6'3" | 218 | Senior | Tampa, FL | Graduated |
| Anthony Wint | #53 | LB | 6'0" | 224 | Senior | Homestead, FL | Graduated |

### 2018 NFL draft

Panthers who were picked in the 2018 NFL Draft:
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Team |
| 7 | 220 | Alex McGough | QB | Seattle Seahawks |
| UFA | | Anthony Wint | LB | New York Jets |

### Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released
| Award | Player | Position | Year |
| Lou Groza Award | José Borregales | K | SO |
| Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award | James Morgan | QB | JR |

### Preseason All-CUSA team

Conference USA released their preseason all-CUSA team on July 16, 2018 with the Panthers having two players selected.

### Preseason media poll

Conference USA released their preseason media poll on July 17, 2018, with the Panthers predicted to finish in fourth place in the East Division.
East Division :
| Predicted finish | Team |
| 1 | Florida Atlantic |
| 2 | Marshall |
| 3 | Middle Tennessee |
| 4 | FIU |
| 5 | Western Kentucky |
| 6 | Old Dominion |
| 7 | Charlotte |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Indiana* | Riccardo Silva StadiumMiami, FL | CBSSN | L 28–38 | 17,082 |
| September 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Old Dominion | Foreman FieldNorfolk, VA | beIN | W 28–20 | 19,243 |
| September 15 | 7:30 p.m. | UMass* | Riccardo Silva StadiumMiami, FL | beIN | W 63–24 | 14,695 |
| September 22 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 21 Miami (FL)* | Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, FL | ESPN2 | L 17–31 | 59,814 |
| September 29 | 7:30 p.m. | Arkansas–Pine Bluff* | Riccardo Silva StadiumMiami, FL | ESPN+ | W 55–9 | 14,937 |
| October 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Middle Tennessee | Riccardo Silva StadiumMiami, FL | beIN | W 24–21 | 16,002 |
| October 20 | 7:30 p.m. | Rice | Riccardo Silva StadiumMiami, FL | ESPN+ | W 36–17 | 13,741 |
| October 27 | 7:30 p.m. | at Western Kentucky | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | beIN | W 38–17 | 15,138 |
| November 3 | 7:30 p.m. | Florida Atlantic | Riccardo Silva StadiumMiami, FL (Shula Bowl) | Stadium | L 14–49 | 18,478 |
| November 10 | 7:00 p.m. | at UTSA | AlamodomeSan Antonio, TX | ESPN+ | W 45–7 | 16,874 |
| November 17 | 2:00 p.m. | at Charlotte | Jerry Richardson StadiumCharlotte, NC | ESPN3 | W 42–35 | 13,371 |
| November 24 | 12:00 p.m. | Marshall | Riccardo Silva StadiumMiami, FL | Stadium | L 25–28 | 14,862 |
| December 21 | 12:30 p.m. | vs. Toledo* | Thomas Robinson StadiumNassau, Bahamas (Bahamas Bowl) | ESPN | W 35–32 | 13,510 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||
    Schedule Source:

## Game summaries
### Indiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hoosiers | 14 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 38 |
| Panthers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |

### At Old Dominion

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
| Monarchs | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |

### UMass

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Minutemen | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| Panthers | 14 | 28 | 14 | 7 | 63 |

### At Miami (FL)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 |
| No. 21 Hurricanes | 7 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 31 |

### Arkansas–Pine Bluff

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Lions | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Panthers | 17 | 21 | 17 | 0 | 55 |

### Middle Tennessee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Raiders | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Panthers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 24 |

### Rice

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Panthers | 0 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 36 |

### At Western Kentucky

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 38 |
| Hilltoppers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |

### Florida Atlantic

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 49 |
| Panthers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |

### At UTSA

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 17 | 7 | 21 | 45 |
| Roadrunners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |

### At Charlotte

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 10 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 42 |
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 |

### Marshall

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Thundering Herd | 14 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Panthers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 25 |

### Toledo (Bahamas Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
| Rockets | 10 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 32 |