# 2017 Florida Tech Panthers football team

The 2017 Florida Tech Panthers football team represented Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) during the 2017 NCAA Division II football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Steve Englehart. The Panthers played their home games at Florida Tech Panther Stadium, approximately one mile (1.6 km) from the Florida Tech campus, and were members of the Gulf South Conference.

## Schedule

Florida Tech announced its 2017 football schedule on April 11, 2017. The schedule consists of 5 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Panthers will host GSC foes Shorter, West Alabama, West Florida, and West Georgia, and will travel to Delta State, Mississippi College, North Alabama, and Valdosta State.
The Panthers will host only one non-conference game against Virginia University of Lynchburg and travel to McNeese State of the Southland Conference and North Greenville whom is independent from a conference.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 7:00 p.m. | VUL* | Florida Tech Panther StadiumMelbourne, FL | | W 44–0 | 1,230 |
| September 9 | 7:00 p.m. | at McNeese State* | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | | L 21–42 | 11,101 |
| September 16 | 7:00 p.m. | Shorter | Florida Tech Panther StadiumMelbourne, FL | | W 31–6 | 1,450 |
| September 23 | 8:00 p.m. | at Mississippi College | Robinson-Hale StadiumClinton, MS | | W 35–0 | 3,934 |
| September 30 | 7:00 p.m. | West Florida | Florida Tech Panther StadiumMelbourne, FL (Coastal Classic) | ESPN3 | L 21–23 | 3,422 |
| October 7 | 7:00 p.m. | at North Alabama | Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, AL | | L 7–30 | 7,002 |
| October 14 | 12:00 p.m. | at North Greenville* | Younts StadiumTigerville, SC | | W 42–31 | 2,400 |
| October 21 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 18 West Alabama | Florida Tech Panther StadiumMelbourne, FL | ESPN3 | W 41–39 | 2,900 |
| October 28 | 7:00 p.m. | at Valdosta State | Bazemore–Hyder StadiumValdosta, GA | | L 14–42 | 3,018 |
| November 4 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 25 West Georgia | Florida Tech Panther StadiumMelbourne, FL | | L 13–20 | 3,800 |
| November 11 | 3:00 p.m. | at Delta State | McCool StadiumCleveland, MS | ESPN3 | L 20–42 | 6,555 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Final |
| AFCA | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## Game summaries
### Virginia-Lynchburg

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dragons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Panthers | 3 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 44 |

### At McNeese State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| Cowboys | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 42 |

### Shorter

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hawks | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Panthers | 14 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 31 |

### At Mississippi College

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 35 |
| Choctaws | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### West Florida

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Argonauts | 7 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
| Panthers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |

### At North Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Lions | 3 | 0 | 21 | 6 | 30 |

### At North Greenville

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
| Crusaders | 7 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 31 |

### West Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 14 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 39 |
| Panthers | 7 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 41 |

### At Valdosta State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Blazers | 0 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 42 |

### West Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wolves | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 20 |
| Panthers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |

### At Delta State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 13 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| Statesmen | 0 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 42 |

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

Five players from Florida Tech were honored as All-GSC selections by the league's coaches.

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

* Antwuan Haynes, RB
* Adonis Davis, DL

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

* Romell Guerrier, WR
* Kevin Purlett, TE
* J.T. Hassell, LB

#### Gulf South Conference offensive player of the week

* September 18: Antwuan Haynes
* October 16: Mark Cato
* October 23: Mark Cato

#### Gulf South Conference defensive player of the week

* October 16: Adonis Davis

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

* September 4: Max Erdman