College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the FIU Golden Panthers season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
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2019 Record: 6-7 overall, 3-5 in C-USA
Head Coach: Butch Davis, 4th year, 23-16
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 102
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 85
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 79
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: FIU Golden Panthers Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense took a step back from a strong 2018, only averaging 377 yards while failing to hit 28 points seven times – it only failed to get there four times in 2018.
And now it has to go on with QB James Morgan off being a New York Jet.
Morgan had a big arm and was able to push the ball deep, but he only hit 58% of his chances. Junior Kaylan Wiggins was the main backup, and he got in a little work. He’s going to get the longest first look, and unlike Morgan, he can run.
If Wiggins gets the gig, expect over 500 yards on the ground from the position. Miami native Caleb Lynum and former decent recruit Stone Norton are good prospects who’ll push for the job.
CFN in 60 Video: CFN All-SEC Team
– The offensive line was one of the best in the nation in pass protection, and it led Conference USA in sacks allowed. Three starters are back with excellent size across the board, starting with 6-5, 320-pound D’Antne Demery returning at left tackle. However, losing tackle Devontay Taylor to Florida State stings.
There’s enough in place to be okay again, though, and it should be decent for a running game that has to find some more options. The top two backs are gone, and Wiggins was third on the team with 323 yards.
Senior D’Vonte Price got in a little work with 249 yards on 50 carries, but Arkansas speedster Maleek Williams should be an instant star, and 6-3, 215-pound Shaun Peterson will bring a little pop.
– The receiving corps needs some work. Senior Shemar Thornton is back after leading the team with 51 catches for 668 yards and five scores, but just about everyone else is gone. TE Sterling Palmer returns coming off a 22-catch season, but in all, five of the top seven pass catchers are gone.
On the way is Georgia transfer JJ Holloman, Bryce Singleton is back after missing last year hurt, and a few possibilities come in from the recruiting class, but it’s going to be a work in progress.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: FIU Golden Panthers Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: FIU Golden Panthers Defense 3 Things To Know
– The defense has been okay under Butch Davis, but it hasn’t been a killer. It finished 69th in the nation allowing 394 yards and 27 points per game, giving up 34 points or more five times, losing all five games.
Now the Golden Panthers have to replace four of the top seven tacklers, starting with finding someone to step in for Sage Lewis in the middle of the linebacking corps.
6-2, 225-pound senior Jamal Gates is the best player of the bunch on the outside, but it’ll be up to senior Daniel Jackson on the other side, and junior Tevin Jones adding some speed in place of Lewis. 6-0, 230-pound Boise State transfer Tyson Maeva is a bulky option who might just become a statistical star.
– The line has to do a whole lot more to get into the backfield after generating just 1.62 sacks and 5.2 tackles for loss per game. Senior Alexy Jean-Baptiste is back after leading the way with 4.5 sacks, and Kevin Oliver is a veteran on the other side. The tackles are big with a whole lot of options, but losing Teair Tart on the inside hurts.
– The secondary made a whole lot of tackles and plays, and now three of the top four tacklers are done. The D is fine here, though – it’s a deep group.
Senior Rishard Dames is back at one corner spot and Richard Dames returns at safety. The two combined fir 115 tackles, with Rishard leading the way with four picks. Iowa transfer Josh Turner helps the cause at corner to go along with a good base of veterans.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top FIU Golden Panthers Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top FIU Golden Panthers Players
Best FIU Golden Panthers Offensive Player
WR Shemar Thornton, Sr.
A nice all-around target and the type of receiver you want as your No. 1 guy, the 5-11, 182-pounder overcame the injuries that kept him down two years ago to lead the team with 51 catches for 668 yards and five scores.
He was steady last year for a passing game that needed a main man to step up, and with so much turnover in the corps, he has to do even more.
2. QB Kaylan Wiggins, Jr.
3. OG Sione Finau, Soph.
4. RB Maleek Williams, Jr.
5. WR JJ Holloman, Jr.
Best FIU Golden Panthers Defensive Player
CB Rishard Dames, Sr.
The Dames brothers form one of the better defensive back combinations in the conference. Richard is a 5-11, 185-pound thin safety who plays big. He’s a good tackle with great range, and his brother Rishard has the versatility to shine anywhere in the secondary.
Rishard isn’t all that huge, but even at 5-11 and 165 pounds, he can hit, coming up with 59 tackles with a team-high four picks.
2. S Richard Dames, Sr.
3. LB Jamal Gates, Sr.
4. DE Alexy Jean-Baptiste, Sr.
5. LB Tyson Maeva, Sr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: FIU Golden Panthers Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: FIU Golden Panthers Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The FIU Golden Panthers Offense
Get the running game into a lather as quickly as possible. If it’s Kaylan Wiggins at quarterback, the rushing production will crank up a few levels.
The addition of Arkansas transfer Maleek Williams to go along with veteran D’Vonte Price will help. No matter what, lots of rushing yards makes FIU a different team.
The Golden Panthers hit the 185-yard mark on the ground four times last season and won all four games. In the first three years under Butch Davis, the program is 16-1 when it hits the mark.
Biggest Key To The FIU Golden Panthers Defense
Find a pass rush. The sack total has gone down – albeit just a wee bit – in each of the last three seasons, and it hasn’t been dangerous enough to scare anyone.
Alexy Jean-Baptiste is a decent option after leading the team with 4.5 sacks, and most of the other pass rushers are back, but the team only came up with 21 sacks with 12 of them coming in four games.
The pass defense should be good enough to overcome a big-time pass rush, but more of one would be nice.
Key FIU Golden Panthers Player To A Successful Season
PK Chase Gabriel, Fr.
At the immediate moment, the FIU placekicking situation is Chase Gabriel, and … Chase Gabriel. Jose Borregales hit 21-of-29 field goals last season, but he drove down to Coral Gables to become a Miami Hurricane.
Gabriel is a good recruit with a huge leg, and he might make a huge, huge difference for a team that should be in several close fights.
Key Game To The FIU Golden Panthers Season
Florida Atlantic, Nov. 14
The game against Marshall on Halloween is a massive deal for FIU if it has any hopes of winning the Conference USA title, but considering the new coaching staff and all the changes happening up the road at Florida Atlantic, it’s time to take back the rivalry.
Lane Kiffin owned Butch Davis over the last three seasons as his Owls whacked around the Golden Panthers all three times by a combined score of 138 to 45. Now it’s Willie Taggart’s turn at bat for FAU, and FIU needs to change the momentum.
– FIU Golden Panthers Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 FIU Fun Stats
– Red Zone Scores: Opponents 45-of-50 (90%) – FIU 42-of-55 (76%)
– Punt Return Average: FIU 20.8 – Opponents -0.4
– Penalties: Opponents 91 for 909 yards – FIU 79 for 751 yards
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: FIU Golden Panthers Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: FIU Golden Panthers Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
Three bowl games in three seasons and 23 victories. It’s been a good run for Butch Davis since taking over a FIU program that had gone through five straight losing seasons before he arrived.
Now it would be nice to come up with more big wins over more good teams.
Beating Miami last season was fantastic – just because – but the only victory over a team that finished with a winning record was …
Charlotte, who went 7-6.
Winning the free space games is always a must in Conference USA, but getting thumped by Florida Atlantic three years in a row isn’t great, and there haven’t been enough key wins to push into the Conference USA championship mix.
That’s all nitpicking, though. Again, FIU was a disaster before Davis took over, and he revived the program.
Set The FIU Golden Panthers Regular Season Win Total At … 6.5
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 6
The team is good enough make more of a splash as long as the quarterback situation is sound right out of the gate, the pass rush improves a bit, and the offense can be a bit more explosive.
It’ll be a fourth bowl season in four years under Davis, but missing Rice and UTSA hurts.
It’s going to take a few upsets to get there, and it’ll take a big win to get past six victories, but there aren’t any games against Power Five programs, FAU and Marshall are home games, and Davis has his players in place.
Put it this way. FIU will probably finish with a winning season. That means three of the five winning campaigns in FIU history will be under Davis.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
