FIU Football: Panthers look to avoid collapse in 2020

How will FIU football fare in 2020?

While the Panthers are projecting to miss out in a postseason bowl game for the first time in four seasons, they are hoping of getting to a .500 record based on their talent and potential. Their conference schedule looks to be brutal but there is a chance for a winning mark.

Here is the breakdown of the schedule for the Panthers in 2020:

• Game 1: vs. Jacksonville State (W) – FIU starts with a win to ease the young and inexperienced offense.
• Game 2: at UCF (L) – The Knights are looking to get back in the national spotlight and they will attempt after losing to North Carolina in Week 1.
• Game 3: at Old Dominion (W) – The Panthers get back on track versus a poor, inefficient Monarchs team.
• Game 4: at Liberty (W) – While FIU’s defense will keep them in the game, it will be their offense will help them win in a potentially close game.
• Game 5: vs. Middle Tennessee State (L) – There is a lot of raw potential on both teams but the Blue Raiders are expecting to go bowling this season.
• Game 6: at Charlotte (L) – This game will be one of the difficult matchup games for the Panthers to pair up with in terms of position units.
• Game 7: at Massachusetts (W) – The Minutemen are only projected to win only one game this 2020 season, giving the Panthers an easy win.
• Game 8: vs. Marshall (L) – Marshall will have a much dynamic and explosive offense than the previous which will be difficult for the Panthers to contain.
• Game 9: at UTEP (W) – The Panthers will find themselves an easy win on the road versus the Miners.
• Game 10: vs. Florida Atlantic (L) – Even without head coach Lane Kiffin, the Owls look to still one of the top teams in the conference.
• Game 11: at Western Kentucky (L) – The Hilltoppers are projected to have one of the most stout defenses in the conference in 2020.
• Game 12: vs. Louisiana Tech (L) – Both teams will be on rebuilding seasons but the Bulldogs are still looking to come out of the 2020 regular season strong.

Prediction: 5-7 (2-6 C-USA)

The 2020 season will be an unusual year for the Panthers under Butch Davis. If the season progresses the way they it’s projected to, they will miss their first postseason bowl game since the 2016 season. The Panthers will be playing a difficult, competitive conference schedule while undergoing a dynamic change of new starters.

A win that could put them just into bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season would either at UCF, against Middle Tennessee State or an upset win over Louisiana Tech.

The biggest problems that the Panthers face for the season is to see how well they can find their new starter and utilize them efficiently. The quarterback position is the biggest area for the Panthers to solve. They can find great results from utilizing a dual-threat quarterback in Kaylan Wiggins or start a true freshman with a ton of potential in Haden Carlson.

Defensively, their biggest weaknesses last season will be their biggest strength in 2020. The Panthers will have one of the best rush defenses in the conference with Jamal Gates and their new starter in middle linebacker Tyson Maeva. The biggest obstacle for the Panthers’ defense is to get to the quarterback more consistently and to win contested matchups.

Even if the Panthers get left out of a bowl game in 2020, they can the 2020 season to develop their players to become all-conference players. Eventually, they can contend for their first-ever C-USA title in program history.