FIU Football: Can the Panthers improve in year two under Mike MacIntyre?
By Dante Pryor
How much will FIU Football improve in 2023?
2021 was an utter disaster for FIU football. Butch Davis accused the administration of sabotaging the football program. The Panthers finished 1-11, and many of those games were not competitive. Davis was given his walking papers, and Mike MacIntyre was hired before the 2022 season.
MacIntyre worked his magic early in 2022, exceeding their 2021 win total by the end of the season’s first month. The Panthers found themselves 4-4 at the end of October, needing two wins in its last four games to get to a bowl game.
However, the end of the season got ugly. FIU was outscored 144-27 in three ugly losses before losing their season finale in a close game against Middle Tennessee State. The Panthers mixed in some other ugly losses in 2022, like its 73-0 loss to Western Kentucky.
There is hope in Miami, however. The Panthers played hard for Coach Mac. This season has challenges as MacIntyre and his staff continue to build a winner. The conference schedule should be a bit kinder to FIU.
How will the Panthers fare in year two of MacIntyre’s tenure? Can they compete in the new-look Conference USA? Here is a look at the offense, defense, and schedule for FIU football.