2008 Football Schedule Announced!

[yippee]

www.fiusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11700&ATCLID=1390478

FIU Announces 2008 Football Schedule
Courtesy: FIUSports.com
Release: 02/15/2008
Courtesy: Jessica Marshall

FIU opens the only on-campus football stadium south of Orlando in the state against South Florida on Saturday, September 20.

MIAMI (www.fiusports.com) - The 2008 FIU football schedule will feature five home games, seven opponents with a .500 record or better from a year ago and three bowl teams from the 2007 season, it was announced today. Headlining FIU’s home slate is a Sept. 20 meeting with South Florida to open its new on-campus stadium.

FIU’s season opens on August 30 at 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl winner Kansas. The Jayhawks finished 12-1 and ranked seventh in both major polls. FIU and Kansas met for the first time last season, with the Jayhawks winning on Sept. 22 in Lawrence.

The team heads back to the Midwest the following week and takes on Iowa in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Iowa went 6-6 in 2007 but was 4-2 at home, including a 10-6 win against Rose Bowl participant Illinois.

Following an open date on Sept. 13, FIU opens the only on-campus stadium south of Orlando in the state against South Florida. The Bulls climbed to as high as No. 2 in the 2007 polls and finished the season 9-4 with an appearance in the Sun Bowl against Oregon. FIU and USF last met in the 2006 season in a game that saw the Bulls come back from a 20-6 halftime deficit to win, 21-20.

FIU closes out its non-conference schedule with a Sept. 27 trip to Toledo. The Rockets went 5-7 in 2007, but averaged nearly 33 points per game. It will be the first meeting between the two programs.

The final eight games of the season are against Sun Belt Conference foes, beginning with North Texas on Oct. 4 in Denton. FIU defeated North Texas 38-19 in the final college football game in the Orange Bowl last Dec. 1. FIU’s last trip to Denton resulted in a 25-22 seven-overtime loss that tied as the longest game in college history.

Middle Tennessee opens FIU’s Sun Belt home slate on Oct. 11. The Blue Raiders have taken the last two from FIU but lost 35-31 in their last trip to Miami, in the 2005 season finale. A game at Troy follows on Oct. 18. The Trojans finished second in the Sun Belt with a 6-1 conference mark and owned the SBC’s best overall record at 8-4 in 2007.

FIU will leave the state for the final time of the season with a Nov. 1 tilt at Louisiana-Lafayette. After that, the Golden Panthers play the remainder of their schedule in the Sunshine State, traveling only once, to Florida Atlantic, on Nov. 24.

FIU plays host to Arkansas State for Homecoming Weekend on Nov. 8 and follows its final open date on Nov. 15 with a home game against Louisiana at Monroe. That game is followed by the Sixth Annual Shula Bowl against 2007 Sun Belt Champion and New Orleans Bowl winner, FAU.

The season finale will be played at home on Dec. 6 against Football Bowl Subdivision newcomer Western Kentucky.

For season tickets, call 305-FIU-GAME, or go to www.fiusports.com. The five-game package starts at $100.

2008 FIU Football Schedule
Date Opponent 2007 Record
Aug. 30 at Kansas 12-1
Sept. 6 at Iowa 6-6
Sept. 20 SOUTH FLORIDA 9-4
Sept. 27 at Toledo 5-7
Oct. 4 at North Texas 2-10
Oct. 11 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 5-7
Oct. 18 at Troy 8-4
Nov. 1 at Louisiana-Lafayette 3-9
Nov. 8 ARKANSAS STATE - Homecoming 5-7
Nov. 22 LOUISIANA-MONROE 6-6
Nov. 29 at Florida Atlantic 8-5
Dec. 6 WESTERN KENTUCKY 7-5

[gpantera]

gpantera's prediction:

worse case scenario - 3 wins, 9 opportunities for improvement
best case scenario - 7 wins, 5 opportunities for improvement, Sun Belt Bowl Birth and a Victory Parade Down 8th Street

If we win anywhere between 3 and 7 games, I propose we hold the parade down 8th Street anyway.

your turn...what do you predict?

[2006PA]

I predict the outcome to be 4 - 8. Best case scenario would be 7 - 5... I think we have a high chance of beating Toledo and N.Texas. Hopefully all goes well!!!

GO PANTHERS!

[FIUFanatic]

Way early to 'predict. It is evident the SBC appears to get stronger as a group, based on past improvements, and in apparent recruiting advances. I would say 3-9.....2-10 and 4-8 as one game 'swings' up and down. Above or below that would be a pleasant surprise or a major letdown. I want to see improvent in both sides of the ball, in special teams, and in game coaching. If we see that, even if the record ends up being what I expect, then we are on the right path.

[cj]

i say we can go 5-7 with the one game swing in the + or - column. i would say... beating nt, ull, ulm , ASU (we should have won this year), and toledo... with a one game swing / suprise would love to shut up the FAU people

[kevinkagy]

I think that anywhere from 3-6 depending on how we play this season. Of course, I'd like to see the 5-6+ wins because I know we can, but the realist in me says 3 or 4 wins.

GO PANTHERS!

[posterchild]

I think that FIU has the ability to beat ULL, ULM, Toledo, UNT, ASU and WKU.

to me a 6 win season would be a reasonable expectation. We have talent on this team, but for whatever reason it seems we have trouble tapping into it.

[ARod]

I believe the great recruiting class really kicks in next year and we'll win 3-5games this season. Hopefully, our new recruits adjust to the freedom of college life and can make an impact as early as this year. And I hope we can give USF a helluva game like the last one!

[BMarkey]

The Trojans finished second in the Sun Belt with a 6-1 conference mark and owned the SBC’s best overall record at 8-4 in 2007.

In reality (SunBelt says this, not me), Troy finished tied for for place for the second consecutive year.