You know how some seasons just feel like a fever dream? That was FIU football lately. Honestly, if you’re looking for the latest Florida International University football score, you probably saw the final result of the First Responder Bowl. It wasn't pretty. UTSA handed the Panthers a 57–20 loss on December 26, 2025.
It was a rough way to end a year that actually had some decent momentum.
Football in Miami is weird. You have the Hurricanes hogging the spotlight, but what Willie Simmons did in his first year at FIU actually matters. He took a program that’s been stuck in the mud and got them to a bowl game for the first time since 2019. That’s not nothing. Basically, the Panthers finished 7–6. For a team that went 4–8 three years in a row, a winning record is a massive shift in the right direction.
The Scoreboard: FIU’s 2025 Journey
Looking back at the schedule, the scores tell a story of a team that could either light up the scoreboard or completely vanish. You’ve got games like the one against Sam Houston where the Panthers hung 56 points on them. Total blowout. 56–16.
Then you look at the Penn State game in September. Zero. They got shut out 34–0 in Happy Valley. You can’t really blame them for losing to a top-tier Big Ten team, but the lack of a single point was a bit of a gut punch for the fans who traveled.
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The high point? Probably the Shula Bowl.
Beating FAU 38–28 at Pitbull Stadium (yes, that’s actually the name now) felt like a turning point. There’s something about that rivalry that brings out the best in this roster. Keyone Jenkins looked like a legit star that night, navigating the pocket and finding ways to exploit the Owls' secondary.
A Quick Look at the Key Results
- Season Opener: FIU 42, Bethune-Cookman 9. A solid start.
- The Rivalry: FIU 38, FAU 28. Bragging rights stayed in Miami.
- The Midweek Grind: FIU 25, Western Kentucky 6. This was a defensive masterclass on a Tuesday night.
- The Late Surge: 56–30 over Middle Tennessee and a 34–27 overtime thriller against Liberty.
- The Bowl Game: UTSA 57, FIU 20. A reality check in Dallas.
Why the Numbers Don't Tell the Whole Story
If you just look at the Florida International University football score from the bowl game, you’d think the defense was a sieve. And yeah, giving up 57 points is indefensible. But let’s be real—UTSA was clicking on all cylinders, and the Panthers looked like they’d run out of gas by late December.
The real story is the ground game.
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Kejon Owens was a monster this year. He put up 1,334 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Averaging over six yards a carry is insane for a Conference USA back. There were games where he basically carried the entire offense on his back while the passing game struggled to find a rhythm.
Speaking of the passing game, Keyone Jenkins had his ups and downs. 20 touchdowns is great, but those 13 interceptions? Kinda painful. You see that in the scores. When Jenkins took care of the ball, FIU won. When he forced throws into double coverage, things went south fast.
The "Pitbull Stadium" Effect
It’s hard not to talk about the stadium. Changing the name to Pitbull Stadium was a move that got a lot of eye-rolls nationally, but it brought a different energy to the 305. Attendance hit over 18,000 for the opener. In a city that usually ignores college football unless it's a Top 10 matchup, that’s a win for the administration.
The Panthers went 4–2 at home. They defended their turf. That 34–27 OT win against Liberty on Homecoming was easily the loudest that stadium has been in years. The score doesn't capture the tension of that final drive, but if you were there, you felt it.
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What to Watch for in 2026
The 2025 season is in the books, but the foundation is finally there. Coach Simmons has the recruiting classes looking better than they have in a decade. Most people get FIU wrong—they think it’s just a "basketball school" or a place where coaches go to get fired. This year proved that with the right scheme, they can compete in C-USA.
The schedule for next year hasn't fully dropped its times yet, but we know the core opponents. Keeping the momentum from a 7-win season is the hardest part. Usually, a mid-major team has one good year and then loses their coach or their best players to the transfer portal.
FIU needs to keep Kejon Owens away from the bigger programs if they want to repeat this success. If they can tighten up the secondary—which gave up nearly 250 passing yards per game—the scores in 2026 might look even better.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the Transfer Portal: Keep an eye on the defensive departures. The Panthers need depth in the 3-4 base defense if they want to avoid another 50-point blowout in the future.
- Season Ticket Deposits: If you’re in Miami, the "Pitbull Stadium" vibe is actually catching on. Early bird deposits usually open in late January.
- Watch the O-Line: With Owens returning (hopefully), the success of the 2026 season hinges on a line that allowed 24 sacks this year. That number has to come down.
The era of 1-11 and 0-12 seasons seems to be over. Finally.