FIU is only three years removed from a challenging 1-11 season and hasn’t finished above .500 in six years.
In Mike MacIntyre’s first two seasons, the Panthers recorded 4-8 records both times, ending last in Conference USA last year and tying for last in 2022. However, this isn’t MacIntyre’s first experience in such a situation.
Previously, during his tenure at San Jose State and Colorado, he faced difficulties in the early seasons before leading his teams to double-digit victories. He achieved this in his third season at SJSU after a 1-12 start. At Colorado, his teams won a total of 10 games over the first three years, then improved to 10-4 in Year 4.
With a history of turning around struggling programs and taking on challenging roles, it will be interesting to see if MacIntyre can maintain that success with this year’s FIU team.
FIU Football’s Conference USA Title Odds
FIU has +12500 odds to win Conference USA, according to BetMGM.
FIU Football Betting Odds & Win Total
The Over/Under for FIU’s win total is set at 4.5, with the Over priced at +135 and the Under at -165.
FIU Football’s 2024 Schedule
- 8/31 at Indiana
- 9/7 vs Central Michigan
- 9/14 at FAU
- 9/21 vs Monmouth
- 9/28 vs Louisiana Tech
- 10/8 at Liberty
- 10/16 at UTEP
- 10/22 vs Sam Houston
- 10/29 vs New Mexico State
- 11/16 at Jacksonville State
- 11/23 at Kennesaw State
- 11/30 vs Middle Tennessee
Bold indicates CUSA games.
Key FIU Football Returners
- 2023 All-CUSA 2nd Team: PR/WR Dean Patterson
QB Keyone Jenkins Poised for Breakout Season with FIU Football
At the beginning of 2023, FIU had a short quarterback competition. After Grayson James started in Week 1, he was quickly benched, leading Keyone Jenkins to take over as the starter for the remaining 11 games of his freshman year. He ended the season with 2,422 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and six rushing touchdowns.
While Jenkins demonstrated significant potential, he also faced typical rookie challenges. Despite his efforts and contributions from all-conference wideout Kris Mitchell, the Panthers struggled offensively, ranking near the bottom of the conference with just 20.1 points per game and second-to-last in total offense at 319.6 yards per game.
This season, the Panthers are expected to improve. Jenkins enters with a year of starting experience, and the offensive line is now more seasoned, returning four starters. Last season, the O-line was a liability, allowing a league-high 46 sacks. If they can perform better, Jenkins and the running backs may find more opportunities to excel.
FIU boasts a deep and talented running back group, including Shomari Lawrence, Lexington Joseph, and Kejon Owens. Lawrence led the team last year with 566 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while Owens added 453 yards and five scores. Joseph, who missed last season due to an ACL injury, previously led the Panthers with 536 rushing yards in 2022.
This strong rushing attack should alleviate some pressure on Jenkins, complemented by playmaker Dean Patterson at wide receiver.
Additionally, a veteran defense can ease Jenkins’s workload. If they can improve from allowing 430 yards and 31 points per game, the offense won’t frequently have to play catch-up.
Led by linebacker Reggie Patterson and nickelback Jamal Potts, the defense consists mainly of upperclassmen. The defensive line is expected to perform better this year, especially with the addition of Bethune-Cookman transfer Eddie Walls, who recorded 14.5 tackles for loss and four sacks last season. Patterson’s 104 tackles ranked sixth in the league.
With experienced defensive backs, Potts and the rest of the secondary will need to elevate their performance this season.
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