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MIAMI — FIU’s football program, following a highly-successful 2025 campaign in Year One under Willie Simmons, takes its talents across the Sunshine State for a matchup with South Florida under the lights at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5. Kick-off between the Panthers and Bulls is set for 7 p.m.
FIU (0-0) opens up its 25th season as a collegiate football program with a trip to take on non-conference foe South Florida (0-0), a member of the American, with in-state bragging rights on the line. The Panthers are looking to build on a seven-win campaign in Simmons’ first season at the helm, combining a strong group of returners with a talented incoming freshman/portal class that make up this 2026 roster.
FIU is currently riding a four-game regular season win streak as the Panthers went undefeated in November to earn bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019 a year ago. Along the way, Simmons’ bunch achieved many historic feats, of which include downing Fla. Atlantic in the Shula Bowl for the first time since 2016, defeating both Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee on the road for the first time in over a decade and ripping off the program’s first-ever four-game win streak in Conference USA (CUSA) play. With 2025 now fully in the rearview mirror, Simmons and FIU expect to continue to chase their standard of excellence heading into 2026.
On the other side, USF also posted a very promising campaign in 2025, finishing with a 9-4 record under previous head coach Alex Golesh. However, Golesh left South Florida for Auburn, and now a new leader, former Ohio State Offensive Coordinator and first-time head coach Brian Hartline, leads the Bulls into 2026. Much like FIU, USF re-loaded in the offseason, with a portal class that was rated the top class in all of the Group of Six, and will be relying heavily on a slew of newcomers to deliver another winning season to the Bulls’ faithful.
Fans can expect that both teams will be finding their own 2026 identities in this game, on both sides of the ball, with all of the new faces that will play a factor on each roster. While a lot of unknowns exist for both programs as they embark on a new season, this will surely be an intriguing matchup on Saturday evening between two Sunshine State programs on the rise.
Fan Fit
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Series History
Series Record: FIU trails 2-0
Last Matchup: USF def. FIU, 17-8 (Sept. 20, 2008)
Willie Simmons vs. USF: 0-2
How To Follow
Fans can follow along with the game on a variety of platforms. The matchup will air live on ESPN+ and also be available via audio stream on fiusports.com/listenlive. Live stats will also be available on fiusports.com/FBStats.
Broadcast
ESPN+
Play-by-Play: AJ Ricketts
Analyst: Patrick Murray
Sideline: Maria Trivelpiece
fiusports.com Audio Stream
Play-by-Play: Corey Brooks
Analyst: Jermon Bushrod
Matchup Notes
This is the third overall meeting between the Panthers and the Bulls, but the first since 2008. The matchups in 2006 and 2008 both came when FIU was in the Sun Belt and USF was in the Big East.
Each of the prior meetings were decided by one score as USF won 21-20 in Tampa on Sept. 9, 2006 and also defeated FIU 17-9 in Miami on Sept. 20, 2008.
Both programs are in the midst of notable anniversary seasons as FIU enters its 25th season as a program while USF is commemorating its 30th season. This is a matchup of the 10th-youngest (USF) and 8th-youngest (FIU) football programs overall that are currently within the FBS.
FIU will be looking for its fourth win in its last six season openers and the first season-opening road win since a 15-14 win over UCF in Orlando in 2015.
FIU and USF are both in the bottom-third in returning production from last season, meaning a host of new faces will factor into the outcome. FIU is anked 95th (47%) per ESPN while USF is ranked 113th (41%).
Willie Simmons is 1-0 in season openers for FIU as the Panthers thumped Bethune-Cookman in the 2025 opener, but Simmons is 0-2 against USF, falling by identical 38-17 scores in both 2021 and 2023 as head coach of Florida A&M.
Simmons is currently 2-0 against programs in the state of Florida as FIU’s head coach, defeating both Bethune-Cookman and Fla. Atlantic last season.
JJ Kohl will be making his first career start at Quarterback for FIU after transferring in from App State. Kohl passed for 1,465 yards and 12 touchdowns in six games started for the Mountaineers. Kohl is a former four-star recruit who started his career at Iowa State.
Several of FIU’s main offensive weapons will be making a return home to the Tampa area as RB Anthony Carrie (Carrollwood Day), WR Greg Gaines III (Tampa Bay Tech) are both from Tampa-proper while Maguire Anderson (JW Mitchell) hails from nearby-Lutz.
South Florida
The Bulls posted a 9-4 record last season with a 6-2 mark in American play under previous head coach Alex Golesh. Golesh left the program for Auburn, however, prior to USF’s bowl game, taking standout quarterback Byrum Brown with him to the Plains.
USF then announced the hiring of Brian Hartline, who previously served as the Offensive Coordinator at Ohio State, to replace Golesh.
Hartline spent seven seasons in the NFL, six of which came with the Miami Dolphins, before beginning his coaching career at Ohio State in 2017. He became the Buckeyes’ wide receivers coach in 2024 and offensive coordinator in 2025, helping Ohio State rank No. 13 nationally in scoring (37.0 ppg), No. 24 in total offense (438.5 ypg) and No. 24 in passing (267.0 ypg) in 2025.
This will be Hartline’s first-ever game as a head coach.
The Bulls had a busy offseason, bringing in 41 new transfers into the program, with 13 players either ranked as four or five star recruits out of high school. This portal class was ranked No. 1 amongst all Group of Six programs per 247Sports.
LSU transfer Michael Van Buren is expected to start for USF. Van Buren started his collegiate career at Mississippi State before transferring to LSU. Between his time at both schools, the Bowie, Maryland native appeared in 17 games, making 12 starts at the SEC level.
FIU Athletics App
Fans are encouraged to download the Official FIU Athletics App for all FIU Athletics News and Digital Content, of which can be found searching ‘FIU Athletics’ in the App Store on both Android and iOS-based devices. Inside the app, fans will find the Panther Rewards program, of which rewards fans for attending FIU Athletics event with points that can be used for prizes.
Weekly Media Availabilities
HC Wilie Simmons
DC Jovan Dewitt
Best of Social Media
Starting things off with a trip across the state 🔜 pic.twitter.com/bgtQgERCMd
— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) August 31, 2026
New story unfolds Saturday. And the first chapter begins in Tampa for @FIUFootball ⏳
🎟️ https://t.co/nvBeMxHrfj pic.twitter.com/T0KKUdooWi
— FIU Athletics (@FIUAthletics) September 2, 2026
The Willie Simmons Coach’s Show
The Panthers will partner with Twin Peaks Doral, one of the highest-grossing restaurants in the entire franchise, for a weekly show with first-year Head Coach Willie Simmons and other special guests. Host Corey Brooks will sit down with Coach Simmons to discuss all facets of Panther football, with an emphasis on recapping the previous week’s match-ups and previewing the upcoming game. For more information, click here.
25th Season Celebration, Presented by Miccosukee Casino and Resort
The upcoming 2026 season for the Panthers officially marks FIU’s 25th season of football competition, dating back to the Panthers’ first-ever season in 2002. Over that time period, FIU has qualified for six bowl games, secured six Shula Bowl victories and produced countless NFL players, including Pro Bowlers T.Y Hilton and Jonnu Smith. The program has also seen many legendary coaches and outstanding players pass through the Panther facilities throughout its history, creating a litany of incredible moments experienced by Panther Nation.
Fans can be expected to be taken on a journey back to the inception of the program all the way up to the present day, recognizing the standard set by the first teams and acknowledging how many past Panthers have helped to build on that legacy. All of this will lead up and continue through the 25th official season in 2026, the second under head coach Willie Simmons, following one of the most historic seasons on record in his first year on the sidelines.
As the campaign begins with a variety of content in the coming weeks, visit our one-stop shop for the 25th Season Celebration. In conjunction with this, fans are encouraged to follow along with the many highly-engaging pieces of content recognizing the past that will be released on FIU Football’s social media channels, listed below.
Social Media
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIU.Football on Instagram and @FIUFootball on Twitter and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.