The FIU Football team recently announced its 2026 schedule. After making their first bowl game appearance since 2019, the momentum is strong for this upcoming season.
Willie Simmons enters his second season under the helm as head coach and will seek to exceed expectations. Finishing 7-6 and 5-3 in CUSA play was a promising start, and things can only go up from here.
Schedule
September 5 – FIU at USF
September 12 – FIU vs Buffalo
September 19 – FIU at Florida Atlantic
September 26 – FIU vs LIU
October 1 – FIU at Jax State
October 8 – FIU vs LA Tech
October 20 – FIU vs Middle Tennessee
October 31 – FIU at Liberty
November 7 FIU vs Sam Houston
November 14 FIU at Delaware
November 21 FIU at New Mexico State
November 28 FIU vs Missouri State
Non-Conference Play
The Panthers will play all of their September non-conference games this season in Florida. Their first test will be on the road in Tampa as they take on the USF Bulls in Raymond James Stadium.
This will be the first time since 2008 that both programs will face each other. FIU is 0-2 all-time against the Bulls. Last season, South Florida finished 9-4 and were ranked as high as 18th in the nation, but they lost in the Cure Bowl to Old Dominion.
Following the season, head coach Alex Golesh departed the program to take the head coaching position at Auburn. USF went out and hired Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline to lead the program. His first-ever game as an FBS head coach will be against the vet Willie Simmons and the Panthers.
The Bulls are coming off a disappointing 5-7 season, a year removed from their Bahamas Bowl championship.
The Panthers will then face a familiar foe two counties up north. The 24th edition of the Shula Bowl will take place in Boca Raton. FIU won last season 38-28 to reclaim the trophy for the first time since 2016.
FIU hasn’t won in Boca Raton since 2012. Last season, the Owls finished with a 4-8 record, their fifth consecutive losing season.
Back in Miami, the Panthers will play Long Island to conclude their non-conference play. FIU beat the Sharks 48-10 in 2021, their only matchup to date.
LIU finished this past season with an even 6-6 record, just their second non-losing season in program history.
Mark your calendars, our 2026 schedule is HERE 📆
🗞️: https://t.co/V90E4PzQX3 pic.twitter.com/3sqY16ZXRg
— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) March 13, 2026
Conference Play in October
The Panthers begin their CUSA play against Jacksonville State on the road. They beat them last season 27-21 to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2019.
The Gamecocks reached the Conference USA championship last season against Kennesaw State, losing to the Owls. Their season ended with a Salute to Veterans Bowl championship over Troy, finishing the season with a 9-5 record.
FIU’s first conference home games come against Louisiana Tech. The last time these teams matched up was in 2024 where the Panthers defeated the Bulldogs 17-10.
LA Tech went 8-5 last season and won the Independence Bowl against Coastal Carolina. It was their first winning season and bowl win since 2019.
After a bye week, FIU will host their second conference home contest against Middle Tennessee. Last season, the Panthers dismantled MTSU 56-30, marking the beginning of a four-game winning streak to cap off the regular season.
FIU will travel to Liberty on Halloween. They beat the Flames in last season’s slate, 34-27 in overtime, which snapped a previous three-game losing skid to them.
After six straight trips to bowl games, Liberty fell short of expectations, going 4-8. It was a season that saw them post two four-game losing streaks.
The Final Stretch
FIU kicks off November by welcoming Sam Houston State. Last year, the Panthers won 56-16 in a lopsided victory to close out the regular season.
The Bearkats posted a 2-10 record after opening the 2025 season with an eight-game losing streak under first-year head coach Phil Longo. It was a complete turnaround from being the New Orleans Bowl champions the season prior.
FIU travels to Delaware for the first time in program history and are seeking revenge. The Blue Hens won 38-16 at Pitbull Stadium in their first-ever matchup last year. A new addition to Conference USA, Delaware ended the season on a high note with a 7-6 record and a 68 Ventures Bowl championship against Louisiana.
The second of a back-to-back road contest, FIU plays New Mexico State for the first time in two seasons. In 2024, the Panthers defeated the Aggies 34-13. NM State went 4-8 in a season that saw them lose five games in a row at one point.
The Panthers close the 2026 season at home against the Missouri State Bears in their first meeting in Miami. The Bears defeated the Panthers by a final score of 27-21 in the program’s first-ever matchup.
MO State ended the season with a 7-6 record, losing to Arkansas State in the Xbox Bowl. This is the fourth time in the last five years that the regular season concludes in Miami for the Panthers.
The kickoff and TV broadcasting information will be released at a later date.
About Post Author
More Stories
Liberty Defeats Panthers After Being Down to Its Last Strike
Liberty Defeats Panthers in Series Opener
Dolphins Set to Host 2026 Draft Party Presented by Bud Light