Panthers Clip Owls For First Shula Bowl Win Since 2016

MIAMI, FL – If you attend media availability at Pitbull Stadium, you’ll notice the empty trophy case near the side entrance. The Shula Bowl trophy is meant to be in there, something FIU hasn’t held since 2016. The case was introduced last season but has collected dust since then, waiting to serve a purpose.

Not anymore.

In a tale of two halves, FIU Football improved as the game progressed, blanking FAU’s offense in the second half as they cruised to a 38-28 win in the 23rd rendition of this South Florida rivalry.

Death, taxes, and a game at Pitbull Stadium being delayed due to lightning in the area.

bocaisbad.mp4 #PawsUp pic.twitter.com/u9hfts1MKW

— Paws Up Podcast (@PawsUpPodcast) September 14, 2025

Fortune favors those who can weather the storm, and FIU once again relied on its running game to get the job done. On the other side of the ball, the defense gave Caden Veltkamp no easy opportunities, capitalizing on any mistakes that were made.

“Our goals to start the season are all still intact,” said head coach Willie Simmons postgame. “To beat our natural rivals, that’s still intact. To be undefeated at home, that’s still intact. So again, we continue to chase those lofty goals, and we set out for ourselves, and that’s something that this football team takes pride in.”

At the end of the day, the team that races over to the Shula Bowl trophy and rips out the opposing team’s helmet is the victor. And last night, that was none other than the Panthers, breaking a losing streak to a school that is only known as THEM.

A Long Bus Ride Up To Boca

Both FIU and FAU came out sloppy to start this game, thanks in part to the delay and field conditions. The offenses only capitalized on what the defenses gave them, starting with the Panthers off a fourth-down stop.

The big issue in this game for FIU was, surprisingly, getting the ball to the quarterback. Julius Pierce struggled to snap the ball to Keyone Jenkins at times in this game, and none was worse than the one that went through his legs, which was recovered by FAU and resulted in a touchdown.

That was all in the first half. In the second? The defense gave up NOTHING to the Owls, ending drives swiftly and giving FIU good field positioning. The Panthers’ offense dominated in the tranches, creating monster holes for Owens and the running game, scoring 21 unanswered points and chewing time off the clock in the process.

Realistically, this game shouldn’t have even been this close. FIU got complacent in the fourth quarter and made mistakes that helped out FAU. This includes a blocked punt that the Owls cashed in for a touchdown.

However, FAU did the same thing while trailing behind in the game, including some lofty penalties. The third quarter was nearly perfect for FIU, while the fourth quarter was marred by football follies.

Moving On To Conference Play

Overall, the Panthers executed to near-perfection in the third quarter, which was more than enough. Their defense, which played Penn State tough, dominated against FAU, forcing three interceptions and four stops on fourth down.

The offense improved as the game went on as well. Their running game exposed weak points on the Owls’ defense, and Lyghtz finally got his first passing touchdown. The Panthers were also disciplined, not committing silly penalties out of frustration, unlike FAU late in the game.

Let's check in on the Panthers down south, shall we. 😼#FIU | #Panthers | #PawsUp pic.twitter.com/P5HvAXRNQ8

— Paws Up Podcast (@PawsUpPodcast) September 14, 2025

Now’s not the time to get complacent. The Panthers prematurely begin their Conference USA stretch of the season. That’ll be against the Delaware Blue Hens on Saturday, September 20th at 6pm.

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