Coach: Mario Cristobal (1-11) Second Year
Last Year: 1-11, 1-6 Sun Belt Conference, eighth of eight
Returning Starters : Offense 9, Line 3 | Defense 5, Line 2
Three Things You Should Know
1) The Panthers are listed with an eighth place finish in the Sun Belt for 2007, but that is due to the two overall wins North Texas picked up. Both teams had 1-6 conference records and FIU won the head-to-head matchup 38-19.
2) FIU's best player is probably junior right tackle Cedric Mack (6-4/320). Phil Steele has Mack on his second team All-Sun Belt team.
3) Before the North Texas win, FIU lost 23 straight games -- seventh longest streak ever.
Trends
FIU is 0-10 against BCS teams ... KU has won four straight home openers and is 15-2 in openers since 1991.
The Game
There are really two ways this one could play out:
- KU unleashes a full offseason's worth of rage built on reading preview mags and web articles resulting in an expected blowout.
- KU comes out unfocused for the first half and maybe struggles a bit in the run game as the new tackles see their first live action. Even if this happens, expect the Jayhawks to steadily improve throughout the game.
This is actually a great first game matchup for the Hawks. No matter what FIU's win record may show, teams from Florida generally have some talent scattered throughout the roster. Some of the inexperienced KU players will get tested in individual matchups.
2008 Florida International Schedule
08/30 at (14) Kansas
09/06 at Iowa
09/20 (19) South Florida
09/27 at Toledo
10/04 at North Texas
10/11 Middle Tennessee
10/18 at Troy
11/01 at Louisiana-Lafayette
11/08 Arkansas State
11/22 Louisiana-Monroe
11/29 at Florida Atlantic
12/06 Western Kentucky
