With their toughest game of the season behind them, the FIU Golden Panthers have Saturday off before finishing up against FAU on Dec. 5 in the annual Don Shula Bowl at FIU Stadium.

The Panthers hope to work out some kinks to help bring the Don Shula Trophy back to FIU.

Although the Panthers are not at the same level as the top-ranked Florida Gators, who won 62-3 on Saturday in Gainesville, FIU had some opportunities but did not capitalize.

``Some things we have to clean up and shore up to play against FAU,'' FIU coach Mario Cristobal said. ``Because we did leave some opportunities early on in the field. Part of that is that [the Gators] force you into bad plays.''

After Florida incurred a roughing-the-kicker penalty on FIU punter Carlos Munera that gave the Panthers 15 yards and a first down at their 42-yard line, Panthers quarterback Paul McCall was intercepted by Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes, who returned it 41 yards for a touchdown.

The Panthers offense then went four consecutive series in which they went three-and-out and had to punt each time. FIU was 4 of 15 on third-down conversions.

FIU finally got going offensively midway through the second quarter, when the running game found some holes in the Gators defense.

Backup quarterback Wayne Younger ripped off a 16-yard run to the UF 30, and running back Trenard Turner then picked up 10 yards, but that was as far as the Panthers advanced, and kicker Dustin Rivest then missed on a 33-yard field goal attempt.

FIU did not use its WildPanther offense Saturday, with Cristobal saying, ``There were some things there that we felt were not to our advantage.''

FIU's usually reliable passing game could not get on track, with only 136 yards through the air. McCall and Younger were under pressure for most of the day. They missed some throws, but their receivers also dropped some passes.

``We got a lot of balls batted down by their defensive line,'' Cristobal said. ``A combination of them doing a good job and us doing a poor job of not cutting their guys down and keeping their hands down.''

FIU's defense, which had been giving up 490.9 yards per game, gave up 584 against the explosive Gators.

``We had numerous ways to keep them inside the box,'' Cristobal said. ``Every time they broke containment, they found a way to make big plays.''

The Panthers have two weeks to prepare for the Owls -- a team more at their level. But FAU also features a high-powered offense that puts up 435 yards per game.

The Owls won last season's game 57-50 in overtime.