FIU has not won since before the pandemic, but that could change Thursday vs. Long Island

Six hundred and forty-nine days.

If the FIU Panthers win their 2021 opener on Thursday night against visiting Long Island, it will have been 649 days since their last victory, which was that shocking 30-24 triumph over the Miami Hurricanes on Nov. 23, 2019.

Since then, the Panthers have lost seven games in a row, including a 0-5 ledger last year.

Look at it this way:

The 2021 college football offseason has been dominated by Oklahoma and Texas bolting to the SEC and by talk of expanding the playoff system to 12 teams and by the reality that players are suddenly able to profit on endorsement deals.

And there were also more than 2,500 players entering their names into the transfer portal, and, oh yea, COVID is still around as evidenced by FIU coach Butch Davis getting sick midway through training camp.

Davis is back, however, and the Panthers are 33½-point favorites against the Long Island Sharks, who went 0-10 in their first Football Bowl Subdivision season in 2019.

Since then, the Sharks skipped the 2020 season due to COVID concerns and went 2-2 this past March in a spring schedule.

Here’s a quick projection of FIU’s lineup for Thursday:

Quarterback: Sixth-year senior Max Bortenschlager has won the starting job. If it’s a blowout, backup Haden Carlson should get his first collegiate snaps.

Running back: D’vonte Price is on a mission to prove his NFL worth, Shaun Peterson is the main backup and Lexington “Flex” Joseph is the one to watch for the future.

Receivers/tight ends: Holdovers Bryce Singleton and Shemar Thornton and transfers Tyrese Chambers and Randall St. Felix give the Panthers firepower at receiver. The top tight ends in the passing game are Sterling Palmer and Rivaldo Fairweather.

Offensive line: FIU returns three starters: left guard Sione Finau, right guard Dontae Keys and right tackle Lyndell Hudson. Left tackle Rey Burnett started at Houston Baptist, and center Api Mane started at Kansas. They are likelyto start on Thursday. But backup center Julius Pearce could emerge, and the same goes for Miles Frazier at left tackle.

Defensive line: At tackle, the Panthers could have a potent 1-2 punch in Davon Strickland and Indiana transfer Jeramy Passmore, with depth from veteran Rashad Colson and talented freshman Savion Collins. At end, holdovers Kevin Oliver, Jason Mercier and Tevin Jones are joined by Texas State transfer Hal Vinson.

Linebackers: Daniel Jackson has moved to the middle. Jamal Gates, back from injury, is likely the other starter. Eric Mitchell, who had 175 career tackles at UCF, is not yet ready to play following a shoulder injury. Josh Powell and Rocky Jacques-Louis provide depth.

Defensive backs: FIU will start five players here, including safety Dorian Hall and the Dames twins — Richard and Rishard. The other two starters could be Benny McCray and Josh Valentine-Turner. DeMarcus Robinson, Jesson Walker, A.J. Mathis and Joe Perkins are challenging for time.

Special teams: Tommy Heatherly is a standout punter, and Lucas Matias has won the kickoff job. Chase Gabriel is the likely kicker, but he is being challenged by Matias. Singleton is the likely punt returner, and Joseph has talent as a kickoff returner. But keep your eyes out for freshman Artez Hooker.

THIS AND THAT

▪ Ex-FIU quarterback James Morgan was cut by the New York Jets on Tuesday. He was their fourth-round pick last year and is likely to end up on their practice squad. He was beaten out for New York’s backup quarterback job by Pembroke Pines native Mike White.

▪ But while the Morgan news was disappointing for FIU fans, there’s excitement for Teair Tart, who went from undrafted rookie last year to winning the. starting job at nose tackle for the Tennessee Titans this fall.

▪ Besides Tart, there are three other ex-FIU players in the NFL: wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (Colts); tight end Jonnu Smith (Patriots ); and cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver (Panthers).

Hilton has had five 1,000-yard seasons in nine years with Indianapolis, but he might not start this season on the active list due to injuries.

Smith is tied for third among the highest-paid tight ends in the league, and Thomas-Oliver is a promising young backup.

This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 3:43 PM.