In one of the most impressive midweek performances of the season, FIU didn’t just win, it dominated. On a short week, in one of Conference USA’s toughest venues, the Panthers imposed their will on both sides of the ball. The result was a statement: a 25–6 victory over Western Kentucky that snapped a long road losing streak and moved first-year head coach Willie Simmons’ team to 3–3.
For a program that hasn’t reached a bowl since 2019, it was a night that felt like a true turning point, led by a coach who simply finds ways to get the most out of his players. Simmons has never had a losing season, a streak that spans successful tenures at Prairie View A&M, Florida A&M, and now FIU, following a one-year stop as a positional coach at Duke.
“Man, I couldn’t be more proud of those guys,” Simmons said after the game. “After two straight losses, eight quarters of football that’s definitely not up to our standard, the guys came and responded in a major way.”
The first-year head coach didn’t shy away from what this one meant for a program trying to reestablish itself. “We talked about growing this program to be able to win tough games on the road, and Western’s one of the toughest places in this conference to play,” he said. “Of course, we all know what happened last time we came up here, and for those guys to come out and dominate the way they did is really a testament to them.”
The tone of the night was set early in the trenches. “We challenged offensive and defensive lines to say the game was going to be won or lost up front,” Simmons said. “To have 250 yards rushing on offense and to hold those guys to a minimum rushing…turnovers, conversions, all the things we talked about, the guys did today.”
That performance embodied the culture Simmons promised when he arrived from Florida A&M after a one-year stop as a positional coach at Duke. “Our identity is that we run the football, and we talked about our culture versus their culture and getting back to who we are,” he said. “What’s our superpower? The ability to turn around and hand the ball off to number five.”
Each drive, each stop, reaffirmed what Simmons calls his team’s bond. “The game was going to be won or lost up front, and tonight they showed who we are,” he said. “This team showed tonight that we can be road warriors. To win championships or compete for championships, you’ve got to learn how to win on the road.”
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“The closest team will win,” Simmons added. “And this team showed…they’re one of the closest teams in the country.”
Next up, FIU returns home on Tuesday for Vice Night against Kennesaw State, where players will debut Miami Vice–inspired jerseys under the lights.
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