FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL PANTHERS FOOTBALL

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Willie Simmons directs a 100-player roster competing in Conference USA's FBS division at Florida International University, located in Miami and serving 54,085 students across its campus. Founded in 1965, FIU has built its football program within the competitive landscape of South Florida athletics, where the Panthers operate from their home venue while balancing the program's development against well-established regional rivals. The university's substantial enrollment provides a recruiting base within one of the nation's most talent-rich metropolitan areas, where FIU competes for local prospects against Power Five and other Group of Five programs.

Simmons oversees a full FBS roster of 100 athletes competing through the fall season in a conference featuring 12 teams across multiple states. Conference USA membership positions the Panthers within a mid-level Group of Five conference structure, requiring consistent competitive performance to advance postseason opportunities. FIU's football operation reflects the university's growth trajectory since its establishment nearly 60 years ago, with the program continuing to develop infrastructure and recruiting pipelines necessary for sustained competitiveness at the FBS level in one of America's most demographically dynamic regions.

KEY FACTS

ROSTER (2025-26)

OTHER SPORTS AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL

CONFERENCE USA FOOTBALL PROGRAMS

• Jacksonville State Gamecocks
• Kennesaw State Owls
• Liberty Flames
• Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
• Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders
• Missouri State Bears
• New Mexico State Aggies
• Sam Houston State Bearkats
• Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens
• Texas at El Paso Miners
• Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

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