2013 Florida Tech Panthers football team

Last updated
2013 Florida Tech Panthers football
Conference Gulf South Conference
Record5–7 (1–5 GSC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJayson Martin (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorWillie Tillman (1st season)
Home stadium Pirate Stadium
Seasons
 2012
2014  
2013 Gulf South Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 10 North Alabama +^  5 1   10 3  
West Alabama +  5 1   8 3  
Delta State  4 2   7 3  
Valdosta State  3 3   6 4  
West Georgia  3 3   6 5  
Florida Tech  1 5   5 7  
Shorter #  0 6   2 9  
  • + Conference co-champions
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • # – Provisional Division II member
Rankings from AFCA Poll

The 2013 Florida Tech Panthers football team represented the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) during the NCAA Division II football season. They were led by head coach Steve Englehart, who was in his first year at Florida Tech. The Panthers played their home games at Pirate Stadium, approximately one mile from the Florida Tech campus and were a member of the Gulf South Conference. The 2013 season was the Panthers' first, after having football approved at FIT in April, 2010. [1]

Contents

In a season full of firsts, the Panthers memorably won their first ever game by defeating Stetson, 20-13, on a touchdown with 1:09 to play. [2] Later on, they would earn their first GSC win in dramatic fashion by scoring 21 unanswered fourth quarter points to defeat Shorter, 28-24. [3] They would cap their inaugural campaign by winning on the road for the first time in their first ever bowl game in a 32-20 win over Alderson-Broaddus in the ECAC Futures Bowl. [4]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 77:00 pm Stetson *W 20-135,400
September 141:00 pmat Newberry *L 19–232,544
September 198:00 pmNo. 16 West Alabama
  • Pirate Stadium
  • Melbourne, FL
CBSSN L 3–454,812
September 286:00 pmat Delta State *
L 31–528,012
October 53:00 pmat No. 1 Valdosta State L 14–527,612
October 121:00 pmat Ave Maria *
L 41–451,345
October 192:00 pm Shorter
  • Pirate Stadium
  • Melbourne, FL
W 28–244,000
October 261:00 pm Warner *Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Pirate Stadium
  • Melbourne, FL
W 37–33,975
October 317:35 pmat West Georgia ESPN3 L 14–282,611
November 92:00 pmNo. 24 North Alabama
L 28–552,867
November 162:00 pm Webber International *
  • Pirate Stadium
  • Melbourne, FL
W 17–32,641
November 232:00 pmat Alderson Broaddus *W 32-201,002
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

Stetson

1234Total
Hatters730313
Panthers0331420

At Newberry

1234Total
Panthers3100619
Wolves0714223

West Alabama

1234Total
Tigers141410745
Panthers03003

At Delta State

1234Total
Panthers01014731
Statesmen714102152

At Valdosta State

1234Total
Panthers007714
Blazers10728752

At Ave Maria

1234Total
Panthers3247741
Gyrenes77102145

Shorter

1234Total
Hawks7107024
Panthers7002128

Warner

1234Total
Royals30003
Panthers71071337

At West Georgia

1234Total
Panthers077014
Wolves7140728

North Alabama

1234Total
Lions142014755
Panthers777728

Webber International

1234Total
Warriors00033
Panthers037717

At Alderson-Broaddus

1234Total
Panthers7913332
Battlers3143020

Awards and milestones

Gulf South Conference honors

Eight players from Florida Tech were honored as All-GSC selections by the league's coaches. Linebacker Chris Stapleton was named the GSC Defensive Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Panther to receive any such honor. [5]

Gulf South Conference All-Conference First Team