The 2014 Florida Tech Panthers football team represented the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) during the 2014 NCAA Division II football season. They were led by head coach Steve Englehart, who was in his second 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 2014 season was the Panthers' second, after having football approved at FIT in April, 2010.[1]
The Panthers would record the first winning season in program history at 6-5. Highlights included the program's first ever win over a ranked team in a 37-31 victory over #12 Tarleton State at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas as part of the Lone Star Football Festival [2] , their first ever road win in GSC play thanks to a last second 33-32 win at West Alabama [3] and clinching a winning record on a 41-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass from Mark Cato to Xavier Milton as time expired to defeat Shorter, 34-30.[4]
Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game
Game summaries
At Stetson
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
30
7
10
7
54
Hatters
0
0
0
12
12
Ave Maria
1
2
3
4
Total
Gyrenes
0
0
6
0
6
Panthers
14
0
28
0
42
Tarleton State
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
7
14
7
9
37
Texans
14
10
0
7
31
At Bethune-Cookman
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
7
7
10
9
33
Wildcats
7
13
0
14
34
Delta State
1
2
3
4
Total
Statesmen
7
16
28
7
58
Panthers
7
13
0
0
20
At West Alabama
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
6
7
7
13
33
Tigers
10
10
3
9
32
North Alabama
1
2
3
4
Total
Lions
10
7
10
7
34
Panthers
0
10
14
7
31
Mississippi College
1
2
3
4
Total
Choctaws
6
0
3
0
9
Panthers
14
13
7
10
44
At Shorter
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
0
0
14
20
34
Hawks
0
10
0
20
30
At West Georgia
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
7
14
7
7
35
Wolves
21
7
0
21
49
Valdosta State
1
2
3
4
Total
Blazers
3
14
7
7
31
Panthers
3
6
0
20
29
Awards and milestones
Gulf South Conference honors
Nine players from Florida Tech were honored as All-GSC selections by the league's coaches. Wide Receiver Xavier Milton was named the GSC Co-Offensive Player of the Year with West Alabama QB Kyle Caldwell, becoming the first Panther to receive the honor. Quarterback Mark Cato became the first of two consecutive Panthers to win GSC Offensive Freshman of the Year with Antwuan Haynes winning it the following year. Steve Englehart was named GSC Co-Coach of the Year with Delta State's Todd Cooley and would go on to win the award outright in 2015.[6]
Most passing yards in a single season: 2,962, Mark Cato
Most rushing yards in a single season: 1,105, Trevor Sand
Most receiving yards in a single season: 1,116, Xavier Milton
Most passing touchdowns in a single season: 32, Mark Cato
Most sacks in a single season: 8, J.J. Sanders
Most tackles for loss in a single season: 21, J.J. Sanders
Most tackles for loss: 4, J.J. Sanders (October 18, 2014)
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