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]
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]
Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game
Game summaries
Stetson
1
2
3
4
Total
Hatters
7
3
0
3
13
Panthers
0
3
3
14
20
At Newberry
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
3
10
0
6
19
Wolves
0
7
14
2
23
West Alabama
1
2
3
4
Total
Tigers
14
14
10
7
45
Panthers
0
3
0
0
3
At Delta State
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
0
10
14
7
31
Statesmen
7
14
10
21
52
At Valdosta State
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
0
0
7
7
14
Blazers
10
7
28
7
52
At Ave Maria
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
3
24
7
7
41
Gyrenes
7
7
10
21
45
Shorter
1
2
3
4
Total
Hawks
7
10
7
0
24
Panthers
7
0
0
21
28
Warner
1
2
3
4
Total
Royals
3
0
0
0
3
Panthers
7
10
7
13
37
At West Georgia
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
0
7
7
0
14
Wolves
7
14
0
7
28
North Alabama
1
2
3
4
Total
Lions
14
20
14
7
55
Panthers
7
7
7
7
28
Webber International
1
2
3
4
Total
Warriors
0
0
0
3
3
Panthers
0
3
7
7
17
At Alderson-Broaddus
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
7
9
13
3
32
Battlers
3
14
3
0
20
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]
