Florida International University (FIU) has fired head football coach Butch Davis. Here is a look at the FIU football program since 2008 (the first year that of complete data I have). This time period only covers the last four (of five) seasons of head football coach Mario Cristobal (2008-2012), head coach Ron Turner (2013-2016) and Butch Davis (2017-2021). After the figure below is a more detailed look at the Florida International Golden Panthers football program during head coach Davis' tenure based on the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model using data provided by www.cfbstats.com. (The vertical school color bars represent seasons where head coaches changed).
Butch Davis [contract]
2017
FIU finished the regular season at 8-4, and were bowl eligible, but were defeated by #81 ranked Temple (3-28) to finish 8-5 overall. The Golden Panthers
played against an “average” strength
of schedule (SOS), meaning that the Golden Panthers SOS was within plus or minus one standard deviation of the "league" average SOS. FIU's
best
regular season victory was against #38 ranked UTSA (14-7)
and their worst
loss was to #112 ranked Old Dominion (30-37). FIU was the #98 ranked team overall, with the #86 ranked
offense and the #89 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.
2018
FIU finished the regular season at 8-4, and were bowl eligible, where they defeated #58 ranked Toledo (35-32) to finish 9-4 overall. The Golden Panthers
played against a “much easier” strength
of schedule (SOS), meaning that the Golden Panthers SOS was higher than
two standard deviations of the "league" average SOS. FIU's
best
regular season victory was against #66 ranked Middle Tennessee State (24-21)
and their worst
loss was to #96 ranked Indiana (28-38). FIU was the #43 ranked team overall, with the #27 ranked
offense and the #59 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.
2019
FIU finished the regular season at 6-6, and were bowl eligible, where they were defeated by #92 ranked Arkansas State (26-34) to finish 6-7 overall. The Golden Panthers
played against an “average” strength
of schedule (SOS), meaning that the Golden Panthers SOS was within plus or minus one standard deviation of the "league" average SOS. FIU's
best
regular season victory was against #33 ranked Miami (FL) (30-24)
and their worst
loss was to #57 ranked Marshall (27-30). FIU was the #87 ranked team overall, with the #97 ranked
offense and the #70 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.
2020
FIU finished the COVID-19 shortened regular season at 0-5, while playing against “easier” strength
of schedule (SOS), meaning that the Golden Panthers SOS was between one and
two standard deviations larger than the "league" average SOS. FIU's worst
loss was to FCS Jacksonville State (10-19). FIU was the #112 ranked team overall, with the #121 ranked
offense and the #32 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.
2021*
FIU finished at 1-11 and Davis was not renewed/fired. FIU played against an “average” strength
of schedule (SOS) up to this point in the season. The Golden Panthers only victory was against FCS LIU by a
score of (48-10) and their worst loss was to #114 ranked Southern Mississippi by a score of (17-37). FIU is currently the #126 ranked team overall, with the #108 ranked
offense and the #129 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.
2021 FBS Head Coaching Changes