American college football season
The 2018 Florida Tech Panthers football team represented Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) during the 2018 NCAA Division II football season . They were led by sixth-year head coach Steve Englehart . The Panthers played their home games at Florida Tech Panther Stadium , approximately one mile from the Florida Tech campus, and were members of the Gulf South Conference .
The 2018 season saw FIT finish with a record of 8-4, earning their second trip to the NCAA Division II Football Championship where they were eliminated in the first round at Lenoir-Rhyne.[ 1] [ 2]
Gulf South Conference coaches poll [ edit ] On August 2, 2018, the Gulf South Conference released their preseason coaches poll with the Panthers predicted to finish in 6th place in the conference.[ 3]
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
West Alabama
62 (6)
2
West Florida
59 (3)
3
West Georgia
44
4
Delta State
41
5
Valdosta State
38
6 Florida Tech 32
7
North Greenville
24
8
Mississippi College
16
9
Shorter
8
Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Team [ edit ] The Panthers had four players at four positions selected to the preseason all-Gulf South Conference team.[ 4]
Offense
Romell Guerrier – WR
Antwuan Haynes – RB
Defense
Adonis Davis – DL
J. T. Hassell – LB
Florida Tech 2018 football schedule consists of five home and six away games in the regular season. The Panthers will host GSC foes Delta State , Mississippi College , North Greenville , and Valdosta State , and will travel to Shorter , West Alabama , West Florida , and West Georgia .[ 5]
The Panthers will host one of the three non-conference games against Newberry from the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and will travel to Benedict from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Wingate also from the SAC.[ 6]
Two of the eleven games will be broadcast on ESPN3 , as part of the Gulf South Conference Game of the Week.[ 7]
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance September 1 6:00 p.m. at Benedict * W 33-141,528 September 8 1:00 p.m. Newberry * W 17-102,500 September 15 7:00 p.m. Delta State Florida Tech Panther Stadium Melbourne, FL ESPN3 W 30-123,567 September 22 2:00 p.m. at No. 8 West Georgia L 21-302,524 September 29 3:00 p.m. at Wingate * ESPN3 W 26-232,171 October 6 7:00 p.m. Mississippi College Florida Tech Panther Stadium Melbourne, FL W 31-242,543 October 13 1:00 p.m. No. 8 Valdosta State Florida Tech Panther Stadium Melbourne, FL L 21-513,679 October 20 5:00 p.m. at No. 17 West Florida W 30-285,191 October 27 5:00 p.m. at West Alabama ESPN3 L 22-295,106 November 3 2:00 p.m. North Greenville Florida Tech Panther Stadium Melbourne, FL W 37-72,800 November 10 1:00 p.m. at Shorter W 55-71,575 November 17 2:00 p.m. at No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne L 21-432,436 *Non-conference game Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
Schedule Source: [ 8] Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Final AFCA RV RV RV RV RV RV RV — RV — — RV RV
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
16
3
7
7
33
Tigers
7
0
0
7
14
1
2
3
4
Total
Wolves
0
3
7
0
10
Panthers
0
7
10
0
17
1
2
3
4
Total
Statesmen
0
6
6
0
12
Panthers
21
9
0
0
30
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
7
7
7
0
21
Wolves
7
0
10
13
30
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
0
7
7
12
26
Bulldogs
0
10
7
6
23
Mississippi College [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Choctaws
0
14
7
3
24
Panthers
3
7
7
14
31
1
2
3
4
Total
Blazers
14
10
0
27
51
Panthers
0
0
7
14
21
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
3
7
10
10
30
Argonauts
14
7
0
7
28
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
0
10
9
3
22
Tigers
14
0
7
8
29
1
2
3
4
Total
Crusaders
0
0
7
0
7
Panthers
20
10
7
0
37
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
10
28
10
7
55
Hawks
0
0
0
7
7
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
7
0
14
0
21
Bears
17
10
13
3
43
Awards and milestones [ edit ] Gulf South Conference honors [ edit ] Four players from Florida Tech were honored as All-GSC selections by the league's coaches. Linebacker J.T. Hassell was named the GSC Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the second Panther to receive the honor.[ 9]
Gulf South Conference All-Conference First Team [ edit ] J.T. Hassell, LB
Adonis Davis, DL
Romell Guerrier, WR Gulf South Conference All-Conference Second Team [ edit ] Gulf South Conference offensive player of the week [ edit ] October 22: Romell Guerrier [ 10] Gulf South Conference defensive player of the week [ edit ] September 10: J.T. Hassell [ 11]
October 1: J.T. Hassell [ 12]
October 29: J.T. Hassell [ 13]
November 5: Dezmond Morgan [ 14] Gulf South Conference special teams player of the week [ edit ] November 5: Trey Schaneville [ 14] Most career rushing yards: 3,496, Antwuan Haynes
Most career rushing touchdowns: 25, Antwuan Haynes
Most career sacks: 23, Adonis Davis
Most career tackles for loss: 52, Adonis Davis
Most touchdown receptions in a season: 13, Romell Guerrier
Most tackles in a season: 124, J.T. Hassell
Most interceptions in a season: 4, John McClure
Most defensive touchdowns in a season: 3, Richard Leveille
Most tackles in a game: 20, J.T. Hassell (October 6, 2018)
Most sacks in a single game: 4, J.T. Hassell (September 29, 2018)
T-Most interceptions in a single game: 2, Dezmond Morgan (November 3, 2018) and John McClure (September 1, 2018)
T-Most tackles for loss in a single game: 4, J.T. Hassell (September 29, 2018)
Most carries in a single game: 29, Antwuan Haynes (October 20, 2018)
Largest comeback: 18 at West Florida (October 20, 2018)
Most points scored in single game: 55 at Shorter (November 10, 2018)
^ "Panthers' Season Ends with NCAA Playoff Loss to Lenoir-Rhyne" . Florida Institute of Technology. Retrieved January 8, 2019 .^ "Florida Tech Comes Back to Win Coastal Classic" . Florida Institute of Technology. Retrieved January 8, 2019 .^ "West Alabama Tops GSC Football Preseason Poll" . Gulf South Conference. August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018 .^ Gulf South Conference 2018 ^ "Football Announces 2018 Schedule" (Press release). Florida Institute of Technology Department of Athletics. March 2, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018 .^ "Florida Tech Panthers football adds Newberry to 2018 schedule" (Press release). Hometown News. March 26, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018 .^ "GSC Announces 2018 Football Game of the Week Schedule" . Gulf South Conference. Retrieved July 18, 2018 .^ "Florida Tech unveils 2018 football schedule" . Florida Today. March 2, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018 .^ "GSC Announces 2018 Football All-Conference Awards" . Gulf South Conference. Retrieved January 5, 2019 .^ "GSC Football Players of the Week: October 22, 2018" . Gulf South Conference. Retrieved January 5, 2019 .^ "GSC Football Players of the Week: September 10, 2018" . Gulf South Conference. Retrieved January 5, 2019 .^ "GSC Football Players of the Week: October 1, 2018" . Gulf South Conference. Retrieved January 5, 2019 .^ "GSC Football Players of the Week: October 29, 2018" . Gulf South Conference. Retrieved January 5, 2019 .^ a b "GSC Football Players of the Week: November 5, 2018" . Gulf South Conference. Retrieved January 5, 2019 .
