2008 FIU Golden Panthers football team

2008 FIU Golden Panthers football
ConferenceSun Belt Conference
Record5–7 (3–4 Sun Belt)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Legg (1st season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorPhil Galiano (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumFIU Stadium
2008 Sun Belt Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Troy $   6 1     8 5  
Louisiana–Lafayette   5 2     6 6  
Florida Atlantic   4 3     7 6  
Arkansas State   4 3     6 6  
FIU   3 4     5 7  
Middle Tennessee   3 4     5 7  
Louisiana–Monroe   3 4     4 8  
North Texas   0 7     1 11  
  • $ – Conference champion

The 2008 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University (FIU) as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by second-year head coach Mario Cristobal, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 5–7 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for fifth in the Sun Belt. The team played home game at FIU Stadium in Miami.

The season started off with a loss at 13th-ranked Kansas, 40–10. Following that, Iowa routed FIU, 42–0. FIU then faced its highest-ranked opponent in school history, 12th-ranked South Florida, for the inaugural game of the renovated FIU Stadium. Trailing 17–0 with 2:30 left in the game FIU scored a safety and a touchdown. The Golden Panthers lost, 17–9, but played acted as a spoiler for South Florida, with the latter falling three spots in the rankings. The game against Toledo became their first-ever out-of-conference FBS win. Against, Toledo, FIU forced four turnovers and recorded its first road win since 2005. It was also the program first non-conference win against an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent.