2013 Florida Tech Panthers football
ConferenceGulf South Conference
Record5–7 (1–5 GSC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJayson Martin (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorWillie Tillman (1st season)
Home stadiumPirate Stadium
Seasons
← 2012
2014 →
2013 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 10 North Alabama +^   5 – 1     10 – 3  
West Alabama +   5 – 1     8 – 3  
Delta State   4 – 2     7 – 3  
Valdosta State   3 – 3     6 – 4  
West Georgia   3 – 3     6 – 5  
Florida Tech   1 – 5     5 – 7  
Shorter #   0 – 6     2 – 9  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • # – Provisional Division II member
Rankings from AFCA Poll

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]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 77:00 pmStetson*
W 20-135,400
September 141:00 pmat Newberry*
L 19–232,544
September 198:00 pmNo. 16 West Alabama
  • Pirate Stadium
  • Melbourne, FL
CBSSNL 3–454,812
September 286:00 pmat Delta State*
L 31–528,012
October 53:00 pmat No. 1 Valdosta State
L 14–527,612
October 121:00 pmat Ave Maria*
L 41–451,345
October 192:00 pmShorter
  • Pirate Stadium
  • Melbourne, FL
W 28–244,000
October 261:00 pmWarner*dagger
  • Pirate Stadium
  • Melbourne, FL
W 37–33,975
October 317:35 pmat West Georgia
ESPN3L 14–282,611
November 92:00 pmNo. 24 North Alabama
L 28–552,867
November 162:00 pmWebber International*
  • Pirate Stadium
  • Melbourne, FL
W 17–32,641
November 232:00 pmat Alderson Broaddus*
W 32-201,002
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • 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]

Gulf South Conference All-Conference First Team

Categories