The FIU Golden Panthers were one of the many college football programs that had its schedule altered thanks to Hurricane Irma. The team's game against the Indiana Hoosiers is cancelled this weekend, leaving a void in the schedule.
Hello there, UMass.
The Minutemen will take Indiana's place on the docket for FIU. It is important for the Golden Panthers to schedule a team that isn't from a low-major — though, we can argue the AAC's relevance — as Indiana is from a big boy conference.
This worked out perfectly for both universities.
As part of the AAC's revamped schedule, UMass lost its Oct. 14 game against South Florida. It, too, needed another opponent.
Article Continues BelowGiven both teams’ need for a 12th game, the programs announced that UMass and FIU have reached agreement on a contract to play Dec. 2 this year. That contest will be played in Miami.
A fun side-note to this debacle: The Minutemen now have a rare back-to-back bye week on the schedule, as the team won't play at all on the weekends of Oct. 7 and 14.
For those concerned about the Hoosiers, the university had already announced that it was replacing their game with the Golden Panthers by playing Charleston Southern on Oct. 7.
Other programs in the state of Florida are still trying to deal with the logistical nightmare left in Hurricane Irm's wake. It will take some time for most of those schools to figure out what is next, both from a scheduling standpoint as well as how to handle what must be a trying time.