Florida Tech Panthers Kickoff Football Season Against Savannah State Today in Georgia
By Space Coast Daily // September 8, 2019
Teams open their respective seasons with their first-ever meeting on at Ted Wright Stadium
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA – The 2019 season begins Sunday afternoon for Florida Tech on the road as the Panthers take on Savannah State at Ted Wright Stadium in Savannah, Georgia.
This is the first meeting between the programs. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
Coming off its second trip to the NCAA Playoffs in the last three years, Florida Tech is determined to take the next step and position its program among the elites in the Division II landscape.
With the threat of Hurricane Dorian now passed, we are now less than 24 hours away from the first Florida Tech football game day of the year.
The 2019 season begins Sunday afternoon as the Panthers are on the road to take on Savannah State at Ted Wright Stadium in Savannah, Georgia. This is the first meeting between the programs. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET.
Coming off its second trip to the NCAA Playoffs in the last three years, Florida Tech is determined to take the next step and position its program among the elites in the Division II landscape.
Florida Tech is led by head coach Steve Englehart, who has been at the helm for every season in program history. Englehart has guided the Panthers to a 39-29 overall record and a 22-21 mark in GSC play during the program’s first six seasons.
The Panthers return 14 total starters from the 2018 squad that posted an 8-4 record and earned its highest finish in the Gulf South Conference standings tying for third with a league record of 5-3. It was the fourth time that Tech finished with an above .500 record and the third time the Panthers finished with five wins in conference play.
ABOVE VIDEO: Starting quarterback Trent Chmelik, who threw 21 touchdowns in 2018, will look to spread the ball to a plethora of offensive weapons. Tech will have to replace four-year record-breaking running back Antwuan Haynes in the backfield but a staple of backs look capable of taking the reins.
Tech will be led by a number of seasoned veterans on both sides of the field to guide them to hopefully a fifth winning season in the first seven years of the program.
Starting quarterback Trent Chmelik, who threw 21 touchdowns in 2018, will look to spread the ball to a plethora of offensive weapons. Tech will have to replace four-year record-breaking running back Antwuan Haynes in the backfield but a staple of backs look capable of taking the reins.
On the defensive end, the Panthers will have to replace a lot of production on the defensive line. However, Florida Tech is one of the deepest teams in the GSC at linebacker and defensive back as they return starters at seven of the eight positions, including John McClure who was the Panthers lone representative on the Preseason All-GSC Teams.
Sophomore Trey Schaneville returns to take the kicks for the Panthers after setting the single-season mark for field goals made during his freshman campaign.
Florida Tech has been impressive in season openers posting a 5-1 (.833) all-time record, including a 3-0 mark when starting the season on the road. The Panthers have won their last three season openers by an average margin of almost 26 points.
Savannah State enters the contest coming off a 2-8 season a year ago while participating in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
The Tigers’ first-year head coach Shawn Quinn will lead the program that will be returning to Division II and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and will be playing a SIAC schedule for the first time since 1998.
Links to live coverage for Sunday’s game can be accessed at FloridaTechSports.com
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Related Story:Florida Tech Football’s Season Opener at Savannah State Moved to Sunday Due to Hurricane Dorian
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