Home » Home » COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Florida Tech to Battle Fort Valley State Tonight at Panther Stadium

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Florida Tech to Battle Fort Valley State Tonight at Panther Stadium

By  //  October 5, 2019

Third all-time meeting between Tech and FVSU set to kickoff at 7 p.m. Saturday

After earning an emphatic victory in its home opener last week, the Florida Tech Football team will look to give its fans a repeat performance when the Panthers host Fort Valley State Saturday night at Panther Stadium. (Florida Tech image)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – After earning an emphatic victory in its home opener last week, the Florida Tech Football team will look to give its fans a repeat performance when the Panthers host Fort Valley State Saturday night at Panther Stadium.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Saturday’s game is the Panthers’ Breast Cancer Awareness Game. All fans are encouraged to wear pink and support the fight against breast cancer. Florida Tech Student Life will be selling shirts at the game to raise funding for research and awareness.

LAST TIME OUT

As has been the norm this season, the Panther offense pounced quickly on West Georgia last week. Just 56 seconds after the opening kickoff, Drezyn Parson crossed the goal line on a 66-yard touchdown run to give Tech the early lead in their first home game of the season.

Florida Tech proceeded to find the end zone on its next three possessions and led the Wolves 27-10 at the half. The Panthers then cruised the rest of the way, scoring 17 more points while shutting out West Georgia in the second half en route to a decisive 44-10 win.

Redshirt-freshman quarterback Mike Diliello had another strong game for the Crimson & Gray accounting for 321 total yards and four touchdowns in the win over West Georgia.

The Pembroke Pines native rushed for 94 yards in the victory, which set a record for the most by a quarterback in a single game in program history.

For his effort, Diliello was named the GSC Freshman of the Week for the second week in a row in addition to earning the league’s Offensive Player of the Week award. He is the third player in program history to win both awards in the same week and the first since 2015.

Parson finished with 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground while Corey Lane picked up 57 total rushing yards. Derrick Wright led Tech in receiving with 94 yards on five catches. He is the third different leading receiver for the Panthers over their first four games. Simon Williams added 47 yards on two catches and Damien McGhee caught two touchdowns in the RedZone.

Patrick Banks led Tech defensively with eight total tackles, including three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Malachi Timberlake made six tackles and recorded an interception and three pass breakups. Evan Thompson had four tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception while Dezmond Morgan picked off a pass and had three breakups in the game.

Saturday’s game is the Panthers’ Breast Cancer Awareness Game. All fans are encouraged to wear pink and support the fight against breast cancer. Florida Tech Student Life will be selling shirts at the game to raise funding for research and awareness. (Florida Tech image)

INSIDE THE SERIES

Saturday’s game is Florida Tech’s third all-time meeting with Fort Valley State. The Panthers are 2-0 against the Wildcats, winning 34-7 on the road in 2015 and 48-14 the following year in Melbourne.

Tech had success rushing the ball against FVSU in the first two matchups. The Panthers ran for 224 yards and four touchdowns in 2015 and then went for 271 and two touchdowns in 2016.

The Panthers are 20-8 all-time against out of conference opponents over the first seven years of the program, including a 7-2 record at home. Florida Tech has not lost against a non-conference Division II team in the regular season since 2015, a 28-31 loss to Newberry to open that season.

The Panthers have actually lost three out-of-conference games since 2015 but those were postseason losses to North Greenville (2016) and Lenoir-Rhyne (2018) during the NCAA Playoffs and a loss to Division I McNeese State (2017).

The Panthers are 20-8 all-time against out of conference opponents over the first seven years of the program, including a 7-2 record at home. Florida Tech has not lost against a non-conference Division II team in the regular season since 2015, a 28-31 loss to Newberry to open that season. (Florida Tech image)

MEET THE WILDCATS

FVSU is 2-2 this season and is coming off a 50-16 victory last week in the Upstate HBCU Classic against Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) foe Benedict College. It was the Wildcats’ first conference game of the year.

Head coach Kevin Porter, who is in his fourth season at Fort Valley State, guides the Wildcats. He is the 14th head coach in the program’s history. Since coming to FVSU, Porter has led the team to two Eastern Division Championships, one SIAC Football Championship in 2016 and a SIAC Championship runner-up finish in 2017.

Last season, the Wildcats finished with a 2-8 record, including a 2-4 mark in the SIAC.

TICKET INFORMATION

For fans interested in purchasing season and/or individual game tickets, both available and on sale online HERE.

Reserved season tickets are $70 for adults and $45 for senior citizens and children, and general admission season tickets are $50 for adults and $30 for senior citizens and children.

Reserved seating individual game tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for senior citizens and children, and general admission individual game tickets are $10 for adults and $5 senior citizens and children.

Tickets will be on sale at the ticket booths located on the east side of Florida Tech Panther Stadium beginning an hour and a half on game night and remain open until the end of the third quarter.

PARKING INFORMATION

Parking Passes are included in the purchase of season tickets.

Parking at Palm Bay Magnet High School lots is $5 (cash only) per vehicle and parking areas are open an hour and a half prior to kickoff. There is no tailgating permitted in any of the PBMHS parking areas, however handicap parking is available.

Parking is also located on the Florida Tech campus at no charge.

For his effort, Diliello was named the GSC Freshman of the Week for the second week in a row in addition to earning the league’s Offensive Player of the Week award. He is the third player in program history to win both awards in the same week and the first since 2015. (Floria Tech image)

TAILGATING INFORMATION

Tailgating is only permitted on Florida Tech’s campus in designated areas and begins at 9 a.m. every home game day. There is no charge for tailgating.

Alcohol and grilling are only permitted in the designated areas on Florida Tech’s campus. Open fire grilling is not permitted in the parking garage.

The Panther Prowl, the name of the team’s pregame walk from the Denius Student Center to the Varsity Training Center, will begin at about 4:30 p.m.

Florida Tech Drubs West Georgia 44-10 at Panther Stadium in Gulf South Conference GameRelated Story:
Florida Tech Drubs West Georgia 44-10 at Panther Stadium in Gulf South Conference Game

Food and beverage will be available for sale at the concession stand at Florida Tech Panther Stadium. Outside food and beverage is not allowed inside the stadium.

Tailgating is permitted in designated areas at Florida Tech beginning three hours prior to kickoff. Complimentary shuttle service is provided from the Florida Tech campus to the stadium and back. Shuttles run continuously beginning an hour and a half prior to the game until one hour after the conclusion of the game.

Parking at Palm Bay Magnet High School lots is $5 (cash only) per vehicle and parking areas are open an hour and a half prior to kickoff. There is no tailgating permitted in any of the PBMHS parking areas, however handicap parking is available.

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS