CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2018 Florida International

9–⁠4 (6–⁠2 Conference USA), coached by Butch Davis.

Schedule and results

Florida International in 2018, game by game: lost vs. Indiana 28–38; won at Old Dominion 28–20; won vs. Massachusetts 63–24; lost at No. 21 Miami 17–31; won vs. Arkansas–Pine Bluff 55–9; won vs. Middle Tennessee 24–21; won vs. Rice 36–17; won at Western Kentucky 38–17; lost vs. Florida Atlantic 14–49; won at UTSA 45–7; won at Charlotte 42–35; lost vs. Marshall 25–28; won vs. Toledo 35–32+46−35Lost 28–38 vs. Indiana-10IndianaWon 28–20 at Old Dominion+8Old DominionWon 63–24 vs. Massachusetts+39MassachusettsLost 17–31 at No. 21 Miami-14No. 21 MiamiWon 55–9 vs. Arkansas–Pine Bluff+46Arkansas–Pine B…Won 24–21 vs. Middle Tennessee+3Middle TennesseeWon 36–17 vs. Rice+19RiceWon 38–17 at Western Kentucky+21Western KentuckyLost 14–49 vs. Florida Atlantic-35Florida AtlanticWon 45–7 at UTSA+38UTSAWon 42–35 at Charlotte+7CharlotteLost 25–28 vs. Marshall-3MarshallWon 35–32 vs. Toledo+3Toledo
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 1vsIndianaL 28–⁠3855%
Sep 8atOld DominionW 28–⁠2050%
Sep 15vsMassachusettsW 63–⁠2467%
Sep 22at21MiamiL 17–⁠3124%
Sep 29vsArkansas–Pine BluffW 55–⁠991%
Oct 13vsMiddle TennesseeW 24–⁠2155%
Oct 20vsRiceW 36–⁠1785%
Oct 27atWestern KentuckyW 38–⁠1760%
Nov 3vsFlorida AtlanticL 14–⁠4960%
Nov 10atUTSAW 45–⁠758%
Nov 17atCharlotteW 42–⁠3568%
Nov 24vsMarshallL 25–⁠2854%
Dec 21Bowls & playoffvsToledoBahamas BowlW 35–⁠3244%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Toledo 35–⁠32 in the Bahamas Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 3rd in the Conference USA.

In program history: The best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 24 on file).

Record
9–⁠4
Conference
6–⁠2 tied for 3rd in Conference USA
AP final
Unranked
Points
450–⁠328
Coach
Butch Davis
Elo
1531 +55 this season
SP+ rating
-7.4 No. 96 of 130; offense No. 86, defense No. 104, special teams No. 45
SRS
−3.0 No. 83 of 130 in FBS
Returning
23% of last season’s EPA, No. 122 of 130
Recruiting class
No. 69 roster talent No. 78 in FBS
Offensive coordinator
Rich Skrosky
Defensive coordinator
Brent Guy
Offense
Multiple
Defense
4–⁠3

How good, play by play

  • Offense17th of 130
  • Defense81st of 130
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted33rd of 130
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted112th of 130
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.2042%1.3717th of 130
Defense0.1447%1.1181st of 130
Opponent-adjusted0.16 off
0.18 def		41% off
48% def		—33rd off
112th def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense4.0own 2914% allowed
Defense3.6own 2615% caused

CORE rating -3.0, 91st of 130 (offense 4.7, defense 7.7).

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. CORE is CollegeFootballData.com’s context- and opponent-adjusted rating (points better than an average team; lower is better on defense). From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsJames Morgan QB2,727 yds
Passing touchdownsJames Morgan QB26 TD
Rushing yardsNapoleon Maxwell RB681 yds
Rushing touchdownsNapoleon Maxwell RB7 TD
Receiving yardsC.J. Worton WR627 yds
Receiving touchdownsC.J. Worton WR6 TD
TacklesSage Lewis LB121 tkl
SacksAnthony Johnson DL4 sacks
InterceptionsDorian Hall DB3 INT

Top recruits in the 2018 class

Cadarius Gaskin WR★★★No. 831
Jamal Anderson S★★★No. 891
Donovan Georges ILB★★★No. 902
Ivan Thomas WR★★★No. 1104
DeMarcus Townsend RB★★★No. 1169

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2018 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks23.00.811
Running backs13.00.847
Receivers62.80.821
Offensive line22.00.776
Defensive line52.60.813
Linebackers23.00.848
Defensive backs22.50.816
Athletes and specialists13.00.826
Whole class212.70.817

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Roster 106

The 2018 roster

106 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2018 line; 66 have a stat line. See the roster

2018 Conference USA standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
UAB7–⁠111–⁠3
Middle Tennessee7–⁠18–⁠6
Marshall6–⁠29–⁠4
Florida International6–⁠29–⁠4
North Texas5–⁠39–⁠4
Louisiana Tech5–⁠38–⁠5
Southern Miss5–⁠36–⁠5
Charlotte4–⁠45–⁠7
Florida Atlantic3–⁠55–⁠7
Old Dominion2–⁠64–⁠8
UTSA2–⁠63–⁠9
Western Kentucky2–⁠63–⁠9
Rice1–⁠72–⁠11
UTEP1–⁠71–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.