Florida International Football: What Bowl Win Means to the Program

When the Florida International Golden Panthers arrived in Detroit late Thursday, they were mostly known for two things: Having had a 23 game losing streak between 2005-2007, and their much publicized brawl with the University of Miami in 2006.

They left Detroit as Little Caesars Bowl Champions.

Making its first ever bowl appearance, FIU got on the plane with a lot more hardware than when the team arrived. Along with the bowl trophy, FIU's T.Y. Hilton brought home the MVP trophy and defensive end Jarvis Wilson was Lineman of the Game.

Coach Mario Cristobal stated, "What these young men have achieved is historical, but they have also set the bar very high."

Cristobal went on to say, "This will be the standard of FIU football, to play and win bowl games."

Having only been in the FBS since 2005, the Golden Panthers have made historical strides in validating their program.

Coming into the game the only FIU player with bowl experience was quarterback Wes Carroll, who was the starter for Mississippi State in the 2007 Liberty Bowl, the whole bowl experience was brand new for nearly the entire team.

But this win is something that they can pass down to future players, letting them know what it is like to go to a bowl game and instilling a desire to get there for new players.

Coach Cristobal is no stranger to big time bowls, having won National Championships with the University of Miami in '89 and '91.

I asked him if his bowl experience as a player helped prepare his team for this, Cristobal said, "I just wanted to make sure that they had enough food, I remember being a player and coming back from an event and having to go to the corner store to get a dried danish and a diet Pepsi. So these guys always had, within the rules, something to eat. They were well rested. They played more Playstation this weekend than most kids will in their entire lifetimes."

The Golden Panthers have made strides this season; they were Sun Belt Champions, Hilton was Sun Belt Player of the Year and they finished as the Little Caesar's Bowl winner. These are the types of foundations that a newer team can build on either in recruiting or national recognition.

Coach Cristobal will not let any of these opportunities to strengthen the program pass.

For a first time bowl team, FIU looked more than comfortable at Ford Field on Sunday night and with this staff and returning players next year, bowl experiences may start becoming a habit.