Marlins Park welcomes back football with FIU vs UM 2019 Orange Bowl

FIU Executive Director of Sports and Entertainment Pete Garcia (Left), FIU Head Football Coach Butch Davis (Middle), and Miami Marlins President of Business Operations Chip Bowers (Right) welcome back football to Marlins Park. Photo by Daniel Torres

By Daniel Torres/Contributing Writer

On Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, Florida International University held a press conference about the 2019 Orange Bowl at Marlins Park. This will be the site for the FIU versus University of Miami game that will be played on November 23, 2019. The conference was led by Miami Marlins President of Business Operations Chip Bowers, FIU Executive Director of Sports and Entertainment Pete Garcia and FIU Head Football Coach Butch Davis. 

This will be the third time that the cross-town rivals meet on the field. The first time the two schools met on the field was in 2006 where the Panthers lost to the Canes in a 0-35 game. The main headline for this game was a bench clearing brawl that led to ejections and suspensions. After a twelve-year break from playing each other they met for a second time in 2018. The result was the same as the Canes beat the Panthers in a 31-17 game at the Hard Rock Stadium.

The Marlins Park used to be the former site of the Orange Bowl Stadium which once hosted the Canes home games. The former stadium also hosted FIU football games when the university’s program first started. Being able to play in the historic location is a nostalgic memory for Coach Davis.

“It’s great to be back on the same grounds that created so much history for the University of Miami football program,” said Coach Davis who also coached the UM football team.

Coming into the third meeting the Panthers finished their 2018 season with a record of 9-4 and a win in the 2018 Makers Bahamas Bowl (35-32) against Toledo. Although the Panthers came up short in the Conference USA, they did have their best season yet.

With the Orange Bowl a few months away, Coach Davis will continue to recruit football players and getting his team to ready for their next season.

Featured image contributed by Daniel Torres

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