Big FIU weekend recap: (Double) Battle of the Pigskin

FIU won on and off the football field Saturday as it hosted a community-wide pig roast and then proceeded to roast its rival on the gridiron.

The largest tailgate in FIU history saw 80+ culinary teams compete in a cook-off that featured the whole hog in a nod to South Florida’s unofficial favorite dish. (Notably, the College of Business won the title of Grand Champions.)

Fans feasted on juicy, salty lechón served up on slider buns, in tacos and alongside maduros, yuca and congrí.

And they finished off the night with a sweet dessert: FIU’s definitive win (38-28) over visiting FAU in the annual Shula Bowl.

In between, Panther Nation enjoyed another moment of pride during half-time as a group of alumni accepted much-deserved recognition of their winning contributions to FIU's sports program over the years, whether as student-athletes or coaches. Inducted the evening before into the Athletics Hall of Fame, these five standout Panthers basked in the cheers of a grateful community.

The honorees included Munga Eketebi '88 (men's soccer player and coach),  T.Y. Hilton '13 (football),  Karl Kremser '87 (men's soccer coach), Tayna Lawrence '98 (women's track) and Cindy Russo '93 (women's basketball coach).

Relive it all here.