By Steven Gonzalez  (@gonswaga)

The Florida International Golden Panthers will look to win their first game of the season against the Central Florida Knights in an in-state rivalry game in Miami, Florida. FIU has seen a few solid performances amount to zero victories so far this year. UCF, on the other hand, has rallied behind former Oregon offensive coordinator and new head coach Scott Frost to win their first game since 2014. Both teams are hungry to get their seasons rolling so here are five things to watch out for this weekend:

Don't Worry, Be Happy

1 - For Group of Five teams, there comes a point when you stop playing scared and start having fun. Last season, UCF stumbled out of the gate against FIU and couldn’t win a single game the rest of the way. This year, the Knights have rediscovered some of the fun from their historic Fiesta Bowl season and it’s because of some exciting freshmen.

Quarterback Mckenzie Wilson looks like he’s going to be the new Marcus Mariota for head coach Scott Frost and running backs Jawon Hamilton and Adrian Killins combined for over 100 yards rushing in last week’s game against Maryland. These young guns may not be able to take over a game by themselves just yet, but look for each of them to have a standout game against the Golden Panthers.

McGough has to get McGoing

2. - Entering this season, three FIU players were primed to build off a successful 2015. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. Quarterback Alex McGough has struggled so far with no touchdowns and four interceptions and tight end Jonnu Smith, who is a legitimate NFL prospect, has only been able to muster up 176 receiving yards over three games.

The lone bright spot for the Golden Panther offense is running Alex Gardner. The junior is averaging just over 5 yards per carry and has already picked up three touchdowns. UCF has been a little more susceptible to the run this year so relying on Gardner may be the best strategy for FIU this weekend.

Defensive back, defensive liabilities?

3 - FIU is known for its stellar defensive backs that mix ball skills with explosive speed. Watching corners and safeties jump around the field has been a staple of the Golden Panther defense since before the TY Hilton era.

This season, the FIU secondary has been less than stellar and has already let up seven touchdowns through the air. UCF has speed on the outside that rivals many major programs and should prove to be a handful for the underperforming Golden Panther defense.

Turner has yet to turn corner

4 - In the fourth season of the Ron Turner campaign, FIU has yet to show any sort of substantial improvement on the field. Recruiting has improved and the offense has an identity, but besides a few close games at home, the Golden Panthers don’t really have much to show for their coaching change.

FIU has only won 10 games under Turner since taking over for Mario Cristobal. Athletic Director Pete Garcia has already announced his retirement from the position in two years, but does he really want to go out with Turner at the helm of his football team? Another loss to an in-state rival could prove to be the nail in the coffin for the Turner era.

In-State rivalry means great football

5 - Any time two Power 5 Florida teams come together it usually creates a historic game in the greater college football landscape. Whenever the Group of 5 Florida schools play each other, it barely moves the needle. The series between UCF and FIU is currently tied at two games a piece, but it’s not for lack of trying from both sides. True NFL talent, explosive plays, and incredible finishes have been steeped in this rivalry from the beginning and last season’s game set both teams down very different paths. This year’s game should be no different.