No. 13 Panthers Open Season at 24th-Ranked Montana

Game Notes l Radio: Panther Sports Network l TV: KCRG-TV ABC Channel 9-2, KGCW 26, KCWI 23, NBC Sports Chicago (tape delay after Cubs)
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THE GAME
The UNI Panther Football team opens the 2018 season on the road in the hostile environment of Washington-Grizzly Stadium at the University of Montana Saturday Night.

The No. 13 Panthers return 16 starters off of a team that went to the FCS Championship second round while the Grizzlies are playing their first game under head coach Bobby Hauck in his second stint at the helm in Missoula.

UNI has the experience on the offensive side with nine starters returning to the field this season, including starting quarterback Eli Dunne and four offensive linemen. Dunne's biggest weapon, Daurice Fountain, who is now playing for the Indianapolis Colts, will leave big shoes to fill, but a pair of dynamic tight ends in Briley Moore and Elias Nissen as well as running back Marcus Weymiller will look to pick up the slack.

On the defense, dynamic play makers Adam Reth and Jared Farley are gone, but Rickey Neal is back and will again hope to wreak havoc on opposing backfields in 2018. Duncan Ferch is back in the middle of the defense for UNI and Xavior Williams looks to build off of an impressive freshman campaign.

No. 24 Montana has four freshmen listed as starters on the depth chart and there will be four new faces on the offensive line and at quarterback. The youth is evident, but the advantage for Montana is the return of swagger with Hauck who went 80-17 in his first stint in Missoula. The home environment in Missoula is also one of the best in all of college of football and a season-opening night game ramp up the environment to another level.

NEED TO KNOW
• The Panthers are ranked No. 13 in the STATS FCS Preseason Poll and No. 12 in the FCS Coaches' Preseason Poll.
• Saturday's matchup is the only week-one tilt that features two teams ranked in the FCS Stats Top-25.
• Running back Marcus Weymiller, offensive tackle Cal Twait, quarterback Eli Dunne and linebacker Duncan Ferch were announced as captains for the 2018 season by head coach Mark Farley at Monday's press Conference.
• Quarterback Eli Dunne returns after a 2017 campaign that saw him throe for 2,704 yards and 26 touchdowns.
• Leading rusher Marcus Weymiller is also back for the Panthers. He ran for 809 yards on 200 attempts last season.
• Briley Moore and Jaylin James, two of the Panthers' top three pass catchers return in 2018. The duo combined for over 70 catches for over 800 yards.
• On defense, second-leading tackler Duncan Ferch is back for UNI as well as TFL king Rickey Neal who earned preseason All-MVFC and All-American honors.
• Despite strong success by both head coaches at their respective institutions, a Mark Farley UNI team has never met a Bobby Hauck coached Montana squad.
• The meeting is the fifth all-time between the two teams with Montana holding a 5-0 advantage in the series. (A 2011FCS Playoff game which was also won by Montana was later vacated.)
• The game can be seen on the Panthers Sports Network, including in HD on KCRG 9.2 in the Cedar Valley.

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No. 13 Panthers Open Season at 24th-Ranked Montana

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Players Mentioned

Eli Dunne

Jared Farley

Duncan Ferch

Daurice Fountain

Jaylin James

Briley Moore

Elias Nissen

Adam Reth

Cal Twait

Marcus Weymiller

Xavior Williams

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