Saturday, December 12
Fargo, N.D.
11 a.m.
University of Northern Iowa
at
North Dakota State
Panthers Set for Quarterfinal Battle Against the Bison
12/7/2015 3:06:00 PM | Football
COMPLETE RELEASE IN PDF FORMAT
2015 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs - Quarterfinals
Game 14 at North Dakota State
Time: 11 a.m. CT
Place: Fargo, N.D. (FargoDome)
TV: ESPN
Radio: 1540 KXEL, TuneIn.com
The Basics: The University of Northern Iowa football program will head back to the FargoDome to take on North Dakota State in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. The game is set for Saturday, Dec. 12 at 11 a.m. CT.
About North Dakota State: North Dakota State enters the game against the Panthers with a 10-2 record. They defeated Montana in the second round of the playoffs after falling to the Grizzlies 38-35 to open their season. The Bison are second in the league and No. 12 in the FCS in scoring offense this season, averaging 35.9 points per game. They also lead the league in scoring defense, only allowing 16.7 points per game.
Panther Quick Hits:
• UNI enters the week ranked No. 15 in the STATS and No. 14 in the FCS Coaches top-25 polls.
• Junior Aaron Bailey and senior Deiondre' Hall were given top honors by the MVFC this season, earning Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
• The Panthers have 79 wins over top-25 opponents and 20 over top-10 opponents since 2001.
• UNI is in its 18th FCS playoff appearance and 13th quarterfinal game.
• Head Coach Mark Farley is in his 15th season at the helm with an overall record of 129-60 and 78-34 in conference play, making him the all-time coaching wins leader in the MVFC.
• The 2015 season marks the 40th year in the UNI-Dome. The Panthers are 201-51-1 all-time inside the historic facility. UNI's 200th win in the UNI-Dome came in the regular season finale against Southern Illinois.
• Finished the year in the top-25 in 11 of the last 14 seasons after ending 2014 ranked No. 10 in both polls.
• Has had 46 first-team All-MVFC selections since 2007, the most in the league.
Tickets: Fans looking to buy UNI football season tickets can call 319-273-4TIX (4849) or visit www.UNITIX.uni.edu.
How to Tune in: Fans can tune into The Panther Sports Network (1540 KXEL-Flagship) with Gary Rima and Scott Peterson calling the action or to TuneIn.com. The game will also be aired live on ESPN with Anish Shroff calling play-by-play and Ahmad Brooks handling color commentary.
Follow the Panthers Online: UNI fans can get all their Panther news and notes on UNIPanthers.com. Fans can also follow UNI on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/UNIAthletics and Twitter at @UNIAthletics. The UNI Football program also has individual accounts on Facebook (UNI Football) and on Twitter (@UNIFootball/@CoachMarkFarley).
Join us at Pepper's: UNI will host a weekly press luncheon at Pepper's in Cedar Falls on Mondays at noon. All of the in-season head coaches will address the media with a weekly recap/preview of their team and then will be open to questions. All media and fans are welcome to attend.
The Series: UNI holds a 26-22 lead in the all-time series against North Dakota State. The Bison picked up a 31-28 win over the Panthers during the regular season this year, with UNI ending the Bison 33-game win streak in 2014 during league play. The Panthers are 4-4 against North Dakota State during the Mark Farley era.
Winning Tradition: With UNI's 29-17 win over No. 5 Portland State (12/5) in the second round of the FCS playoffs, head coach Mark Farley now has 129 wins, tying Stan Sheriff as UNI's all-time winningest coach. Farley holds an overall record of 129-60 while Sheriff went 129-101-4.
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Quality Schedule: UNI has played against eight top-25 teams so far this season, gaining a 7-2 record against them. UNI's only two losses against top-25 ranked teams this season were against No. 4 Illinois State (Oct. 3) and No. 2 North Dakota State (Oct. 10).
UNI against Top-25 (2015)
Survive and Advance: UNI has advanced to the FCS quarterfinals for the 13th time in school history. UNI has now advanced to the quarterfinals 13 out of their 18 appearances. It also marks the second year in a row that UNI has had to face a Valley school in the playoffs.
1,000 Club: After the game against Portland State (12/5), Aaron Bailey has 1,301 rushing yards while Tyvis Smith has gained 1,021 yards on the ground. It is the first time in school history that the Panthers have had two players rush for over 1,000 yards in the same season.
1,000 Yard Rushers In Farley Era
At the Top: With his two rushing touchdowns against Portland State (12/5), Aaron Bailey set a UNI record for rushing touchdowns in a season (19) and rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback. He also broke the Missouri Valley Football Conference record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback and rushing yards in a season by a quarterback (1,301).
Balanced Attack: UNI has had two 100-yard rushers in three of the last four games, finishing the game against Portland State (12/5) with both Aaron Bailey and Tyvis Smith rushing for over 200 yards. It marks the first time in UNI history that the Panthers have had two players rush for 200 yards.
Getting to the Line: Karter Schult picked up two tackles for loss against Portland State (12/5), giving him 22 on the season. The 22 TFL gives him the UNI record, passing John Hermann who had 20.5 in 2005.
Career-Highs: Tyvis Smith finished the game against Portland State (12/5) with a career-high 207 yards on 21 carries while Aaron Bailey had a career-high 200 yards on 26 carries. The last time UNI had a 200-yard rusher was against Missouri State in 2014 when David Johnson picked up 205 yards.
Joining the Club: Aaron Bailey's 1,301 rushing yards this season ranks him fifth all-time at UNI in rushing yards in a single-season.
Rack Em Up: UNI's 3,146 net rushing yards this season is a new school record for team rushing yards in a season. It passes the 2,956 that the Panthers had in 2007.
Doubling Up: Through the first nine games of the season, Tyvis Smith had 358 rushing yards. He has now had 100-or-more yards on the ground in four consecutive games, totaling 663 yards, doubling his previous total. He now has 1,021 this season, ranking him second on the team.
Smith's 100-yard Rushing Performances (2015)
Off the Field: UNI had three student-athletes named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America teams. Jacob Rathmacher (biology, biochemistry | first-team), Isaac Ales (physical education | second-team) and Karter Schult (exercise science, family services | first-team) were all named to the All-America team.
UNI in Non-Conference: UNI has the most victories among league members over top-25 non-conference opponents with 35 since 1985.
Improvement on the Field: The Panthers finished the game against Portland State (12/5) with 401 yards on the ground, marking the fifth consecutive game with 200 or more rushing yards and the sixth time out of the last seven games that UNI has reached the mark.
200-Plus Team Rushing Performances
Top-10 Wins: UNI has 20 wins over top-10 ranked teams since 2001, including six in the last two seasons.
UNI vs. Top-10 Ranked Teams Since 2001
2001 UNI vs. #2 Youngstown St. (Sept. 29) W, 30-11
2001 UNI vs. #6 Western Ky. (Nov. 10) W, 24-23
2001 UNI vs. #3 Eastern Illinois (Dec. 1) W, 49-43
2003 UNI vs. #7 Western Illinois (Oct. 25) W, 38-30
2003 UNI vs. #2 Southern Illinois (Nov. 15) W, 43-40
2005 UNI vs. #6 Western Ky. (Nov. 5) W, 23-20
2005 UNI vs. #4 Southern Illinois (Nov. 12) W, 25-24
2005 UNI vs. #1 New Hampshire (Dec. 3) W, 24-21
2005 UNI vs. #5 Texas State (Dec. 9) W, 40-37
2006 UNI vs. #5 Youngstown State (Oct. 21) W, 31-23
2006 UNI vs. #6 Illinois State (Nov. 18) W, 38-27
2007 UNI vs. #6 Southern Illinois (Oct. 13) W, 30-24
2008 UNI vs. #10 New Hampshire (Dec. 6) W, 36-34
2013 UNI vs. #9 McNeese State (Sept. 28) W, 41-6
2013 UNI vs. #9 Youngstown State (Nov. 9) W, 22-20
2014 UNI vs. #6 Illinois State (Nov. 1) W, 42-28
2014 UNI vs. #1 N. Dakota State (Nov. 8) W, 23-3
2015 UNI vs. #7 Eastern Washington (Sept. 12) W, 38-35
2015 UNI at #6 South Dakota State (Oct. 24) W, 10-7
2015 UNI at #5 Portland State (Dec. 5) W, 29-17
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2015 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs - Quarterfinals
Game 14 at North Dakota State
Time: 11 a.m. CT
Place: Fargo, N.D. (FargoDome)
TV: ESPN
Radio: 1540 KXEL, TuneIn.com
The Basics: The University of Northern Iowa football program will head back to the FargoDome to take on North Dakota State in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. The game is set for Saturday, Dec. 12 at 11 a.m. CT.
About North Dakota State: North Dakota State enters the game against the Panthers with a 10-2 record. They defeated Montana in the second round of the playoffs after falling to the Grizzlies 38-35 to open their season. The Bison are second in the league and No. 12 in the FCS in scoring offense this season, averaging 35.9 points per game. They also lead the league in scoring defense, only allowing 16.7 points per game.
Panther Quick Hits:
• UNI enters the week ranked No. 15 in the STATS and No. 14 in the FCS Coaches top-25 polls.
• Junior Aaron Bailey and senior Deiondre' Hall were given top honors by the MVFC this season, earning Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
• The Panthers have 79 wins over top-25 opponents and 20 over top-10 opponents since 2001.
• UNI is in its 18th FCS playoff appearance and 13th quarterfinal game.
• Head Coach Mark Farley is in his 15th season at the helm with an overall record of 129-60 and 78-34 in conference play, making him the all-time coaching wins leader in the MVFC.
• The 2015 season marks the 40th year in the UNI-Dome. The Panthers are 201-51-1 all-time inside the historic facility. UNI's 200th win in the UNI-Dome came in the regular season finale against Southern Illinois.
• Finished the year in the top-25 in 11 of the last 14 seasons after ending 2014 ranked No. 10 in both polls.
• Has had 46 first-team All-MVFC selections since 2007, the most in the league.
Tickets: Fans looking to buy UNI football season tickets can call 319-273-4TIX (4849) or visit www.UNITIX.uni.edu.
How to Tune in: Fans can tune into The Panther Sports Network (1540 KXEL-Flagship) with Gary Rima and Scott Peterson calling the action or to TuneIn.com. The game will also be aired live on ESPN with Anish Shroff calling play-by-play and Ahmad Brooks handling color commentary.
Follow the Panthers Online: UNI fans can get all their Panther news and notes on UNIPanthers.com. Fans can also follow UNI on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/UNIAthletics and Twitter at @UNIAthletics. The UNI Football program also has individual accounts on Facebook (UNI Football) and on Twitter (@UNIFootball/@CoachMarkFarley).
Join us at Pepper's: UNI will host a weekly press luncheon at Pepper's in Cedar Falls on Mondays at noon. All of the in-season head coaches will address the media with a weekly recap/preview of their team and then will be open to questions. All media and fans are welcome to attend.
The Series: UNI holds a 26-22 lead in the all-time series against North Dakota State. The Bison picked up a 31-28 win over the Panthers during the regular season this year, with UNI ending the Bison 33-game win streak in 2014 during league play. The Panthers are 4-4 against North Dakota State during the Mark Farley era.
Winning Tradition: With UNI's 29-17 win over No. 5 Portland State (12/5) in the second round of the FCS playoffs, head coach Mark Farley now has 129 wins, tying Stan Sheriff as UNI's all-time winningest coach. Farley holds an overall record of 129-60 while Sheriff went 129-101-4.
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Quality Schedule: UNI has played against eight top-25 teams so far this season, gaining a 7-2 record against them. UNI's only two losses against top-25 ranked teams this season were against No. 4 Illinois State (Oct. 3) and No. 2 North Dakota State (Oct. 10).
UNI against Top-25 (2015)
| 9/12 | vs. #7 Eastern Washington | W, 38-35 |
| 9/19 | at #17 Cal Poly | W, 34-20 |
| 10/3 | at #4 Illinois State | L, 21-13 |
| 10/10 | at #2 North Dakota State | L, 31-28 |
| 10/24 | at #6 South Dakota State | W, 10-7 |
| 11/7 | vs. #23 Indiana State | W, 59-13 |
| 11/28 | vs. #24 Eastern Illinois | W, 53-17 |
| 12/5 | at #5 Portland State | W, 29-17 |
Survive and Advance: UNI has advanced to the FCS quarterfinals for the 13th time in school history. UNI has now advanced to the quarterfinals 13 out of their 18 appearances. It also marks the second year in a row that UNI has had to face a Valley school in the playoffs.
1,000 Club: After the game against Portland State (12/5), Aaron Bailey has 1,301 rushing yards while Tyvis Smith has gained 1,021 yards on the ground. It is the first time in school history that the Panthers have had two players rush for over 1,000 yards in the same season.
1,000 Yard Rushers In Farley Era
| Aaron Bailey | 1,301 yards | 2015 |
| Tyvis Smith | 1,021 yards | 2015 |
| David Johnson | 1,553 yards | 2014 |
| David Johnson | 1,291 yards | 2013 |
| David Johnson | 1,021 yards | 2012 |
| Tirrell Rennie | 1,291 yards | 2010 |
| Corey Lewis | 1,314 yards | 2008 |
| Corey Lewis | 1,513 yards | 2007 |
| David Horne | 1,141 yards | 2005 |
| Terrance Freeney | 1,100 yards | 2004 |
| Terrance Freeney | 1,261 yards | 2003 |
| Adam Benge | 1,133 yards | 2002 |
| Adam Benge | 1,383 yards | 2001 |
At the Top: With his two rushing touchdowns against Portland State (12/5), Aaron Bailey set a UNI record for rushing touchdowns in a season (19) and rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback. He also broke the Missouri Valley Football Conference record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback and rushing yards in a season by a quarterback (1,301).
Balanced Attack: UNI has had two 100-yard rushers in three of the last four games, finishing the game against Portland State (12/5) with both Aaron Bailey and Tyvis Smith rushing for over 200 yards. It marks the first time in UNI history that the Panthers have had two players rush for 200 yards.
Getting to the Line: Karter Schult picked up two tackles for loss against Portland State (12/5), giving him 22 on the season. The 22 TFL gives him the UNI record, passing John Hermann who had 20.5 in 2005.
Career-Highs: Tyvis Smith finished the game against Portland State (12/5) with a career-high 207 yards on 21 carries while Aaron Bailey had a career-high 200 yards on 26 carries. The last time UNI had a 200-yard rusher was against Missouri State in 2014 when David Johnson picked up 205 yards.
Joining the Club: Aaron Bailey's 1,301 rushing yards this season ranks him fifth all-time at UNI in rushing yards in a single-season.
Rack Em Up: UNI's 3,146 net rushing yards this season is a new school record for team rushing yards in a season. It passes the 2,956 that the Panthers had in 2007.
Doubling Up: Through the first nine games of the season, Tyvis Smith had 358 rushing yards. He has now had 100-or-more yards on the ground in four consecutive games, totaling 663 yards, doubling his previous total. He now has 1,021 this season, ranking him second on the team.
Smith's 100-yard Rushing Performances (2015)
| 11/14 at Missouri State | 16 carries | 143 yds | 1 TD |
| 11/21 vs. Southern Illinois | 23 carries | 166 yds | 1 TD |
| 11/28 vs. Eastern Illinois | 24 carries | 147 yds | 1 TD |
| 12/5 at Portland State | 21 carries | 207 yds | 2 TDs |
Off the Field: UNI had three student-athletes named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America teams. Jacob Rathmacher (biology, biochemistry | first-team), Isaac Ales (physical education | second-team) and Karter Schult (exercise science, family services | first-team) were all named to the All-America team.
UNI in Non-Conference: UNI has the most victories among league members over top-25 non-conference opponents with 35 since 1985.
Improvement on the Field: The Panthers finished the game against Portland State (12/5) with 401 yards on the ground, marking the fifth consecutive game with 200 or more rushing yards and the sixth time out of the last seven games that UNI has reached the mark.
200-Plus Team Rushing Performances
| Eastern Washington | 266 yards |
| at Cal Poly | 204 yards |
| at North Dakota State | 277 yards |
| at South Dakota State | 223 yards |
| Indiana State | 216 yards |
| at Missouri State | 439 yards |
| Southern Illinois | 313 yards |
| Eastern Illinois | 323 yards |
| at Portland State | 401 yards |
Top-10 Wins: UNI has 20 wins over top-10 ranked teams since 2001, including six in the last two seasons.
UNI vs. Top-10 Ranked Teams Since 2001
2001 UNI vs. #2 Youngstown St. (Sept. 29) W, 30-11
2001 UNI vs. #6 Western Ky. (Nov. 10) W, 24-23
2001 UNI vs. #3 Eastern Illinois (Dec. 1) W, 49-43
2003 UNI vs. #7 Western Illinois (Oct. 25) W, 38-30
2003 UNI vs. #2 Southern Illinois (Nov. 15) W, 43-40
2005 UNI vs. #6 Western Ky. (Nov. 5) W, 23-20
2005 UNI vs. #4 Southern Illinois (Nov. 12) W, 25-24
2005 UNI vs. #1 New Hampshire (Dec. 3) W, 24-21
2005 UNI vs. #5 Texas State (Dec. 9) W, 40-37
2006 UNI vs. #5 Youngstown State (Oct. 21) W, 31-23
2006 UNI vs. #6 Illinois State (Nov. 18) W, 38-27
2007 UNI vs. #6 Southern Illinois (Oct. 13) W, 30-24
2008 UNI vs. #10 New Hampshire (Dec. 6) W, 36-34
2013 UNI vs. #9 McNeese State (Sept. 28) W, 41-6
2013 UNI vs. #9 Youngstown State (Nov. 9) W, 22-20
2014 UNI vs. #6 Illinois State (Nov. 1) W, 42-28
2014 UNI vs. #1 N. Dakota State (Nov. 8) W, 23-3
2015 UNI vs. #7 Eastern Washington (Sept. 12) W, 38-35
2015 UNI at #6 South Dakota State (Oct. 24) W, 10-7
2015 UNI at #5 Portland State (Dec. 5) W, 29-17
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Players Mentioned
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