University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Saturday, October 3
Normal, Ill.
12 p.m.
University of Northern Iowa
at
Illinois State
Panthers Prepped For Top-10 Showdown Against Redbirds
9/28/2015 3:22:00 PM | Football
Games Notes in PDF Format
Game 4 at No. 4 Illinois State
Time: 12 p.m. CT
Place: Normal, Ill. (Hancock Stadium)
TV: ESPN3
Radio: 1540 KXEL, TuneIn.com
The Basics: The University of Northern Iowa football program will open Missouri Valley Football Conference play on the road when the take on the Illinois State Redbirds, Saturday, Oct. 3. The game will kick off at noon in Hancock Stadium.
About the Redbirds: The Illinois State Redbirds will enter the contest against the Panthers with a 2-1 overall record. Illinois State's only loss comes at the hands of Iowa (L, 31-14) in their season-opener. The Redbirds bring back 11 starters to the field this season after making a run for the FCS Championship, falling to North Dakota State in the final game. Senior running back Marshaun Coprich is leading the Valley in rushing yards with their offense ranked second in the league in scoring offense with 38.3 points per game.
Panther Quick Hits:
• UNI enters the week ranked No. 7 in the STATS and No. 6 in the FCS Coaches top-25 polls.
• The Panthers have 75 wins over top-25 opponents and 18 over top-10 opponents since 2001.
• UNI made its 17th FCS playoff appearance in 2014, defeating Stephen F. Austin in the first round.
• Head Coach Mark Farley is in his 15th season at the helm with an overall record of 122-57 and 73-31 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 197-50-1 all-time inside the historic facility.
• 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 41 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 ESPN3.
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 is 20-12 all-time against Illinois State, with the series dating back to 1972. The Panthers topped a then undefeated Redbird team during the 2014 regular season, 42-28, but then fell to Illinois State in the second round of the FCS playoffs on the road, 41-21. UNI is 8-9 in Normal against Illinois State with their last win in Hancock Stadium happening in 2011 (W, 23-20, 2OT).
Conference Play: UNI currently holds a 145-53 overall record in the MVFC and 73-31 record during the Farley era. Farley's 73 league wins is the most by a head coach in Missouri Valley Football Conference history.
Conference Openers: UNI is 20-10 in MVFC openers since the league started in 1985. The Panthers are also 9-5 in conference openers under the direction of head coach Mark Farley.
MVFC Openers under Mark Farley
Week 3 Awards: UNI secured both the MVFC Defensive Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week selections for the second consecutive week. Aaron Bailey was named Newcomer of the Week while Brett McMakin earned defensive honors for their performances against Cal Poly (9/19).
He's Got the Smart: Senior defensive lineman Isaac Ales was named a semifinalist for the 2015 William V. Campbell Trophy. The award is given to the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the country. He is one of 135 student-athletes still in the running for the award.
UNI William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalists
Back To Back: UNI posted back-to-back wins against non-conference top-25 teams for the first time since the 2008 playoffs (Maine, New Hampshire). UNI won its home opener against No. 7 Eastern Washington (9/12) and then defeated No. 17 Cal Poly (9/19) on the road.
Red Zone Running: Running back Savon Huggins scored his first rushing touchdown of the season against Cal Poly (9/19), putting UNI up 7-0 early in the first quarter. It was his second of the season, notching a receiving score against Iowa State (9/5).
Timing is Key: All three of UNI's first three scoring drives against Cal Poly (9/19) were exactly seven plays long each, all under three minutes of total possession time. With the Panthers' new no-huddle offense in full force, UNI hasn't had a scoring possession over 4:00.
Receiving Praise: Daurice Fountain finished the game against Cal Poly (9/19) with a career-high 123 receiving yards on eight catches. The last time UNI had a 100-yard receiver in a game was Oct. 19, 2013 when Chad Owens had 107 yards through the air.
High Totals: Three Panther defenders posted career-highs in tackles in the win against Cal Poly (9/19) as Jared Farley and D'Shawn Dexter tallied 13 and 12 tackles respectively while Brett McMakin finished with a game-high 15 tackles.
UNI in Non-Conference: UNI has the most victories among league members over top-25 non-conference opponents with 33 since 1985.
Top-10 Wins: UNI has 18 wins over top-10 ranked teams since 2001, including five in the last two seasons. Illinois State is one of three teams on UNI's schedule this season ranked in the top-10 in both the STATS and FCS Coaches polls.
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
Numbers Speak: UNI is 87-7 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when holding the opposition to 20 points or less. The Panthers are 78-6 in the Farley years when scoring 30 or more points in a game. UNI had won 15 consecutive games when holding the opposition to 20 points or less prior to the game against Illinois State in 2013.
Week 2 Awards: Senior Deiondre' Hall was named the College Sports Madness National Defensive Player of the Week and the MVFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Eastern Washington (9/12). Junior quarterback Aaron Bailey was also selected as the MVFC Newcomer of the Week.
Dual Threat: Aaron Bailey finished the game with 134 rushing yards against Eastern Washington (9/12). The last time UNI had a 100-yard rushing quarterback performance was on Nov. 19, 2011 when Tirrell Rennie rushed for 100 yards on 17 carries in UNI's win over Illinois State.
Dynamic Duo: Aaron Bailey (134 rushing yards) and Darrian Miller (112 rushing yards) combined for 246 of UNI's 266 rushing yards against the Eagles (9/12). The last time UNI had two 100+ yard rushers in a game was on Sept. 24, 2011 against Western Illinois (David Johnson and Tirrell Rennie)
In the End Zone: The Panthers remain at the top of the rankings in the FCS in red zone offense, scoring 100 percent of the time they make it inside the 20-yard-line.
Two for Seven: Michael Malloy and Logan Cunningham both scored their first-career touchdowns against the Eagles (9/12), two of five touchdowns scored in the high scoring game.
Helping Hand: Deiondre' Hall tied the school record for interception returns for touchdowns against Eastern Washington (9/12) with his pick-six in the fourth quarter. He now has three total in his career, tying former safety Ray Mitchell (2013-14).
Moving Up: Sawyer Kollmorgen is now tied for fifth all-time at UNI in passing touchdowns after the game against Eastern Washington (9/12). He now has 48 total, tying him with Steve Sandon (1978-81).
High Rankings: The Panthers have five players ranked in the top-25 in the FCS in their individual statistics through three games this season.
Home Openers: Under the direction of head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers are 14-1 in home openers. UNI has now won nine consecutive home openers.
Home Openers under Mark Farley
Top Wins: The Panthers currently have 75 wins over top-25 ranked opponents. In the past two seasons, five of those 75 victories were against top-10 ranked foes with wins over No. 9 McNeese State (9/28/13), No. 9 Youngstown State (11/9/13), No. 6 Illinois State (11/1/14, No. 1 North Dakota State (11/8/14) and No. 7 Eastern Washington (9/12/15)
Starting Right: UNI saw six players on offense (Aaron Bailey, Daurice Fountain, Tyvis Smith, Jacob Appleman, Bryce Sweeney, Chris Schleuger) and three on defense (Jordan Webb, De'Angelo Jennings,Adam Reth) notch their first career starts against Iowa State (Sept. 5).
Dual Threat: Aaron Bailey made his starting debut for the Panthers against Iowa State (Sept. 5), finishing the game with 114 passing yards and 85 yards on the ground. The junior, a transfer from Illionis, effectivly found holes in the Cyclone defense, leading the team in rushing yards and carries (22).
Back At It: Senior wide receiver Rod Hall played in his first football game since 2011 when the Panthers faced off against Iowa State (Sept. 5). For the past four years, Hall has been the starting point guard for the Clemson Tigers, but with one last year of eligibility left, he decided to go back to the gridiron for one last season of football.
Career-Highs: The Panthers had a trio of starters on the defensive side of the ball notch career-high tackles against Iowa State. Senior Deiondre' Hall led the way with nine tackles and two forced fumbles. Karter Schlut racked up eight tackles and two sacks for a loss of 11 yards while senior De'Angelo Jennings scored a career-high eight tackles in his first start at linebacker.
40 Great Years: The 2015 season will mark the 40th year of the UNI-Dome. With the Panthers currently holding a 197-50-1 record inside the UNI-Dome, just four shy of the 200-win mark, it is safe to say that tradition has thrived in the building that was constructed in 1976. UNI has gone undefeated at home in a season eight times since 1990, including four seasons under the direction of Mark Farley. The Panthers are also 78-14 in home Missouri Valley Football Conference games.
High Rank: Since 1985, UNI has been the only MVFC teams ranked in a pre-season or regular-season poll every season. The Panthers finished last season 9-5 overall and ranked No. 10 in both the Coaches and Sports Network poll. This year, UNI also landed at No. 10 in both the FCS Coaches and STATS (former Sports Network) in the preseason voting.
Key Numbers: Out of UNI's 11 opponents this season, five finished the 2014 season ranked in the top-25 with five more receiving votes. Nine of UNI's 10 FCS opponents this season are also either ranked in the polls or receiving votes.
Road Warriors: UNI will spend five of the first eight Saturdays of college football on the road this season with six total road games on the docket. Out of those five games, UNI will face one FBS opponent in Iowa State and four teams either ranked in the top-25 or receiving votes.
Familiar Numbers: Panther fans will get to see a familiar number running on the defensive side of the ball this fall, with Jared Farley making the switch from 35 to 46. With the newest number change, Jared is now the third member of the Farley family to wear the coveted 46.
Winning Tradition: Mark Farley currently holds an overall record of 122-57 at the helm, just seven wins shy of tying Stan Sheriff's, UNI's all-time winningest coach record of 129-101-4.
UNI Football is Family: Family has always been important to the Panthers and this year's roster shows the bond between father and son and siblings. There are currently five student-athletes that have followed in their father's footsteps to become a Panther and four sets of siblings on the 2015 roster.
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Game 4 at No. 4 Illinois State
Time: 12 p.m. CT
Place: Normal, Ill. (Hancock Stadium)
TV: ESPN3
Radio: 1540 KXEL, TuneIn.com
The Basics: The University of Northern Iowa football program will open Missouri Valley Football Conference play on the road when the take on the Illinois State Redbirds, Saturday, Oct. 3. The game will kick off at noon in Hancock Stadium.
About the Redbirds: The Illinois State Redbirds will enter the contest against the Panthers with a 2-1 overall record. Illinois State's only loss comes at the hands of Iowa (L, 31-14) in their season-opener. The Redbirds bring back 11 starters to the field this season after making a run for the FCS Championship, falling to North Dakota State in the final game. Senior running back Marshaun Coprich is leading the Valley in rushing yards with their offense ranked second in the league in scoring offense with 38.3 points per game.
Panther Quick Hits:
• UNI enters the week ranked No. 7 in the STATS and No. 6 in the FCS Coaches top-25 polls.
• The Panthers have 75 wins over top-25 opponents and 18 over top-10 opponents since 2001.
• UNI made its 17th FCS playoff appearance in 2014, defeating Stephen F. Austin in the first round.
• Head Coach Mark Farley is in his 15th season at the helm with an overall record of 122-57 and 73-31 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 197-50-1 all-time inside the historic facility.
• 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 41 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 ESPN3.
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 is 20-12 all-time against Illinois State, with the series dating back to 1972. The Panthers topped a then undefeated Redbird team during the 2014 regular season, 42-28, but then fell to Illinois State in the second round of the FCS playoffs on the road, 41-21. UNI is 8-9 in Normal against Illinois State with their last win in Hancock Stadium happening in 2011 (W, 23-20, 2OT).
Conference Play: UNI currently holds a 145-53 overall record in the MVFC and 73-31 record during the Farley era. Farley's 73 league wins is the most by a head coach in Missouri Valley Football Conference history.
Conference Openers: UNI is 20-10 in MVFC openers since the league started in 1985. The Panthers are also 9-5 in conference openers under the direction of head coach Mark Farley.
MVFC Openers under Mark Farley
| 2001 | Youngstown State | W, 30-11 |
| 2002 | Western Kentucky | L, 31-12 |
| 2003 | at Illinois State | W, 16-7 |
| 2004 | at Southern Illinois | L, 40-36 |
| 2005 | at Western Illinois | W, 41-24 |
| 2006 | Missouri State | W, 38-7 |
| 2007 | at Illinois State | W, 23-13 |
| 2008 | South Dakota State | W, 34-20 |
| 2009 | at Missouri State | W, 35-7 |
| 2010 | North Dakota State | W, 16-9 |
| 2011 | Western Illinois | W, 38-10 |
| 2012 | Youngstown State | L, 42-35 |
| 2013 | at North Dakota State | L, 24-23 |
| 2014 | at Indiana State | L, 20-19 |
Week 3 Awards: UNI secured both the MVFC Defensive Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week selections for the second consecutive week. Aaron Bailey was named Newcomer of the Week while Brett McMakin earned defensive honors for their performances against Cal Poly (9/19).
He's Got the Smart: Senior defensive lineman Isaac Ales was named a semifinalist for the 2015 William V. Campbell Trophy. The award is given to the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the country. He is one of 135 student-athletes still in the running for the award.
UNI William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalists
| James Lindgren | 2006 |
| Chad Rinehart | 2007 |
| Josh Mahoney | 2009 |
| Ben Boothby | 2011 |
| Kyle Bernard | 2012 |
| David Johnson | 2014 |
Back To Back: UNI posted back-to-back wins against non-conference top-25 teams for the first time since the 2008 playoffs (Maine, New Hampshire). UNI won its home opener against No. 7 Eastern Washington (9/12) and then defeated No. 17 Cal Poly (9/19) on the road.
Red Zone Running: Running back Savon Huggins scored his first rushing touchdown of the season against Cal Poly (9/19), putting UNI up 7-0 early in the first quarter. It was his second of the season, notching a receiving score against Iowa State (9/5).
Timing is Key: All three of UNI's first three scoring drives against Cal Poly (9/19) were exactly seven plays long each, all under three minutes of total possession time. With the Panthers' new no-huddle offense in full force, UNI hasn't had a scoring possession over 4:00.
Receiving Praise: Daurice Fountain finished the game against Cal Poly (9/19) with a career-high 123 receiving yards on eight catches. The last time UNI had a 100-yard receiver in a game was Oct. 19, 2013 when Chad Owens had 107 yards through the air.
High Totals: Three Panther defenders posted career-highs in tackles in the win against Cal Poly (9/19) as Jared Farley and D'Shawn Dexter tallied 13 and 12 tackles respectively while Brett McMakin finished with a game-high 15 tackles.
UNI in Non-Conference: UNI has the most victories among league members over top-25 non-conference opponents with 33 since 1985.
Top-10 Wins: UNI has 18 wins over top-10 ranked teams since 2001, including five in the last two seasons. Illinois State is one of three teams on UNI's schedule this season ranked in the top-10 in both the STATS and FCS Coaches polls.
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
Numbers Speak: UNI is 87-7 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when holding the opposition to 20 points or less. The Panthers are 78-6 in the Farley years when scoring 30 or more points in a game. UNI had won 15 consecutive games when holding the opposition to 20 points or less prior to the game against Illinois State in 2013.
Week 2 Awards: Senior Deiondre' Hall was named the College Sports Madness National Defensive Player of the Week and the MVFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Eastern Washington (9/12). Junior quarterback Aaron Bailey was also selected as the MVFC Newcomer of the Week.
Dual Threat: Aaron Bailey finished the game with 134 rushing yards against Eastern Washington (9/12). The last time UNI had a 100-yard rushing quarterback performance was on Nov. 19, 2011 when Tirrell Rennie rushed for 100 yards on 17 carries in UNI's win over Illinois State.
Dynamic Duo: Aaron Bailey (134 rushing yards) and Darrian Miller (112 rushing yards) combined for 246 of UNI's 266 rushing yards against the Eagles (9/12). The last time UNI had two 100+ yard rushers in a game was on Sept. 24, 2011 against Western Illinois (David Johnson and Tirrell Rennie)
In the End Zone: The Panthers remain at the top of the rankings in the FCS in red zone offense, scoring 100 percent of the time they make it inside the 20-yard-line.
Two for Seven: Michael Malloy and Logan Cunningham both scored their first-career touchdowns against the Eagles (9/12), two of five touchdowns scored in the high scoring game.
Helping Hand: Deiondre' Hall tied the school record for interception returns for touchdowns against Eastern Washington (9/12) with his pick-six in the fourth quarter. He now has three total in his career, tying former safety Ray Mitchell (2013-14).
Moving Up: Sawyer Kollmorgen is now tied for fifth all-time at UNI in passing touchdowns after the game against Eastern Washington (9/12). He now has 48 total, tying him with Steve Sandon (1978-81).
High Rankings: The Panthers have five players ranked in the top-25 in the FCS in their individual statistics through three games this season.
| Player | Stat | FCS Rank |
| Deiondre' Hall | Forced Fumbles | 7 |
| Isaac Ales | Fumbles Recovered | 16 |
| Jared Farley | Fumbles Recovered | 16 |
| Deiondre' Hall | Interceptions | 14 |
| Sam Kuhter | Punting | 5 |
| Brett McMakin | Solo Tackles | 3 |
| Jared Farley | Solo Tackles | 5 |
| Deiondre' Hall | Solo Tackles | 22 |
| Jared Farley | Tackles for Loss | 17 |
| Brett McMakin | Total Tackles | 20 |
Home Openers: Under the direction of head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers are 14-1 in home openers. UNI has now won nine consecutive home openers.
Home Openers under Mark Farley
| 2001 | Wayne State | W, 34-14 |
| 2002 | Wayne State | W, 34-0 |
| 2003 | Northern Michigan | W, 62-0 |
| 2004 | Minnesota State | W, 40-0 |
| 2005 | Drake | W, 57-17 |
| 2006 | North Dakota | L, 35-31 |
| 2007 | Minnesota State-Mankato | W, 41-14 |
| 2008 | South Dakota | W, 24-13 |
| 2009 | South Dakota | W, 66-7 |
| 2010 | North Dakota State | W, 16-9 |
| 2011 | Western Illinois | W, 38-10 |
| 2012 | Central State | W, 59-0 |
| 2013 | Drake | W, 45-14 |
| 2014 | Northern Colorado | W, 46-7 |
| 2015 | Eastern Washington | W, 38-35 |
Top Wins: The Panthers currently have 75 wins over top-25 ranked opponents. In the past two seasons, five of those 75 victories were against top-10 ranked foes with wins over No. 9 McNeese State (9/28/13), No. 9 Youngstown State (11/9/13), No. 6 Illinois State (11/1/14, No. 1 North Dakota State (11/8/14) and No. 7 Eastern Washington (9/12/15)
Starting Right: UNI saw six players on offense (Aaron Bailey, Daurice Fountain, Tyvis Smith, Jacob Appleman, Bryce Sweeney, Chris Schleuger) and three on defense (Jordan Webb, De'Angelo Jennings,Adam Reth) notch their first career starts against Iowa State (Sept. 5).
Dual Threat: Aaron Bailey made his starting debut for the Panthers against Iowa State (Sept. 5), finishing the game with 114 passing yards and 85 yards on the ground. The junior, a transfer from Illionis, effectivly found holes in the Cyclone defense, leading the team in rushing yards and carries (22).
Back At It: Senior wide receiver Rod Hall played in his first football game since 2011 when the Panthers faced off against Iowa State (Sept. 5). For the past four years, Hall has been the starting point guard for the Clemson Tigers, but with one last year of eligibility left, he decided to go back to the gridiron for one last season of football.
Career-Highs: The Panthers had a trio of starters on the defensive side of the ball notch career-high tackles against Iowa State. Senior Deiondre' Hall led the way with nine tackles and two forced fumbles. Karter Schlut racked up eight tackles and two sacks for a loss of 11 yards while senior De'Angelo Jennings scored a career-high eight tackles in his first start at linebacker.
40 Great Years: The 2015 season will mark the 40th year of the UNI-Dome. With the Panthers currently holding a 197-50-1 record inside the UNI-Dome, just four shy of the 200-win mark, it is safe to say that tradition has thrived in the building that was constructed in 1976. UNI has gone undefeated at home in a season eight times since 1990, including four seasons under the direction of Mark Farley. The Panthers are also 78-14 in home Missouri Valley Football Conference games.
High Rank: Since 1985, UNI has been the only MVFC teams ranked in a pre-season or regular-season poll every season. The Panthers finished last season 9-5 overall and ranked No. 10 in both the Coaches and Sports Network poll. This year, UNI also landed at No. 10 in both the FCS Coaches and STATS (former Sports Network) in the preseason voting.
Key Numbers: Out of UNI's 11 opponents this season, five finished the 2014 season ranked in the top-25 with five more receiving votes. Nine of UNI's 10 FCS opponents this season are also either ranked in the polls or receiving votes.
| Team | STATS/Coaches |
| North Dakota State | 3/2 |
| Illinois State | 4/4 |
| South Dakota State | 5/7 |
| Eastern Washington | 9/9 |
| Indiana State | 21/24 |
| Cal Poly | RV/RV |
| Southern Illinois | RV/RV |
| Western Illinois | RV/RV |
| South Dakota | RV/None |
Road Warriors: UNI will spend five of the first eight Saturdays of college football on the road this season with six total road games on the docket. Out of those five games, UNI will face one FBS opponent in Iowa State and four teams either ranked in the top-25 or receiving votes.
Familiar Numbers: Panther fans will get to see a familiar number running on the defensive side of the ball this fall, with Jared Farley making the switch from 35 to 46. With the newest number change, Jared is now the third member of the Farley family to wear the coveted 46.
Winning Tradition: Mark Farley currently holds an overall record of 122-57 at the helm, just seven wins shy of tying Stan Sheriff's, UNI's all-time winningest coach record of 129-101-4.
UNI Football is Family: Family has always been important to the Panthers and this year's roster shows the bond between father and son and siblings. There are currently five student-athletes that have followed in their father's footsteps to become a Panther and four sets of siblings on the 2015 roster.
| Father | Years at UNI | Son |
| Mark Farley | 1982-86 | Jared Farley (So./LB) |
| Andre Allen | 1991-94 | A.J. Allen (R-Fr./LB) |
| Trevor Allen (Fr./RB) | ||
| Willie Beamon | 1989-92 | Willie Beamon (R-Fr./DB) |
| John Hill | 1984-87 | Barkley Hill (Jr./LB) |
| Older Brother | Younger Brother | |
| A.J. Allen (R-Fr.) | Trevor Allen (Fr.) | |
| Dalton Ferch (Jr.) | Duncan Ferch (R-Fr.) | |
| Xavier James (So.) | Jaylin James (Fr.) | |
| Justin Putney (Jr.) | Tyler Putney (R-Fr.) |
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