Panthers Host Southern Utah in Home Opener

Panther Football comes to the UNI-Dome for the first time in the 2019 season. UNI hosts Big Sky Conference member Southern Utah for the sixth meeting between two teams and first since 2017.

• UNI is coming off of a 29-26 3OT loss against No. 21 Iowa State. The Panthers held the Cyclones to just one touchdown in regulation and the forced one of the best offensive teams in the Big 12 out of the end zone for the entire first half.

• Redshirt freshman quarterback Will McElvain opened his career in hostile territory in front of a sellout crowd of 61,500 at Jack Trice Stadium but played like he was in the field that he marked out in his backyard in South Des Moines. He went 25-42 for a touchdown and no interceptions against a defense that returned eight starters off of one the best defensive units in the Big12. McElvain prevailed in a four-way QB battle that included sophomore Jacob Keller and a pair of true freshmen, Nate Martens and Justin Fomby.

• Head coach Mark Farley is just one win away from the 150-win plateau. He is the winningest coach in UNI and Missouri Valley Football History and his next will make him the 10th coach in FCS history with 150 FCS victories.

• Xavior Williams showed why he is a preseason All-American honoree with a performance against Iowa State that included a 53-yard fumble return for a touchdown and three pass breakups, including one in the end zone and another on fourth down.

• After going 4-4 in field goals, including a 50-yard make, freshman Matthew Cook was named the MVFC and the STATS FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week.

• Eight receivers caught passes in Saturday's season opener and six receivers tallied more than one reception. Deion McShane tallied team-high seven catches, tying his career-high. Every receiver that caught a ball is a returner with at least one reception coming into the season.

• Trevor Allen scored the lone offensive touchdown on a seven-yard snag in the second overtime. McElvain scrambled all over the field before scoring finding Allen in the end zone wide open out of the backfield.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Panthers Host Southern Utah in Home Opener

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Trevor Allen

Matthew Cook

Justin Fomby

Jacob Keller

Nate Martens

Will McElvain

Deion McShane

Xavior Williams

Upcoming Events

University of Northern Iowa Athletics