UNI football grabs top-25 ranking in AFCA FCS Coaches Poll
8/15/2022 11:32:00 AM | Football
WACO, Texas .– UNI football cracked the top 25 of its fourth preseason national poll.
The AFCA FCS Coaches Poll has the Panthers ranked No. 21 in today's poll release. Stats Perform's and Athlon's preseason polls also rank UNI at No. 21. HERO Sports ranks UNI at No. 24 in the nation.
Head coach Mark Farley enters his 22nd season with the Panthers as the most winningest coach in program history. He also leads the conference in wins. With a winning percentage of .644, he is tied at 13th in the nation among all active FCS coaches for winning percentage.
The Panthers return four all-MVFC players with kicker Matthew Cook, linebacker Spencer Cuvelier and defensive back Benny Sapp III having earned first team distinctions last season and Deion McShane earned an honorable mention.
Sixteen Panthers have earned preseason honors, including multiple all-American teams for Cook, Cuvelier and Sapp.
UNI made its 22nd appearance in the FCS playoffs last season and toppled two top-10 teams to earn National Team of the Week honors from Stats Perform.
UNI opens on the road with Air Force Sept. 3. The Panthers stay on the road to face an MVFC foe early with North Dakota before hosting Sacramento State, ranked No. 7 in the preseason poll at 4 p.m. Sept. 17.
MVFC foe North Dakota State will begin the 2022 football season at No. 1 after winning its ninth FCS national championship in January.
There is only one top-25 matchup in the first full weekend of games as No. 9 Southern Illinois travels to No. 14 UIW Sept. 3. The Salukis and Cardinals both reached the second round of the playoffs in 2021. Two preseason Top 25 teams begin their season a week earlier than everybody else. No. 10 Stephen F. Austin hosts Jacksonville State and No. 23 Mercer hosts Morehead State Aug. 27.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll
Rank School / Season Opener - Head Coach
1. North Dakota St. / Sept. 3 vs. Drake - Matt Entz
2. Montana / Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern St - Bobby Hauck
3. South Dakota St. / Sept. 3 at Iowa - John Stiegelmeier
4. Montana St. / Sept. 3 vs. McNeese St. - Brent Vigen
5. Villanova / Sept. 2 vs. Lehigh - Mark Ferrante
6. Kennesaw St. / Sept. 1 at Samford - Brian Bohannon
7. Sacramento St. / Sept. 3 vs. Utah Tech - Troy Taylor
8. Missouri St. / Sept. 1 at Central Arkansas - Bobby Petrino
9. Southern Illinois / Sept. 3 at No. 14 UIW - Nick Hill
10. Stephen F. Austin / Aug. 27 vs. Jacksonville St. - Colby Carthel
11. East Tennessee St. / Sept. 1 vs. Mars Hill - George Quarles
12. Eastern Washington / Sept. 3 vs. Tennessee St. - Aaron Best
13. Chattanooga / Sept. 3 vs. Wofford - Rusty Wright
14. UIW / Sept. 3 vs. No. 9 Southern Illinois - G.J. Kinne
15. UT Martin / Sept. 1 vs. Western Illinois - Jason Simpson
16. Southeastern Louisiana / Sept. 3 at Louisiana - Frank Scelfo
17. Jackson St. / Sept. 4 vs. Florida A&M - Deion Sanders
18. Holy Cross / Sept. 2 at Merrimack - Bob Chesney
19. Delaware / Sept. 3 at Navy - Ryan Carty
20. Weber St. / Sept. 1 vs. Western Oregon - Jay Hill
21. Northern Iowa / Sept. 3 at Air Force - Mark Farley
22. UC Davis / Sept. 3 at California - Dan Hawkins
23. Mercer / Aug. 27 vs. Morehead St. - Drew Cronic
24t. Rhode Island / Sept. 1 at Stony Brook - Jim Fleming
24t. Richmond / Sept. 3 at Virginia - Russ Huesman
The AFCA FCS Coaches Poll has the Panthers ranked No. 21 in today's poll release. Stats Perform's and Athlon's preseason polls also rank UNI at No. 21. HERO Sports ranks UNI at No. 24 in the nation.
Head coach Mark Farley enters his 22nd season with the Panthers as the most winningest coach in program history. He also leads the conference in wins. With a winning percentage of .644, he is tied at 13th in the nation among all active FCS coaches for winning percentage.
The Panthers return four all-MVFC players with kicker Matthew Cook, linebacker Spencer Cuvelier and defensive back Benny Sapp III having earned first team distinctions last season and Deion McShane earned an honorable mention.
Sixteen Panthers have earned preseason honors, including multiple all-American teams for Cook, Cuvelier and Sapp.
UNI made its 22nd appearance in the FCS playoffs last season and toppled two top-10 teams to earn National Team of the Week honors from Stats Perform.
UNI opens on the road with Air Force Sept. 3. The Panthers stay on the road to face an MVFC foe early with North Dakota before hosting Sacramento State, ranked No. 7 in the preseason poll at 4 p.m. Sept. 17.
MVFC foe North Dakota State will begin the 2022 football season at No. 1 after winning its ninth FCS national championship in January.
There is only one top-25 matchup in the first full weekend of games as No. 9 Southern Illinois travels to No. 14 UIW Sept. 3. The Salukis and Cardinals both reached the second round of the playoffs in 2021. Two preseason Top 25 teams begin their season a week earlier than everybody else. No. 10 Stephen F. Austin hosts Jacksonville State and No. 23 Mercer hosts Morehead State Aug. 27.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll
Rank School / Season Opener - Head Coach
1. North Dakota St. / Sept. 3 vs. Drake - Matt Entz
2. Montana / Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern St - Bobby Hauck
3. South Dakota St. / Sept. 3 at Iowa - John Stiegelmeier
4. Montana St. / Sept. 3 vs. McNeese St. - Brent Vigen
5. Villanova / Sept. 2 vs. Lehigh - Mark Ferrante
6. Kennesaw St. / Sept. 1 at Samford - Brian Bohannon
7. Sacramento St. / Sept. 3 vs. Utah Tech - Troy Taylor
8. Missouri St. / Sept. 1 at Central Arkansas - Bobby Petrino
9. Southern Illinois / Sept. 3 at No. 14 UIW - Nick Hill
10. Stephen F. Austin / Aug. 27 vs. Jacksonville St. - Colby Carthel
11. East Tennessee St. / Sept. 1 vs. Mars Hill - George Quarles
12. Eastern Washington / Sept. 3 vs. Tennessee St. - Aaron Best
13. Chattanooga / Sept. 3 vs. Wofford - Rusty Wright
14. UIW / Sept. 3 vs. No. 9 Southern Illinois - G.J. Kinne
15. UT Martin / Sept. 1 vs. Western Illinois - Jason Simpson
16. Southeastern Louisiana / Sept. 3 at Louisiana - Frank Scelfo
17. Jackson St. / Sept. 4 vs. Florida A&M - Deion Sanders
18. Holy Cross / Sept. 2 at Merrimack - Bob Chesney
19. Delaware / Sept. 3 at Navy - Ryan Carty
20. Weber St. / Sept. 1 vs. Western Oregon - Jay Hill
21. Northern Iowa / Sept. 3 at Air Force - Mark Farley
22. UC Davis / Sept. 3 at California - Dan Hawkins
23. Mercer / Aug. 27 vs. Morehead St. - Drew Cronic
24t. Rhode Island / Sept. 1 at Stony Brook - Jim Fleming
24t. Richmond / Sept. 3 at Virginia - Russ Huesman
Players Mentioned
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