Panthers crack STATS Perform FCS preseason poll

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – STATS Perform released their 2023 FCS preseason poll with the UNI Panthers cracking the list at No. 23.

UNI comes in at No. 23 this year after being selected to finish third in the Missouri Valley Football Conference's (MVFC) preseason poll last week. Defending national champion and MVFC rival South Dakota State was selected as the unanimous No. 1 team, claiming all 56 first-place votes.

The Panthers are among MVFC programs appearing on the list. North Dakota State followed South Dakota State with a No. 2 ranking, with North Dakota slipping in at No. 17. Southern Illinois and Youngstown State both received votes outside the top-25.

Head coach Mark Farley enters his 23rd season at the Panther helm as the winningest coach in UNI and MVFC history. He currently boasts 174 overall wins with 111 conference wins in his 22-year run.

The Panthers come into the 2023 season with eight returning All-MVFC players including All-Newcomers defensive lineman Cordarrius Bailey, wide receiver Desmond Hutson, and punter Noah Pettinger, first teamers quarterbady Theo Day and placekicker Matthew Cook, second teamers defensive back Woo Governor and defensive lineman Khristian Boyd, and honorable mention wide receiver Sam Schnee.

The 2023 season has already seen numerous accolades rain on the Panthers. Twelve Panthers have earned preseason honors with multiple All-American honors for Cook, Day, and Governor.

The Panthers open their 2023 campaign on the road at Iowa State on Sept 2. UNI will play its home opener on Sept. 9 against No. 13 Weber State.

2023 Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll (First Place Votes)

South Dakota State (56)
North Dakota State
Montana State
William & Mary
Holy Cross
Furman
Incarnate Word
Idaho
Samford
Sacramento State
New Hampshire
Southeast Missouri
Weber State
Montana
Southeastern Louisiana
UC Davis
North Dakota
Richmond
North Carolina Central
Mercer
Rhode Island
Delaware
UNI
Eastern Kentucky
Gardner-Webb

Receiving Votes: Central Arkansas, Chattanooga, Jackson State, Southern Illinois, Youngstown State, Florida A&M, UT-Martin, Elon, Austin Peay, Fordham, Yale, Villanova, McNeese, Abilene Christian, St. Thomas (Minn.), Saint Francis (Penn.)

ABOUT STATS PERFORM
Founded in 1981, STATS Perform is a sports data and analytics company involved in the collection of sports data and predictive analysis for use across various sports sectors, including professional team performance, digital, media, broadcast and betting. The company has also been increasingly involved in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Its clients include media outlets, sports leagues and teams, fantasy sports and sports betting services. As of 2023, the company covers 500,000+ matches and 3,900 competitions annually from over 300 leagues.

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