Panther football heads west to face Idaho State

Idaho State (0-2 / 0-0 Big Sky) at RV/RV UNI (0-2 / 0-0 MVFC)

5 p.m. CT | Sept. 16, 2023
Holt Arena (12,000) | Pocatello, Ida.
ESPN+
Panther Sports Radio Network (J.W. Cox: Play-by-Play / Scott Peterson: Analyst)

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI football heads west to Pocatello for the first time since 1990 as the Panthers search for their first win of the year, facing off against the Idaho State Bengals on Saturday in their final non-conference contest of the regular season.

Following a difficult 34-17 home loss to Weber State on Saturday, UNI looks to bounce back another Big Sky Conference opponent. The Panthers, who are 3-0 all-time against the Bengals and won the most recent matchup in 2019 at home by a score of 13-6, will seek their first road win against a Big Sky opponent since defeating Sacramento State in 2021. Head coach Mark Farley will also attempt to pick up his 175th career win in the road trip.

The Panthers were plagued in their home opener against Weber State by three interceptions and three lost fumbles despite a 312-yard passing performance from quarterback Theo Day. Day, who moved into eighth on UNI's all-time passing yards list (5,918), has recorded a touchdown pass in a program-record 24 consecutive games following a five-yard connection with Sam Schnee in the second quarter against the Wildcats.

Receiver Sergio Morancy notched 120 yards on five catches on Saturday, the second-highest receiving yards total of his career, while Tye Edwards led the Panther running game with 53 yards on the ground. Defensively, Edwin Dearman tallied a career-high 12 tackles in the loss to Weber State, including nine solo stops. Linebacker Tucker Langenberg also recorded a career-best 11 tackles, with Jahsiah Galvan posting nine tackles.

Placekicker Matthew Cook moved into third all-time in scoring in school history against the Wildcats after a 39-yard field goal and two PAT kicks for his 333rd career point scored. Running back David Johnson (2010-14) is UNI's all-time leading scorer with 384 points off of 64 career touchdowns scored, with former kicker Billy Hallgren (2007-10) sitting at 364 points off 64 field goals and 172 PATs.

Punter Noah Pettinger also matched a career-long with a 54-yard punt against Weber State to complement a pair of punts downed inside the 20-yard line. The Dubuque, Iowa native leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) with a 45.3 yards per punt average and currently holds UNI's career lead for average yards per punt at 43.9 yards (minimum five attempts).

Idaho State returns to Holt Arena looking to snap a six-game losing streak dating back to last season. The Bengals have struggled over the past two seasons with a combined 2-22 record since the fall of 2021, looking for their first winning campaign since 2018 and first FCS postseason appearance since 1983.

Able to produce the fifth-most passing yards per game in the nation (322.5) early this year, the Bengals have struggled to slow their opponents, giving up 36 points to San Diego State in their season-opener in California and 78 points last week at Utah State. Idaho State has seen action primarily from two quarterbacks this season, with Jordan Cooke accounting for 362 yards on 54.1% completion, while Hunter Hays has found the endzone three times with 60.5% completion. Christian Fredrickson leads ISU with 182 receiving yards and three of the Bengals' five offensive touchdowns this year.

CELEBRATING 125 SEASONS OF PANTHER FOOTBALL
This year marks the 125th season of play for the UNI football program. Kicking off games in 1895, the Panthers have played every year since, with the exception of 1906, 1907, 1944 and 1945, with over 1,300 players wearing the purple and gold. UNI will celebrate the milestone season all year long with special history lessons on social media, a 125th season website and more. The Panthers will honor this anniversary season with a 125th season decal on their helmets all season long.

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