University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
South Dakota
UNI football: Panthers face off with Coyotes inside the UNI-Dome
10/16/2025 2:25:00 PM | Football
UNI football hosts South Dakota for the first time since 2021.
UNI Panthers (2-4 / 0-2 MVFC) vs. South Dakota Coyotes (4-3 / 2-1 MVFC)
- 1 p.m. CT | October 18, 2025
- Cedar Falls, Iowa | UNI-Dome
- MVFC TV / ESPN+ (Brad Wells: Play-by-Play, Justin Surrency: Analyst)
- Panther Sports Radio Network | (J.W. Cox: Play-by-Play / Scott Peterson: Analyst)
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The Panthers are back at home on October 18 to face off with another ranked Valley opponent, the South Dakota Coyotes. The Cats own the all-time series with the Yotes, boasting a 31-21-1 record, including a 21-12-1 record in Cedar Falls. The Panthers last defeated South Dakota in 2022 when they took home a 58-14 victory in Vermillion, South Dakota. These teams haven't played inside the UNI-Dome since 2021 after a pair of road games in 2022 and 2024. The last matchup in Cedar Falls went the way of the Coyotes by a 34-21 final.
UNI is coming off a 31-3 loss at No. 2 South Dakota State on October 11. In that matchup in Brookings, Matthew Schecklman finished with 12 completions for 125 passing yards. On the ground, Bill Jackson led the running backs with 10 carries for 29 yards while Tysen Kershaw led the receiving room with two receptions for 48 yards. Bill Jackson finished the contest with five receptions for 42 yards, both career highs.
On defense, the linebacking trio of Kolben Miller, Tucker Langenberg, and Ryan Crandall finished with 10 total tackles. 5.5 total TFLs for 22 yards, including 2.5 sacks for 16 yards amongst the second-level defenders saw Miller and Langenberg's first sacks of their career, as well as a career-high in total tackles for first-time starter Miller.
Other career-highs on defense include Jordan McClom with six total tackles and Jaylen Pettus with five total tackles and 0.5 sacks.
In the first six matchups, the Panthers have not allowed a point on an opponent's first drive of the game. The first drives of the first six contests have seen three punts, two missed field goals (at Wyoming and at South Dakota State), and a blocked field goal (North Dakota). On offense, the Panthers have scored on one opening drive this season, a 79-yard touchdown on the first UNI play of the matchup against Eastern Washington.
The Panther team sits amongst the top-25 in FCS football in a number of statistical categories after their first six contests including blocked kicks (14th - 2), blocked punts (10th - 1), kickoff return defense (12th - 15.88), red zone defense (5th - 66.7%), and time of possession (17th - 32:22). The Panthers' red zone defense is first in the MVFC while their blocked kicks, blocked punts, and kickoff return defense are all the second-best marks in the conference. UNI is third in the Valley in fewest passing yards allowed (192.5) and time of possession.
Individually, Jonathan Cabral-Martin is 11th in the FCS with 0.33 forced fumbles per game, the second-best mark in the league. The redshirt-senior cornerback is 12th in the FCS with 1.33 passes defended per game, the third-best mark in the Valley and 13th in the MVFC with 0.17 interceptions per game. Joe Hall III and Owen Ostroski are tied with Cabral-Martin at 13th in the conference in interceptions per game. Ryan Crandall is 14th in the FCS with the Valley's second-most solo tackles per game (5.5). The transfer linebacker is 20th in the FCS with the league's most tackles for loss per game (1.25). Crandall's 8.7 total tackles per game are fourth in the MVFC. Ayden Price continues to be a deep threat for the Panthers and has the FCS' 19th-best yards per reception mark with 19.85 yards per catch. This is the fourth-most in the conference. Price's two receiving TDs are 13th in the MVFC, his 63 combined kick return yards are 14th, and his receiving yards per game are 15th. Matthew Schecklman has the third-most completions per game in the Valley with 18.33 completions per contest.
The Panthers return 100% of quarterback play from the 2024 season. Matthew Schecklman and Aidan Dunne return to the Panther squad for another season following a year that saw 2,231 passing yards and 16 passing touchdowns with a 61% completion percentage. 35% of UNI's wide receiver production is back in 2025. The Panthers return 65 receptions for 772 yards and four touchdowns from last season.
Just 4% of running back production returns in 2025 after losing Tye Edwards and Amauri Pesek-Hickson from the 2024 roster. Harrison Bey-Buie returns to UNI after a season that saw him appear in just two games due to injury, recording 17 carries for 74 yards.
The Panthers bring in transfer Bill Jackson from Tulsa in the backfield. With the Golden Hurricanes, Jackson appeared in 10 games, totaling 319 rushing yards and 104 receiving yards, and scored two receiving touchdowns in 2024. The redshirt-senior appeared in a total of 33 games at Tulsa, totaling 919 rushing yards and one touchdown on 189 carries and 156 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 28 receptions.
UNI also welcomes Owen Ostroski to the defensive line from Tulsa. In 2024, Ostroski appeared in 12 games and totaled 36 tackles (14 solo, 22 assist) and recorded 8.5 TFL for 43 yards, including two sacks for 17 yards. In his time at Tulsa, the redshirt-senior played in 35 games and totaled 91 tackles, including 22 for loss. The lineman had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery with the Golden Hurricanes.
The 2025 Panther roster includes nine new coaches to the Panther program, including head coach Todd Stepsis. On top of the coaching staff, the roster includes 33 true freshmen and 11 transfers that will be new to UNI in 2025.
The 2025 roster of 118 players includes 70 athletes from the great state of Iowa. Of these 70, 21 are true freshmen, including a trio from across the street at Cedar Falls High School. Of the 118 athletes on the roster, 97 call either Iowa or its six bordering states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska or South Dakota) home.
The UNI Football team currently has six alumni on active professional rosters including Elijah Campbell (Safety - Miami Dolphins), Spencer Brown (Offensive Lineman - Buffalo Bills), Khristian Boyd (Defensive Lineman - New Orleans Saints), and Trevor Penning (Offensive Lineman - New Orleans Saints) on NFL rosters and Jared Brinkman (Defensive Lineman - Edmonton Elks) and Benny Sapp III (Cornerback - Saskatchewan Roughriders) on CFL rosters.
UNI football action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Football), X (@UNIFootball) and on Instagram (@unipantherfootball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
