UNI football: Panthers face first MVFC road contest of the season at South Dakota State

UNI Panthers (2-3 / 0-1 MVFC) at South Dakota State Jackrabbits (5-0 / 1-0 MVFC)

2 p.m. CT | October 11, 2025
Brookings, South Dakota | Dana J Dykhouse Stadium (19,340)
ESPN+ (Tyler Merriam: Play-by-Play, Kurtiss Riggs: Analyst)
Panther Sports Radio Network | (J.W. Cox: Play-by-Play / Scott Peterson: Analyst)

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The Panthers hit the road for their first away MVFC test of the 2025 season as they head to Brookings, South Dakota to take on the No. 2 SDSU Jackrabbits. UNI is 33-26-2 all-time against South Dakota State, but is looking for its first win over the Jackrabbits since 2021 which was also its last road win against SDSU, a 26-17 victory in Brookings. That matchup saw the Cats beat No. 6 SDSU with a lot of help from kicker Matthew Cook who recorded four field goals including a pair from beyond 50 yards. In the last ten matchups at SDSU, the Panthers are 5-5.

UNI is coming off a 35-7 loss to North Dakota in the UNI-Dome on October 4 to open MVFC play. The Panthers scored on their last possession of the contest to avoid the shutout on a nine-yard touchdown reception by Derek Anderson. Quarterback Matthew Schecklman finished the contest with 201 yards on 27-40-1 passing. Schecklman's 27 completions and 40 pass attempts were career highs. JC Roque Jr. finished with a career-high 10 receptions for 73 total yards.

Jaylen Pettus recorded the first blocked field goal of his career and the first of the Panther season on North Dakota's opening possession. Tucker Langenberg also picked up the first fumble recovery of his career in the second quarter.

In the first five matchups, the Panthers have not allowed a point on an opponent's first drive of the game. The first drives of the first five contests have seen three punts, a missed field goal (at Wyoming), 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.

UNI is still searching for its first road victory of the year as it heads to Brookings, South Dakota. UNI is 0-2 in road games so far this season with losses to Wyoming and Utah Tech.

The Panther team sits amongst the top-25 in FCS football in a number of statistical categories after their first five contests including third-down conversion percentage (25th - 44.6%), kickoff return defense (15th - 15.88), fewest passing yards allowed (22nd - 178.6), red zone defense (16th - 72.2%), and time of possession (8th - 33:14).

UNI's kickoff return defense, red zone defense, and time of possession are second in the Valley while its third-down conversion percentage and fewest passing yards allowed are third in the league.

Individually, Jonathan Cabral-Martin's 0.4 forced fumbles per game is ranked fifth in the FCS and second in the conference. Cabral-Martin forced one fumble against Wyoming and one against North Dakota. The redshirt-senior cornerback is fifth in the Valley with 1.2 passes defended per game and 10th with 0.2 interceptions per game. Joe Hall III and Owen Ostroski are tied with Cabral- Martin at 10th in the conference with 0.2 interceptions per game with Hall's coming against Butler and Ostroski's pick coming at Utah Tech. Ostroski is second in the conference with 0.6 sacks per game. Ayden Price is 13th in the FCS with the third-best yards per reception mark in the MVFC, 20.92 yards per reception. Price has five receptions over 20 yards through five games this season. Max Bartacheck is 16th in the FCS with the best field goal percentage in the Valley. Bartacheck is 5-for-6 (83.3%) this season with a long FG of 46 coming at Utah Tech. The junior is 4-for-4 from inside 40 yards. He is fifth in the Valley with one field goal per game. Matthew Schecklman is second in the league and 19th in the FCS with 19.6 completions per game. The redshirt-junior completed a career-high 27 passes against North Dakota.

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.

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