University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
North Dakota State
UNI football: Panthers take on reigning FCS National Champion Bison
11/13/2025 3:48:00 PM | Football
UNI Panther football heads to Fargo, North Dakota to take on the No. 1-ranked NDSU Bison.
UNI Panthers (3-7 / 1-5 MVFC) at North Dakota State (10-0 / 7-0 MVFC)
- 2:30 p.m. CT | November 15, 2025
- Fargo, North Dakota | Fargodome
- ESPN+ (Dom Izzo: Play-by-Play, Kyle Emanuel: Analyst)
- Panther Sports Radio Network | (J.W. Cox: Play-by-Play / Scott Peterson: Analyst)
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The Panthers hit the road for the final time this season as they head to Fargo, North Dakota to take on the FCS's No. 1-ranked North Dakota State Bison. These teams met inside the Fargodome last season in a matchup that saw the Bison take control early, returning the opening kickoff for 100 yards and a touchdown. NDSU claimed a 42-19 victory over UNI last year. Derek Anderson is the lone starter on offense who recorded stats in that contest, with three receptions for 20 yards. The tight end also received a two-point conversion pass. On the defensive side of the ball, Jonathan Cabral-Martin finished with eight total tackles and Tucker Langenberg tallied five.
The Cats claimed their first Valley victory of the season inside the UNI-Dome against Murray State. UNI was victorious by a 31-14 final on Saturday. Bill Jackson finished with 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. Jaxon Dailey was 8-11-0 with 133 passing yards and a touchdown to leading receiver JC Roque Jr. who finished with 50 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. On the defensive side of the ball, Tucker Langenberg finished with a game-high 12 total tackles. Kolben Miller was in double-figures with 10 including 1.5 tackles for a loss of five yards as well as a pass break up, that led to an interception by Calvin Jaworski, and a QB hurry.
Bill Jackson was named the MVFC Offensive Player of the week after his performance. This is his first MVFC weekly award of his career and the Panthers' second of the season after Ayden Price was named the Newcomer of the Week earlier this season.
UNI is still searching for its first road victory of the season and has one last chance to do so in Fargo. The last time the Panthers were winless on the road was in 1982 when the Panthers were 0-5 in road contests.
The Panther special teams unit has had a knack for blocking kicks in 2025. This season, the Panthers have blocked FIVE kicks through nine contests, including two field goals (Jaylen Pettus and Malik Stewart) and three punts (Braden McShane, Anthony Isley, and Calvin Jaworski). The Cats blocked two punts against Southern Illinois on October 25. The last time UNI blocked two KICKS in the same game was in 2017 when Adam Reth blocked a pair of field goals. The last time UNI blocked two PUNTS was in 2014 when Tate Omil and De'angelo Jennings each blocked a Redbird boot.
The Panther team sits amongst the top-15 in FCS football in a number of statistical categories, including 4th-down conversion percentage defense (11th - 36.4%), blocked kicks (3rd - 5), blocked punts (6th - 3), kickoff return defense (2nd - 13.67), and red zone defense (10th - 72.7%). The Panthers lead the Valley in blocked kicks, blocked punts, kickoff return defense, and red zone defense and are second in the league in 4th-down conversion percentage, just 3.1% behind Indiana State's Valleyleading 33.3%.
Individually, Tucker Langenberg is 20th in the FCS and fourth in the league with 9.2 total tackles per game. Ryan Crandall is close behind with 9.1 tackles per game, the nation's 25th-best mark and Valley's fifth-best. Crandall leads the conference with 1.1 tackles for loss per game.
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 - LA Chargers) 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.
