UNI football: Panthers drop FBS contest to No. 18 Iowa

Saturday, September 19

Iowa City, Iowa

3 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

1-2 , 0-0

Iowa

3-0 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
UNI	0	0	0	0	0
Iowa	21	21	7	6	55

Photo by: © Andy Saigh

UNI football: Panthers drop FBS contest to No. 18 Iowa

9/19/2026 7:29:00 PM | Football

Box Score Final Stats

UNI football struggles in a lopsided affair in Iowa City, 55-0

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The UNI football team headed to Iowa City, for an FBS contest against the 18th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, September 19. The Hawkeyes dominated from kickoff to final whistle, taking home a 55-0 victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Hawkeyes came out hot, demonstrating why they are a top-25 team in the nation, with five straight touchdown drives spanning the first and second quarters. The UNI offense showed some bright spots in their first few drives, including passes of 19 and 28 yards to Brady McCullough and Ayden Price, respectively. The Cats struggled to string drives together, as the Hawkeyes scored six times in the first half and held a 42-0 lead at the halftime break.

The Panther defense held Iowa to just 13 points in the second half, including seven in the third quarter and six in the fourth. UNI's special teams blocked a PAT for the second time this season off the hand of Jaylen Pettus in the fourth quarter. The UNI offense couldn't find the endzone in the second half.

Jaxon Dailey finished with 11 completions for 91 yards. Ayden Price led the receiving room with 32 yards on a pair of receptions while Caleb Kamara rushed for a UNI-high 21 yards on seven attempts. On the defensive end of the ball, Calvin Jaworski finished with double-figure tackles with 10 solo tackles, a career-high.

UP NEXT

The Panthers open Missouri Valley Conference play on September 26, as UNI welcomes Illinois State to the UNI-Dome for a Family Weekend matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT and will be available to stream on ESPN+ with Brad Wells and Justin Surrency. The contest will be aired on the Panther Sports Radio Network with JW Cox and the Hall of Famer Scott Peterson.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

UNI drops to 1-2 on the season and 1-18 all-time against the Hawkeyes.
The Panthers were shut out for the first time since a 17-0 loss to James Madison in the 2019 FCS Playoffs. Their last regular-season shutout was at Iowa State in 2010.

UNI football action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Football), X (@UNIFootball) and on Instagram (@unipantherfootball). The full 2026 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.