PANTHER POINTS

BYU COUGARS
BYU will enter Saturday's game with the nation's longest active winning streak at 10 straight games. BYU began last season 1-2, but reeled off 10 wins in a row including a 17-16 win over UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.

UNI VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
BYU is ranked No. 16 (Associated Press poll) and No. 17 (USA Today Coaches' poll) in the nation. It will mark the fourth time UNI has matched up against a ranked FBS opponent.

UNI is 0-3 all-time against ranked FBS (formerly I-A) opponents. UNI lost 59-10 to Pittsburgh (No. 23 The Sporting News) on Sept. 3, 1988. UNI dropped a 66-0 contest against Iowa (No. 21 Associated Press/No. 20 Coaches) on Sept. 6, 1997. The Panthers dropped a 45-21 decision to Iowa (No. 22 Associated Press/No. 21 Coaches) on Sept. 17, 2005. 

UNI VS. FBS OPPONENTS
UNI has an all-time record of 20-60-5 vs. teams of the I-A (FBS) division. Most of the success has come in the last 23 years, with an 9-16 mark against I-A teams since 1985.

UNI is 1-0 against Ball State (2001), 0-1 against Boise State (2000), 0-1 against Bowling Green State (1947), 0-4 against Central Michigan (last game in 1970), 4-5 against Eastern Michigan (last game 1998), 1-13 against Iowa (last game 2005), 4-18-3 against Iowa State (last 2007), 3-0 against Kansas State (last 1989), 0-1 against Minnesota (1987), 0-1 versus UNLV (1975), 2-1 versus Northern Illinois (last 1964), 1-0 against Ohio University (36-21 in `99), 0-2 against Oklahoma State (2002), 0-1 against Pittsburgh (1988), 4-11-2 against Western Michigan (last 1949) and 0-1 against Wyoming (1993).

UNI RANKED THIRD IN SPORTS NETWORK PRESEASON POLL
The University of Northern Iowa football will begin the 2008 season ranked No. 3 in The Sports Network's FCS preseason top 25 poll.

UNI finished ranked No. 4 in the nation last season after holding down the No. 1 spot in the poll for the final six weeks of the regular season.

For the second year in a row, Appalachian State was a near unanimous pick as the No. 1 selection. The Mountaineers, the three-time defending national champs, received 97 of 101 first-place votes and 2,546 points. It is the third consecutive year that ASU has opened the season ranked No. 1 by The Sports Network. 

VALLEY FOOTBALL RULES SPORTS NETWORK POLL
For the first time in league history, six Missouri Valley Football schools dot the Sports Network preseason poll.

North Dakota State is the highest ranked Valley Football school, at No. 2, behind three-time defending national champion Appalachian State. Northern Iowa (3), Southern Illinois (11), Youngstown State (12), South Dakota State (19) and Western Illinois (25) represent the league in the rankings.

It marks the first time the league has had as many as six teams ranked in the same poll. Five Valley Football schools had been ranked in the same top-25 poll 11 times, most recently on Oct. 1, 2007. Notably, it's the first time the league has had two of the top three spots in a top-25 poll since Oct. 10, 2005, when Southern Illinois (1) and Western Kentucky (3) represented the league in that fashion. 

UNI TABBED #4 IN PRESEASON FCS COACHES' POLL
Three-time defending FCS national champion Appalachian State received more preseason praise as the Mountaineers were selected the unanimous No. 1 team in the country in the FCS Coaches Preseason Poll. ASU received all 24 first-place votes in collecting 600 total points.

After a 10-1 record in its final season in the Great West Conference, North Dakota State, now in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, came in at No. 2. Rounding out the top 10 were James Madison, UNI, Massachusetts, Richmond, Montana, Delaware, Eastern Washington and McNeese State.

The Missouri Valley Football Conference teams ranked were North Dakota State (2), UNI (4), Southern Illinois (11), Youngstown State (12), South Dakota State (20) and Western Illinois (22).

The FCS Coaches Poll is based exclusively on a voting panel of head coaches in the FCS under the cooperation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and is administered by the Southern Conference. 

UNI TABBED SECOND IN MVFC PRESEASON POLL
North Dakota State, one of two new members in the nine-member conference, has been selected as the preseason favorite with 289 points. UNI is second with 275 points, but tallied the most first-place votes (15).

The next three teams were tightly bunched for the third-, fourth- and fifth-place spots, as 10 points separated Youngstown State (3rd-209), Western Illinois (4th-202), and Southern Illinois (5th-201). Each of the top-five teams in the poll received at least one vote to finish first.

The league's other new team, South Dakota State, is picked sixth with 149 points. The Jackrabbits, with NDSU, competed in the Great West Football Conference last year.

2008 Valley Football Preseason Poll
Team (first-place votes) Points
North Dakota State (13) 289
Northern Iowa (15) 275
Youngstown State (1) 209
Western Illinois (4) 202
Southern Illinois (2) 201
South Dakota State 149
Missouri State 105
Illinois State 104
Indiana State 41  

SIX PANTHERS EARN PRESEASON VALLEY FOOTBALL HONORS
The UNI football team saw six individuals named to the 2008 Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason team.

Senior Johnny Gray was named to the team as both a wide receiver and a return specialist. Gray led the league in receptions (70), receiving yards/game (70.0), punt returns (16.9 yards/return) in 2007. He ranked No. 4 in the nation in punt return average.

Four Panther defenders found a spot on the squad led by senior Mark Huygens. Senior De'Veon Harris, senior Darrell Lloyd and junior James Ruffin were also named to the team.

Huygens, a preseason All-America pick on the defensive line, led the team with 4.5 quarterback sacks and tied for fourth in the conference in sacks last season.

Harris, a second-team all-conference pick last year, ranked second on the team with 87 total tackles. Harris tied for 19th in the league in total tackles and secured four double-digit tackle efforts.

Lloyd, a second-team all-league pick in 2007, led the team with eight pass breakups. He ranked second on the team in interceptions (3). He also ranked fifth on the team with 52 total tackles.

Ruffin, who secured first-team all-conference honors in 2007, ranked second on the team with eight tackles-for-loss. He ranked third on the team with 3.5 quarterback sacks.

Senior running back Corey Lewis was named to the honorable mention squad, despite setting a UNI single-season rushing record last season with 1,513 yards, which also was the ninth-highest single-season total in league history. Lewis ranked No. 2 in the league and No. 19 in the nation in rushing yards/game (116.38). Lewis led the conference and ranked No. 16 in the nation in all-purpose yards/game (167.5). He recorded the third-highest single-season all-purpose yardage total in the history of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (2,178 yards).

GATEWAY BECOMES MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
Presidents of the nine-member Gateway Football Conference and the 10-member Missouri Valley Conference have approved a rebranding initiative that changes the football conference name from the Gateway Football Conference to the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The change is effective immediately.

It represents the second name change for the football league, which begins its 24th season this fall. Initially, the conference competed under the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (1985-91) and the Gateway Football Conference (1992-2007).

"This is going to allow the Missouri Valley Football Conference members to take advantage of year-long positive exposure received by the Missouri Valley Conference," said Missouri Valley Football Conference commissioner Patty Viverito. "Both leagues have developed a tremendous brand name, but the timing for the name change is right. The league expanded July 1 with two new members, and with this new, stronger lineup, rebranding makes sense."

Although the league will share the Missouri Valley name, the football-playing members will compete under a separate administrative umbrella, as the Missouri Valley Conference and the Missouri Valley Football Conference will remain separate entities.

Members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (and initial year of membership) include Illinois State University (1985), Indiana State University (1986), Missouri State University (1985), North Dakota State University (2008), the University of Northern Iowa (1985), South Dakota State University (2008), Southern Illinois University (1985), Western Illinois University (1985), and Youngstown State University (1997).

Five Missouri Valley Football Conference members also compete in the Missouri Valley Conference (Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, and Southern Illinois). Three league schools compete in the Summit League (North Dakota State, South Dakota State, and Western Illinois), while Youngstown State competes in the Horizon League for its other sports.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
The UNI-BYU game will be the 1,000th game in Panther school history.

UNI put its first football team on the field in 1895. The Panthers' all-time record is 584-368-47 in 999 games.

HOT OUT OF THE SHOOT
UNI is 56-46-7 in season openers and 13-5 in the last 18 years.

UNI has posted victories in each last three season openers, including a 41-14 win last season against Minnesota State, Mankato.

The last time UNI opened the season with a road win came in 2006, when the Panthers secured a 48-7 victory at Drake.

The last time UNI opened the season with a road win over an FBS opponent came in 1998, when the Panthers tallied a 13-10 win at Eastern Michigan.

PANTHERS IN THE NFL DRAFT
For the first time since 1976, two University of Northern Iowa football players were selected in the same National Football League draft. Offensive linemen Chad Rinehart (Boone, Iowa) and Brandon Keith (McAlester, Okla.) saw their names come across as draft picks on the second day of the two-day draft.

The Washington Redskins selected Rinehart in the third round with the 96th overall pick. The Arizona Cardinals chose Keith in the seventh round with the 225th overall pick.

Both Panthers will be joined by former UNI players with their new teams. Rinehart will team up with punter Derrick Frost in Washington, while Keith will meet up with quarterback Kurt Warner in Arizona.

It also marks the first time since 2002 that UNI has had a player chosen in the draft. Ryan Hannam went in the fifth round of the 2002 draft to the Seattle Seahawks.

LEWIS LOOKING TO TAKE DOWN UNI CAREER RUSHING MARK
Senior running back Corey Lewis needs 1,146 rushing yards to becoming the school's all-time leader.

Lewis will begin the 2008 season ranked No. 8 on the Panthers' all-time rushing list. Jeff Stovall is the all-time leader with 3,835 rushing yards from 1993-1996.

Lewis already owns the Panthers' single-season rushing record as he tallied 1,513 yards last season.

Lewis has 15 100-plus rushing efforts on his resume heading into the 2008 campaign.

THREE PANTHERS NAMED TO PRESEASON SPORTS NETWORK ALL-AMERICA SQUADS
University of Northern Iowa senior running back Corey Lewis (St. Paul, Neb.) has been named to the preseason first-team All-America squad by The Sports Network.

Senior defensive lineman Mark Huygens (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) was named to the second team, while senior wide receiver Johnny Gray (Deerfield Beach, Iowa) earned a spot on the third team.

UNI was one of five schools with a trio of players named the preseason All-America squads.

SAVING GRACE
For the first time since midway through the 2005 football season a quarterback other than Eric Sanders will be under center for the Panthers to begin a game.

Junior Pat Grace will take over for Sanders and lead the UNI offense into 2008. Grace has seen action in 10 games in his Panther career and has completed 7-of-8 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. He has also rushed for 90 yards and three touchdowns in limited action.

"I feel good at the quarterback position with Pat," Farley said. "The future looks bright. He was an option quarterback in high school, and you can see that we can do some things with him running the football. He's got a great arm, as well."

HOME SWEET DOME
UNI is 160-41-1 (.799) in the UNI-Dome. The Panthers have gone undefeated at home in a season seven times since 1990.

Prior to 1998, the Panthers had two consecutive undefeated seasons in the Dome. The Panthers have posted three perfect home seasons under head coach Mark Farley, including 2001 (6-0), 2003 (6-0) and 2005 (7-0).

Prior to a September 24, 1994, loss to McNeese State, UNI had won 29 straight regular-season games in the Dome dating back to the 1989 season when it lost 22-14 to Mankato State in the first game of the year.

The Panthers are 58-12 in home Gateway games, leading the league in home conference victories. UNI will play host to league foes South Dakota State, Illinois State, North Dakota State and Missouri State in the UNI-Dome this season.

ROAD WARRIORS
UNI enters the 2008 season having won its last six road games in a row. UNI became the first Valley Football school to ever win six road games in a single season in 2007.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
The Panthers went 6-1 in non-conference games last year. UNI is the only original Valley Football member to win at least two non-conference games each year. The Panthers now are 103-46 against non-conference teams since 1985.

POLL TALK
The Panthers have finished ranked in the top 25 in six of head coach Mark Farley's seven seasons at the helm of the UNI football program.

In fact, UNI has finished ranked in the top five in the nation four times during the Farley era.

UNI was ranked No. 4 in 2001, No. 5 in 2003, No. 25 in 2004, No. 2 in the 2005, No. 17 in 2006 and No. 4 in 2007.

Only five times since 1984 have the Panthers ended a season unranked - 1986, 1988, 1997, 1998 and 2002.

A TOUCH OF GRAY
Senior wide receiver/returner Johnny Gray will look to get as many touches as he can after toting the ball 108 times last season for 1,452 all-purpose yards.

Gray led the Panthers in catches a year ago with 70 grabs for 910 yards and five touchdowns.

Gray also led the team with 18 punt returns for 304 yards (16.9 avg.) and ranked third in kick returns with an 18.7 yard average.

He averaged 9.0 yards per carry on the ground with 126 yards on 14 carries. Gray rushed for four touchdowns as well.

Gray scored touchdowns receiving (5), rushing (4) and via punt return (1).

STOCKING THE NFL
The University of Northern Iowa boasted nine former players in camp with National Football League teams this preseason.

Derrick Frost - Washington
Mike Furrey - Detroit
Brandon Keith - Arizona
Brad Meester - Jacksonville
Chad Rinehart - Washington
Justin Sandy - Cleveland
Benny Sapp - Minnesota
Justin Surrency - Minnesota
Kurt Warner - Arizona

WORKIN' OVERTIME
UNI is 4-4 in overtime games. The Panthers have not played an overtime game since 2005, when UNI went 2-0 in extra session contests.

UNI edged past Western Kentucky in a double-overtime game in the regular season, 23-20. The Panthers then advanced to their first-ever national championship game with a 40-37 overtime win at Texas State. UNI had lost its previous two overtime playoff games before its breakthrough against the Bobcats.

Five of the eight games to go into overtime have been decided in multiple overtimes. UNI has won three straight overtime games dating back to the 2002 season. 

UNI's Overtime Games
@NE La. 44, UNI 41 (OT) - 1987
(FCS Playoffs)
@Boston U. 27, UNI 21 (2OT) - 1993
(FCS Playoffs)
@W. Illinois 29, UNI 22 (2OT) - 1997
@UNI 29, Indiana St. 21 (3OT) - 1997
McNeese St. 20, @UNI 17 (OT) - 1998
UNI 29, @Cal Poly 26 (3OT) - 2002
UNI 23, @W. Ky. 20 (2OT) - 2005
UNI 40, @Texas State 37 (OT) - 2005
(FCS Playoffs)

PANTHERS' TV COVERAGE
As of Aug. 25, four UNI football games will be shown live in the state of Iowa.

The season opener against BYU will be shown on The Mtn. (channel 616 on DirecTV).

UNI's game at Southern Illinois on Sept. 27 will be televised by Mediacom.

ESPNU will broadcast the Oct. 2 game against Nicholls State live from the UNI-Dome at 6:35 p.m.

The North Dakota State-UNI contest on Oct. 18 will be televised live on Missouri Valley Football Television. 

THE Mark Farley RADIO SHOW
UNI head coach Mark Farley's radio call-in show will be broadcast live on the UNI Sports Network every Thursday throughout the season. The show will take place at Pepper's Sports Bar & Grill in Cedar Falls and will run from 6:05 p.m. - 7 p.m.

PANTHER PLUS WITH Mark Farley
The state of Iowa's only 1-hour football coaches' show will be shown on Sunday's at 9:30 p.m. on KFXA-TV (Channel 28). The show will be hosted by the Voice of the Panthers Gary Rima and will feature in-depth highlights, player profiles and a look to next week's game. The show will also be broadcast throughout the week on Mediacom's Connections channel and Cedar Falls Utilities.  

WEEKLY PRESS LUNCHEONS
UNI head coach Mark Farley or a member of his coaching staff will be available at the weekly Press Luncheons held each Monday beginning at 12 noon in the back room of Pepper's Grill and Sports Pub located on 18th Street in Cedar Falls.