|
Football
Panthers Return to UNI-Dome to Take on Penguins
Complete UNI Football Weekly Release in PDF Format Complete Youngstown State Football Weekly Release in PDF Format
Complete Missouri Valley Football Conference Weekly Release in PDF Format
#11/#12 University of Northern Iowa (5-3, 3-2 MVFC) vs. Youngstown State University (4-4, 2-3 MVFC) Game #9 • Sat., Nov. 7, 2009 • 4:05 p.m. (Central) Cedar Falls, Iowa • UNI-Dome/Stan Sheriff Field (16,324/MondoTurf)
Series vs. YSU: UNI leads 17-6 Television: None Radio: Panther Sports Network
UNI FOOTBALL QUICK HITS • UNI has won eight straight games against Youngstown State, including a pair of one-point victories in each of the past two seasons.
• UNI has dropped three games this season but the combined record of the teams the Panthers have lost to is 23-2. Iowa is ranked No. 4 in the latest BCS standings and has a perfect 8-0 record. Both Southern Illinois and South Dakota State enter this week's action with identical 7-1 overall records.
• The Panthers' offensive line has been vital to the team's success through seven games. Led by five starting seniors (Austin Howard, Nate Herrig, Austin Steichen, Jason Fiacco and Jordan Limbaugh), UNI has only allowed seven total sacks on the season. Not only are the men up front keeping the Panthers from moving backwards, they have also been a force in the ground game. UNI's 195.9 yards rushing per contest is the 11th-best mark in all of FCS football.
• The Panthers rank No. 6 in the nation in scoring offense (35.63 points per game) and have outscored the opposition 285-116 this season. UNI has been especially dominant in the first half of games outscoring the opponent, 170-32.
• UNI's 14-point effort against No. 11-ranked South Dakota State was the Panthers' lowest scoring output in a loss since a 24-13 loss to Western Illinois on Oct. 28, 2006 - a span of 40 games. UNI did score a 14-13 victory over Youngstown State on Oct. 27, 2007.
• UNI lost back-to-back league games for the first time since the 2004 season. After dropping consecutive conference games in 2004 to Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky, UNI ran off six straight wins to close the season. Since the inception of the league in 1985, UNI has lost consecutive conference games only seven times (1986 - EIU, SIU; 1988 - MSU, WIU; 1998 - MSU, ILS; 2002 - WKU, SIU & ILS, INS, WIU; 2004 - SIU, WKU; 2009 - SIU, SDSU).
• UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his ninth season at the helm of the Panther program. Farley has posted a mark of 80-31, which puts him in third place on the Panthers' coaching victory. Farley trails Clyde Starbeck (95 wins) and Stan Sheriff (129 wins). Farley is the Panthers' all-time postseason wins leader with nine (9-5 all-time in the playoffs).
THE GAME The University of Northern Iowa football team (5-3 overall, 3-2 MVFC) will look to snap a two-game losing skid against the Youngstown State University Penguins (4-4 overall, 2-3 MVFC) in the UNI-Dome Saturday at 4:05 p.m.
THE SERIES The Panthers and Penguins will be meeting for the 24th time on the gridiron. UNI holds a 17-6 lead in the all-time series. The Panthers have won eight straight games in the series. UNI is 9-3 all-time vs. Youngstown State in the UNI-Dome.
THE COACHES UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his ninth season at the helm of the Panther sideline. Farley has posted a mark of 80-31 in eight seasons, which includes five trips to the NCAA FCS playoffs. Jon Heacock is in his ninth season as the Penguins' head coach and has amassed a record of 58-43 in that time.
RADIO The game will be broadcast on the Panther Sports Network. Gary Rima (play-by-play) and Scott Peterson (analyst) will call the action.
UNI PANTHERS GAMEDAY Panther fans will be able to view most of UNI's home football games on www.UNIPanthers.com through UNI Panthers GAMEDAY Online. For a nominal fee, fans can get live streamed audio and video of most home games of UNI volleyball, football, men's basketball and women's basketball as well as some road contests. To sign up, please go to UNI's official athletic website at www.unipanthers.com and click on the Live Video link on the front page.
PANTHER POINTS
YOUNGSTOWN STATE The Penguins will also enter Saturday's game with a two-game losing streak after dropping league games to Southern Illinois and South Dakota State. YSU has posted victories over Austin Peay (38-21), Northeastern (38-21), Indiana State (28-0) and Western Illinois (31-21). The Penguins' strength comes in pass defense where they lead league with the fewest yards given up through the air (168.5 yards/game).
FARLEY PERFECT VS. YSU UNI and head coach Mark Farley have won eight straight games against Youngstown State, including a pair of one-point victories in each of the past two seasons.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH UNI has dropped three games this season but the combined record of the teams the Panthers have lost to is 23-2. Iowa is ranked No. 4 in the latest BCS standings and has a perfect 8-0 record. Both Southern Illinois and South Dakota State enter this week's action with identical 7-1 overall records.
GRACE RUSHES UP TD CHART Senior quarterback Pat Grace rushed for a pair of touchdowns against No. 11-ranked South Dakota State to increase his career rushing touchdown total to 20. Grace is tied for eighth on the Panthers' all-time rushing touchdown list with Panther offensive coordinator Bill Salmon, who tallied 20 rushing scores from 1972-75.
PANTHER O-LINE = VITAL COG The Panthers' offensive line has been vital to the team's success through seven games. Led by five starting seniors (Austin Howard, Nate Herrig, Austin Steichen, Jason Fiacco, and Jordan Limbaugh), UNI has only allowed seven total sacks on the season. Not only are the men up front keeping the Panthers from moving backwards, they have also been a force in the ground game. UNI's 195.9 yards rushing per contest is the 11th-best mark in all of FCS football.
SCORE EARLY, SCORE OFTEN The Panthers rank No. 6 in the nation in scoring offense (35.63 points per game) and have outscored the opposition 285-116 this season. UNI has been especially dominant in the first half of games outscoring the opponent, 170-32.
SCORING HICCUP AT SDSU UNI's 14-point effort against No. 11-ranked South Dakota State was the Panthers' lowest scoring output in a loss since a 24-13 loss to Western Illinois on Oct. 28, 2006 - a span of 40 games. UNI did score a 14-13 victory over Youngstown State on Oct. 27, 2007. The Panthers still rank No. 6 in the nation in scoring this season with a 35.63 per game average.
RARE BACK-TO-BACK LOSSES UNI lost back-to-back league games for the first time since the 2004 season. After dropping consecutive conference games in 2004 to Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky, UNI ran off six straight wins to close the season. Since the inception of the league in 1985, UNI has lost consecutive conference games only seven times (1986 - EIU, SIU; 1988 - MSU, WIU; 1998 - MSU, ILS; 2002 - WKU, SIU & ILS, INS, WIU; 2004 - SIU, WKU; 2009 - SIU, SDSU).
EFFICIENT PASSING ATTACK As a squad UNI boasts the nation's No. 2 passing efficiency rating at 159.41. UNI senior quarterback Pat Grace ranks No. 4 in the nation individually in passing efficiency as he has tossed 17 touchdown passes against only five interceptions on 129-of-207 passing in 2009.
CONSISTENT TARGET Senior wide receiver D.J. Hord has been a reliable weapon in the Panther offensive attack this season. Hord has caught at least two passes in every game, and his season-low game of only two receptions came against Indiana State, when he saw action in the first half exclusively. Hord, a transfer from Notre Dame, leads UNI with 525 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
ALL-PURPOSE ANDERSON Anderson garnered a game-high 196 all-purpose yards against No. 11-ranked South Dakota State (10/24). Anderson rushed for 79 yards on 13 carries, caught four passes for 37 yards and returned three kicks for 80 yards against the Jackrabbits.
RUFFIN WRECKS Q-BACKS Buck Buchanan Award candidate James Ruffin leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference in quarterback sacks per game (0.88). Ruffin ranks tied for No. 11 in the nation in sacks per game. He leads the Panthers with 7.0 sacks and 9.5 tackles-for-loss this season.
THE Mark Farley RADIO SHOW UNI head coach Mark Farley's radio call-in show will be broadcast live on the Panther Sports Network every Thursday throughout the season. The show will take place at Beck's on the Hill in Cedar Falls and will run from 6:05 p.m. - 7 p.m.
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.
UNI ATHLETICS ON YOUTUBE Looking for highlights, post-game comments and press conference coverage? Log on to UNI Athletics on YouTube for the latest video coverage of the Panthers - www.youtube.com/uniathletics. The YouTube channel will show exclusive interviews with coaches and student-athletes along with other videos showcasing Panther pride.
FOLLOW THE PANTHERS ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER Fans of UNI Athletics on Facebook and Twitter will have access to in-game updates, score recaps and special announcements. UNI Athletics on Facebook will give fans the chance to connect with other Panther fans, as well as providing information on upcoming events. Followers on Twitter will be able to access up-to-the-minute score updates and news about the Panthers on their computer of mobile device.
www.facebook.com/UNIAthletics
|
 |
|||||
|
||||||
