QB sets record, leads Panthers to 17-10 victory

Tirrell Rennie is the new king of streaks for the Northern Iowa football team.

If he keeps it up much longer, he might be crowned the new king of Cedar Falls.

Rennie broke the school record for most consecutive passes without an interception Saturday to help the second-ranked Panthers withstand Southern Illinois, 17-10, before 15,265 fans in the UNI-Dome.

Rennie threw 23 passes without an interception against the Salukis, raising his total to 146 straight without an INT and breaking the Northern Iowa record of 138 spotless throws set by Eric Sanders in 2007.

"Personally, I just think that my O-Line is doing a phenomenal job and not making me force throws or rush my decisions," said Rennie, who also saluted his receivers and coaches.

Rennie completed 14 of 23 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown. The victory kept the Panthers (6-1, 5-0) in first place in the Missouri Valley Conference and set up next Saturday's showdown at No.3 North Dakota State.

Rennie has completed 63 of 87 passes in five MVC games for 72.4 percent accuracy. That's a remarkable achievement, but it wasn't the only remarkable feat Saturday in the UNI-Dome.

Northern Iowa defensive tackle Ben Boothby, who hurt his left knee last week against South Dakota State, had arthroscopic surgery on Monday night and played the entire game Saturday. He collected eight tackles, including
1 1/2 behind the line of scrimmage, to help lead a strong defensive effort.

Boothby said he had a "torn lateral miniscus" in his knee and needed surgery to "clean it out."

"He's one-of-a-kind, man," Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley said. "He's the first I've seen to ever come back four days after surgery to play like he did."

Boothby had never defeated Southern Illinois during his career and wanted to fix that blight on his record. A former state wrestling champion, he was determined to play.

"I didn't even take any of my painkillers," he said. "They gave me two and I'm pretty sure they ended up in Wendy's parking lot after I got done there."

The Panthers collected only 288 yards of total offense, but Northern Iowa held the Salukis (2-5, 1-4) to just 212 yards and made key plays. The Panthers lost two fumbles deep in their own territory in the fourth quarter, once at the 15-yard line and once at the 28, but yielded only three points to preserve their lead.

"Those were two huge series," Farley said.

Southern Illinois took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. The Panthers tied the game when Rennie, under pressure, found Terrell Sinkfield for a diving 18-yard touchdown reception.

Tyler Sievertsen snapped the 7-7 tie with a 48-yard field goal for Northern Iowa with 7:37 left in the third quarter, matching his career long and making him 10 for 11 this season.

Rennie made it 16-7 with a 1-yard keeper with nine seconds remaining in the third period and Sievertsen's PAT made it 17-7. Southern Illinois crept within 17-10 with a 30-yard field goal with 10 minutes remaining after a Northern Iowa fumble, but the Panthers' defense saved the day later in the quarter.

The Salukis got the ball at Northern Iowa's 28-yard line with 5:32 left to play after a Panther giveaway, needing a touchdown to tie the game. They didn't gain a yard.

Former University of Iowa tailback Jewel Hampton, now starring for Southern Illinois, was stopped for no gain on two straight plays, then the Salukis threw two incomplete passes and lost the ball on downs.

David Johnson promptly broke loose for a 39-yard run for the Panthers, putting the ball at the Southern Illinois 33 with Northern Iowa nursing its seven-point lead. Johnson scampered 18 yards to the 10-yard line to put Northern Iowa in good shape with a little more than 2 minutes left.

Johnson was tackled for a 4-yard loss on 3rd-and-goal at the 8, putting the ball at the 12-yard line and setting up an apparent field goal by the Panthers, but Southern Illinois defensive lineman Kayon Swanson was called for a personal foul on the play and ejected from the game.

The personal foul gave Northern Iowa an automatic first down at the 6-yard line and the Panthers ran out the clock from there, preserving their tense victory.

Hampton carried the ball 23 times for 75 yards for Southern Illinois.

Blake White, a reserve defensive back who hadn't made a tackle all season, subbed for injured starter Garrett Scott and led Northern Iowa with 12 tackles.

STUD"S

2011 WALTER PAYTON AWARD CANDIDATE

TIRRELL RENNIE

Quarterback

6’0 / 201 lbs.

Senior

North Lauderdale, Fla.

Coconut Creek HS

Ellsworth CC

Rennie’s Career Passing Stats

Year G-GS Att Com Pct. Yds Int TDs LG HG

2010 12-12 169 95 56.2 1,543 11 8 83 265

2011 7-7 144 87 60.4 1,231 0 10 80 239

Totals 19-19 313 182 58.1 2,774 11 18 83 265

Rennie’s Career Rushing Stats

Year G-GS No. Yds. Avg. TD LG HG

2010 12-12 232 1,291 5.6 15 75 194

2011 7-7 98 524 5.3 6 35 127

Totals 19-19 330 1,815 5.5 21 75 194

2011 BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD CANDIDATE

BEN BOOTHBY

Defensive Line

6’0 / 280 lbs.

Senior

Clinton, Iowa

Clinton HS

2011:

Award watch list for the top individual defensive honor

in FCS football ... named first-team preseason All-American by

The Sports Network ... second-team choice for Phil Steele’s 2011

Preseason FCS All-America team ... registered a sack, five tackles

and three quarterback hurries against Iowa State (9/3) ... secured

four total tackles (2 solos) in a 34-23 win at No. 16-ranked

Stephen F. Austin (9/10) ... tallied six tackles, two TFLs and a

quarterback sack in a 38-10 win over Western Illinois (9/24) ...

secured eight total tackles (3 solos) and 1/2 quarterback sack in

UNI’s 42-7 win at Missouri State (10/1) ... credited with 3.0 TFLs

and 2.0 QB sacks in a 23-9 win over No. 17-ranked Indiana State

(10/8) ... tallied seven total tackles vs. the Sycamores ... six total

tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one sack and two QB hurries in a 31-14 win

at South Dakota State (10/15) ... underwent surgery Oct. 17 on

torn meniscus in his left knee ... started on Oct. 22 vs. Southern

Illinois and posted eight tackles (1.5 TFLs).

One of 20 candidates named to the preseason Buck Buchanan

2010:

... started all 12 games on the defensive line for the MVFC

champions ... named to the ESPN Academic All-America second

team, as selected by CoSIDA ... also named to the CoSIDA/

ESPN Academic All-District team ... ranked No. 12 in the nation

among FCS players with 9.5 sacks on the season ... led

the MVFC with 9.5 sacks and tied for the conference lead with

16.0 tackles-for-loss ... racked up 56 total tackles on the season,

including 24 solo stops ... tied a school record with four sacks in

a season-opening 16-9 victory over North Dakota State (9/11),

earning MVFC Defensive Player of the Week honors ... registered

two sacks against Missouri State (11/13) ... racked up a seasonhigh

9 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 3.5 TFLs against Lehigh in the FCS

Playoffs (11/27) ... recipient of the President’s Council Academic

Award, the MVFC’s highest academic achievement ... first-team

MVFC All-Academic Team.

First team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection

2009:

first team ... second team All-Academic selection in the Missouri

Valley Football Conference ... Played all 11 games, starting 8

times on the defensive line ... recorded 27 total tackles ... made

five tackles-for-loss ... tallied 2.5 sacks for a loss of 21 yards ...

recorded one forced fumble and one fumble recovery at Iowa

(9/5) ... notched a season-high four tackles on three different occasions

... made 1.5 TFLs at Missouri State (9/26).

Named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District

2008:

in the fourth quarter of UNI’s 36-34 NCAA playoff win over

New Hampshire (12/6) ... missed all of spring drills with a broken

wrist.

Served as a reserve fullback ... returned one kick 11 yards

2007:

Redshirted.

High School:

State team ... first-team all-state (Class 4A) selection by the Iowa

Newspaper Association and the Des Moines Register ... unanimous

all-MAC pick on offense and defense ... first-team all-metro

captain pick by Quad City Times ... Clinton Herald Player of the

Year ... 2007 Shrine Bowl invitee ... opened holes for MAC leading

rusher Tony Bassett, who rushed for 1,515 yards ... won the

215-pound Class 3A state wrestling title as a senior with a 44-2

record ... placed third in the state at heavyweight in wrestling as

a junior with a 39-5 mark ... posted a career prep wrestling mark

of 107-33 ... member of National Honor Society ... honor roll student

... four-year member of the 3.0 Club ... ranked in the top 10

percent of his high school class ... earned letters in football (3),

wrestling (3) and track (1) ... high school coach: Lee Camp.

Named to the Des Moines Register’s Elite All-

Personal:

Jim and Rhonda Boothby ... has a sister, Anne ... majoring in

exercise science/pre-physical therapy ... selected UNI because

“it’s a great school; great place to take my educational field; great

campus.”

Born Sept. 10, 1988, in Emmetsburg, Iowa ... son of

Boothby’s Career Defensive Stats

Year G-GS UT AT Total TFL Sacks INT FF FR PBU

2008 13-0 1 1 2 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0

2009 11-8 5 22 27 5.0 2.5 0 1 1 0

2010 12-12 24 32 56 16.0 9.5 0 0 0 0

2011 7-7 18 26 44 10.5 5.5 0 0 1 0

Totals 43-27 49 81 130 32.5 18.5 0 1 2 0

2011 BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD CANDIDATE

L.J. FORT

Linebacker

6’1” / 232 lbs.

Senior

Waynesville, Mo.

Waynesville HS

2011:

... tied for the FCS lead with four forced fumbles through

four games ... No. 2 in the nation with an average of 12.75 tackles

per contest ... notched 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops at Iowa

State in the season opener (9/3) ... also forced a fumble against

the Cyclones ... posted 12 tackles and forced and recovered a

fumble in a 34-23 road victory over Stephen F. Austin (9/10) ...

added 12 more tackles and one tackle-for-loss in UNI’s 38-10 win

over Western Illinois (9/24) ... recorded a career-high 14 tackles

in a 42-7 road triumph over Missouri State (10/1) ... 1.5 TFLs at

Missouri State ... ended two MSU drives with forced fumbles ...

led the Panthers with 12 tackles (2.5 TFLs) in a 23-9 win over

No. 17-ranked Indiana State (10/8) ... forced his fifth fumble of

the season vs. the Sycamores ... posted a new career-high with 17

tackles in a 31-14 win at South Dakota State (10/15) ... notched

eight solo stops and nine assisted tackles against SDSU ... posted

11 tackles (0.5 TFLs) in a 17-10 win over Southern Illinois

(10/22).

Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection

2010:

selection ... started all 12 games at linebacker for the MVFC

champions ... second on the team with 92 total tackles and three

interceptions ... third on the team with 11.5 TFLs ... also credited

with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on the season

... reached double-digit tackles on four occasions ... posted a

career-best game in the Panthers’ season-opening win over North

Dakota State (9/11), tallying a season-high 12 tackles, three

TFLs, two sacks and an interception ... notched seven tackles and

a fumble recovery in a 24-14 win over South Dakota State (10/2)

... recorded six tackles, one sack and an interception at Southern

Illinois (10/9) ... made eight stops in a 42-14 win over Illinois

State (10/23) ... credited with 11 tackles in a 34-30 road victory

at Youngstown State (10/30) ... racked up 10 tackles in a 30-20

win at Indiana State (11/6) ... intercepted a pass to go along with

seven tackles in a win over Missouri State (11/13) ... tallied seven

tackles, two TFLs and a forced fumble at Western Illinois (11/20)

... notched 10 tackles against Lehigh in the FCS Playoffs (11/27).

Second team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference

2009:

third on the team in tackles with 70 for the season ... recorded

30 solo and 40 assisted tackles ... tallied 4.5 TFLs and one sack

on the season ... also made two interceptions and one fumble recovery

and forced a fumble ... opened the season with six tackles

against both Iowa (9/5) and South Dakota (9/12) ... snared his

first career interception in a 66-7 win over South Dakota (9/12) ...

racked up eight tackles and a sack in a 30-0 win over St. Francis

(9/19) ... intercepted a pass in a 42-27 win at North Dakota

State and returned it 65 yards (10/10) ... registered eight tackles,

a forced fumble and a fumble recovery at South Dakota State

(10/24) ... ended the year with a season-high 11 tackles, including

2.5 TFLs, at Illinois State (11/21).

Played in all 11 games, starting nine contests ... ranked

2008:

teams and as a reserve linebacker ... tallied 10 tackles on the

year ... recorded at least one tackle in eight games ... registered

a season-high three stops and a tackle-for-loss in a 28-0 win at

Indiana State (11/15).

Played in 14 games as a true freshman ... saw time on special

High School:

in 2007 ... all-state pick at tailback ... first-team all-conference

pick as a linebacker and running back ... All-Ozark MVP on

offense and defense ... helped Waynesville to first state title in

the school’s history as they won the Class 5A state championship

with a 12-1 overall record ... rushed for 2,152 yards and 23

touchdowns on 228 carries ... tallied 85 total tackles and led his

team with eight sacks and five interceptions ... he returned three

interceptions for touchdowns ... high school coach: Rick Vernon.

Named the Missouri Class 5A Player of the Year

Personal:

Fort Sr. and Amy Holloway ... has four siblings ... majoring in

exercise science.

Born Jan. 3, 1990, in Granite City, Ill. ... son of Larry

Fort’s Career Defensive Stats

Year G-GS UT AT Total TFL Sacks INT FF FR PBU

2008 14-0 3 7 10 0.5 0.0 0 0 0 0

2009 11-9 30 40 70 4.5 1.0 2 1 1 1

2010 12-12 37 55 92 11.5 3.0 3 1 1 2

2011 7-7 37 54 91 5.5 0.0 0 5 1 2

Totals 44-28 107 156 263 22.0 4.0 5 7 3 5

2011:

list for the Jerry Rice Award as FCS Freshman of the Year ...

owns seven touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving) through his

first four career games ... first UNI freshman to ever score two

touchdowns in a season opener ... secured MVFC Newcomer of

the Week honors for his play against Iowa State in the season

opener (9/3) ... scored a pair of touchdowns in his collegiate

debut against the Cyclones, with his first touchdown as a Panther

coming on a 1-yard run in the third quarter to give UNI a 13-7

lead ... pulled down an 80-yard touchdown pass from Tirrell Rennie

to put the Panthers on top, 19-14, with 4:17 left vs. Iowa State

... finished the day with 119 all-purpose yards (83 receiving, 36

rushing) ... helped lead UNI to a 34-23 road victory over nationally-

ranked Stephen F. Austin (9/10), earning MVFC Newcomer

of the Week for the second time ... served as the workhorse of the

Panther offense with 31 carries for 87 yards and two touchdowns

... scored on a one-yard run with 22 seconds remaining before

halftime to give UNI its first lead at 13-10 ... found the endzone

from one yard out again on the opening play of the fourth quarter,

putting the Panthers ahead 27-16 ... his 31 carries were the most

by a Panther since Corey Lewis gained 190 yards on 35 carries at

Southern Illinois on Sept. 27, 2008 ... led the UNI rushing attack

in the Panthers’ 38-10 victory over Western Illinois (9/24), carrying

21 times for a career-high 132 yards ... also led the Panthers

in receiving, hauling in three passes for 46 yards, including a

30-yard touchdown reception from Tirrell Rennie ... notched

his second straight 100-plus rushing effort with 114 yards on

18 carries in a 42-7 win at Missouri State (10/1) ... scored a pair

of rushing touchdowns in the win over the Bears ... tallied his

team-leading eighth touchdown of the season with a 5-yard run

vs. No. 17-ranked Indiana State (10/8) ... carried 20 times for 92

yards, including a 21-yard scamper vs. the Sycamores ... caught

one pass for 12 yards vs. Indiana State ... recorded 96 all-purpose

yards in a 31-14 road win over South Dakota State (10/15) ...

rushed for 49 yards on nine carries and caught three passes for

47 yards against the Jackrabbits ... accounted for 100 all-purpose

yards in a 17-10 win over Southern Illinois (10/22) ... broke a 39-

yard run in the fourth quarter vs. the Salukis.

One of 15 players named to The Sports Network’s watch

2010:

Redshirted.

High School:

the Des Moines Register and Iowa Newspaper Association ...

first-team MAC all-conference as a running back and defensive

back ... led Clinton to an 11-1 record senior year ... 2009 Outstanding

Offensive Player for Clinton HS ... accounted for school

record 42 touchdowns as a senior ... Clinton HS all-time leader

in career receptions, career receiving yards, career and singleseason

total offense and single game record for touchdowns (6)

... 2010 Shrine Bowl All-Star game invitee ... two-time Drake and

state qualifier in track ... second-place finish in 4x200 and 4x400

relays at the Drake Relays ... WQAD Channel 8 two-time winner

of the Player of the Week Award ... second-team all-conference

in basketball as a junior ... maintained over a 3.0 GPA throughout

high school.

Earned first-team Class 4A all-state honors from

Personal:

in physical education.

Born Dec. 16, 1991 ... son of Regina Johnson ... majoring

2011 JERRY RICE AWARD CANDIDATE

DAVID JOHNSON

Running Back

6’3” / 214 lbs.

Redshirt Freshman

Clinton, Iowa

Clinton HS

Johnson’s 2011 Rushing Stats

Year G-GS No. Yds. Avg. TD Long HG Avg./Gm

2011 7-4 123 582 4.7 6 39 132 83.1

Johnson’s 2011 Receiving Stats

Year G-GS No. Yds. Avg. TD Long HG Avg./Gm

2011 7-4 14 239 17.1 2 80 83 34.1

Rennie has 2 TDs, breaks school record as Northern Iowa beats Southern Illinois 17-10

Tirrell Rennie had two touchdowns and broke the school record for consecutive passes without an interception as Northern Iowa beat Southern Illinois 17-10 Saturday.
Rennie hit Terrell Sinkfield for an 18-yard touchdown pass to tie the game 7-7 in the second quarter, then scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter to put the Panthers (6-1, 5-0 Missouri Valley) up 17-7. Rennie completed 14 of 23 passes for 167 yards and no interceptions. He has not thrown an interception in his last 146 attempts — dating back to last season — breaking the mark of 138 set by Eric Sanders in 2007.

UNI, Southern Illinois Set For Saturday in the UNI-

University of Northern Iowa

October 18, 2011

 

#2/#2 University of Northern Iowa (5-1, 4-0 MVFC) vs. Southern Illinois (2-4, 1-3 MVFC)

Game #7  Sat., Oct. 22, 2011 3 p.m. (Central)
Cedar Falls, Iowa
UNI-Dome (16,324/MondoTurf)

Series vs. SIU: UNI leads 15-14
Television: Panther Sports
TV Network
Radio: Panther Sports Network
UNI FOOTBALL QUICK HITS

• The No. 2-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team will host the Southern Illinois University Salukis on Sat., Oct. 22, at 3 p.m. in the UNI-Dome.

• UNI holds a slight 15-14 advantage in the all-time series with SIU, with the Salukis winning the last three contests. Seven of the last eight games between UNI and Southern Illinois have been decided by seven points or less.

• UNI has its first 4-0 start in conference play since 2007. The Panthers finished the MVFC slate with a perfect 6-0 mark that year.

• UNI's mark of 14 defensive interceptions to zero interceptions thrown (+14) is the best margin in all of Division I football (FBS and FCS combined).

• UNI is ranked second in the nation in average turnover margin with a mark of plus-2.5 per contest. The Panthers have 20 takeaways (14 INTs, 6 fumble recoveries) and have only turned the ball over five times this season.

• UNI is one of only three FCS schools in the nation to have not thrown an interception this season, with Georgia Southern and Cal Poly being the other two. Tirrell Rennie has completed 76.6 percent of his passes in MVFC play.

• Senior linebacker L.J. Fort is No. 2 in the nation with an average of 13.33 tackles per game. Fort has posted at least 12 tackles in each of the Panthers' six games for a total of 80 tackles this season.

• Fort leads the nation with five forced fumbles in six games, and he is tied for No. 4 among active FCS players with seven forced fumbles in his career.

• The top two attendance marks in UNI-Dome history have occurred the last two times Southern Illinois traveled to Cedar Falls. In 2007, the Panthers-Salukis showdown set a Dome record with 17,074 fans. The 2009 contest topped that mark by packing in 17,190 fans.

• The Panthers rank second in the nation in scoring defense with an average of 13.8 points allowed per game. In MVFC play this season, UNI is allowing only 10 points per game.

• UNI has posted an all-time record of 615-381-47 since the inception of Panther football in 1895.

• UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his 11th season at the helm of the Panther program. Farley has posted a mark of 94-38, which ranks him for third on the Panthers' coaching victory list trailing only Clyde Starbeck (95 wins) and Stan Sheriff (129 wins). Farley is the Panthers' all-time postseason wins leader with nine (9-6 all-time in the playoffs).

• The Panthers boasted of nine players in the National Football League (when camps opened in late July), a list which includes: Brad Meester (Jacksonville Jaguars), Benny Sapp (Miami Dolphins), Brandon Keith (Arizona Cardinals), Chad Rinehart (Buffalo Bills), Austin Howard (Philadelphia Eagles), James Ruffin (Cincinnati Bengals), Quentin Scott (Oakland Raiders), Schuylar Oordt (St. Louis Rams) and Ryan Mahaffey (Baltimore Ravens).

THE GAME
The No. 2-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team will host the Southern Illinois University Salukis on Sat., Oct. 22, at 3 p.m. in the UNI-Dome.

THE SERIES
UNI holds a 15-14 lead in the all-time series with Southern Illinois.
    SIU has won the last three times the Panthers and Salukis have met. UNI's last victory was a 30-24 win in 2007.
    Seven of the last eight games between UNI and Southern Illinois have been decided by seven points or less.
    Before UNI's 2009 loss to the Salukis in the UNI-Dome, the home team had won every year since 1997.
    It will mark the 11th meeting between the two schools since UNI head coach Mark Farley took over the Panther program. Farley is 4-6 all-time vs. Southern Illinois -- his only below-.500 mark against MVFC competition.

ALL-TIME SERIES RESULTS VS. SIU
1965 at SIU L, 23-16
1966 vs SIU L, 30-7
1983 vs SIU L, 52-9
1984 at SIU L, 40-10
1986 at SIU L, 27-24
1987 vs SIU W, 20-3
1988 at SIU W, 24-21
1989 vs SIU W, 38-14
1990 vs SIU W, 30-9
1991 at SIU L, 21-20
1992 at SIU W, 30-25
1993 vs SIU W, 49-17
1994 at SIU W, 39-7
1995 vs SIU W, 13-0
1996 at SIU W, 33-7
1997 vs SIU W, 28-27
1998 at SIU L, 27-20
1999 vs SIU W, 34-14
2000 at SIU L, 34-14
2001 vs SIU W, 19-14
2002 at SIU L, 42-13
2003 vs SIU W, 43-40
2004 at SIU L, 40-36
2005 vs SIU W, 25-24
2006 at SIU L, 47-23
2007 vs SIU W, 30-24
2008 at SIU L, 27-24
2009 vs SIU L, 27-20
2010 at SIU L, 45-38 (OT)

THE COACHES
UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his 11th season at the helm of the Panther sideline. Farley has posted a mark of 94-38 in 11 seasons, which includes six trips to the NCAA FCS playoffs. Farley has notched a record of 57-19 in MVFC play, which ranks him No. 1 on the all-time league wins chart.
    Dale Lennon is in his fourth season with Southern Illinois, posting a record of 27-15 with the Salukis. He is 4-0 against UNI as a head coach, including a victory with North Dakota in 2006.

TELEVISION
The game will be broadcast on the Panther Sports TV Network. Jeff Mickey (play-by-play), Rick Coleman (analyst) and Eric Braley (sideline) will call the action.

RADIO
The game will be broadcast on the Panther Sports Radio Network. Gary Rima (play-by-play) and Scott Peterson (analyst) will call the action.

UNI PANTHERS INSIDE ACCESS
Panther fans will be able to view most of UNI's home football games on www.UNIPanthers.com through UNI Panthers Inside Access. For a nominal fee, fans can get live streamed audio and video of most home games of UNI volleyball, football, men's basketball, women's basketball and wrestling 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 Panthers Inside Access link on the front page.

PANTHER POINTS

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS
Southern Illinois enters the contest on a three-game losing streak, having dropped consecutive MVFC games to Western Illinois (27-21), North Dakota State (9-3) and Youngstown State (35-23).
    Southern Illinois is 1-2 on the road this season with a win at Southeast Missouri State (9/3) and losses to Mississippi (9/10) and Western Illinois (10/1).

DON'T LEAVE EARLY
Seven of the last eight games between UNI and Southern Illinois have been decided by seven points or less. The last time the Panthers won a contest against Southern Illinois by more than one possession was a 34-14 triumph in 1999.

4-0 MVFC START
UNI has its first 4-0 start in conference play since 2007. The Panthers finished the MVFC slate with a perfect 6-0 mark that year.

ACCURACY COUNTS
In the Panthers' four MVFC games this season, senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie is a combined 49-of-64 passing for a 76.6 percent completion rate. He has thrown for 732 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions in conference play.
    Rennie leads the Valley with a 76.6 percent completion rate and a 213.9 efficiency rating in conference games.

NO INTS FOR RENNIE
Senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie has not thrown an interception in his last 123 pass attempts - dating back to last season.
    The UNI school record for most pass attempts without an interception is 138 set by Eric Sanders in the 2007 season.
    Rennie's mark of 123 is the third-highest current streak in FCS.
Att.    Name    School
148     Andre Broadous        Cal Poly
131     Michael German            Tennessee State
123      Tirrell Rennie                  UNI  

SECOND-HALF SHUTDOWN
The UNI defense has not allowed a single point in the second half of three straight games. UNI has outscored the opposition 44-0 in the second half of the last three games.

INTERCEPTION U
UNI's margin of 14 defensive interceptions to zero interceptions thrown (+14) is the best mark in all of Division I football (FBS and FCS combined).

L.J. RACKIN' UP TACKLES
Senior linebacker L.J. Fort is No. 2 in the nation and leading the MVFC with an average of 13.33 tackles per game. Fort has posted at least 12 tackles in each of the Panthers' six games for a total of 80 tackles this season.
    Fort notched a career-high 17 tackles in UNI's 31-14 win at South Dakota State (10/15).

JOHNSON COMFORTABLE IN THE ENDZONE
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson has racked up eight touchdowns in his first six career games. David Horne owns the UNI record for touchdowns in a season with 19 in 2005.

BIG-PLAY POTENTIAL
The Panthers have three players averaging more than 17 yards per catch in 2011.
    Senior Jarred Herring (14-286; 20.4 avg), freshman David Johnson (11-211; 19.2 avg) and junior Terrell Sinkfield (14-251; 17.9 avg) lead the UNI receiving corps in that category.

AIR ASSAULT
UNI's passing performance against South Dakota State (10/15) helped two Panthers accomplish feats that hadn't been done since the 2009 season.
    Tirrell Rennie's four touchdown passes were the most by a Panther since Pat Grace also notched four against South Dakota on Sept. 12, 2009.
    Jarred Herring became the first Panther to record more than 100 receiving yards in a game since D.J. Hord had 105 yards at North Dakota State on Oct. 10, 2009.

NO. 2 RANK, NO. 2 DEFENSE
The Panthers rank second in the nation in scoring defense with an average of 13.8 points allowed per game. In MVFC play this season, UNI is allowing only 10 points per game.

NO. 2 IN TURNOVERS
UNI is ranked second in the nation in average turnover margin with a mark of plus-2.5 per contest.
    The Panthers have 20 takeaways (14 INTs, 6 fumble recoveries) and have only turned the ball over five times this season.
    UNI finished the 2010 season with 22 total takeaways and 24 turnovers.

NO PICKS HERE
UNI is one of three FCS schools in the nation that has not thrown an interception in 2011.
    Georgia Southern and Cal Poly have also not thrown any INTs this season.

NOSE FOR THE BALL
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort leads the nation with five forced fumbles in six games, and he is tied for No. 4 among active FCS players with seven forced fumbles in his career.
    In all of Division I football (FBS and FCS combined), only Nordly Capi of Colorado State has been able to match Fort's pace with five forced fumbles in six games this season.

ABOVE AVERAGE
UNI senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie is averaging 5.67 yards per carry for his career -- a mark that ranks him fourth among all active FCS players.
    Running back Carlos Anderson owns an average of 5.29 yards per carry over 27 career games, putting him 10th on that same list.
    UNI is the only school with two players in the top 10 of yards per carry for active players.

AT THE CENTURY MARK
UNI quarterback Tirrell Rennie ranks fifth among all active FCS players with a career average of 99.6 rushing yards per game. Of the top 20 players on the list, Rennie is the only quarterback.

ACROSS SUBDIVISIONS
Rennie ranks 10th among all active Division I players (FBS and FCS combined) with his career average of 99.6 rushing yards per game. Michigan's Denard Robinson (89.3 ypg) and Nebraska's Taylor Martinez (81.5 ypg) are the only other quarterbacks to qualify for the top-20 list in either subdivision.

DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING
UNI is 66-5 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when holding the opposition to 20 points or less.

UNI when holding the opp. to 20 or less
2001: 7-0
2002: 2-0
2003: 6-1 (lost to Iowa St 17-10)
2004: 4-1 (lost to Western Kentucky 17-10)
2005: 6-0
2006: 5-0
2007: 10-0
2008: 10-0
2009: 6-1 (lost to Iowa 17-16)
2010: 6-1 (lost to Lehigh 14-7)
2011: 4-1 (lost to Iowa State 20-19)
TOTAL - 66-5 (3 of the losses against FBS schools)

GETTING OFFENSIVE
UNI is 64-3 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when scoring 30 or more points in a game.

UNI when scoring 30 or more points
2001: 6-0
2002: 2-0
2003: 6-0
2004: 6-1 (lost to Southern Illinois 40-36)
2005: 7-0
2006: 6-1 (lost to North Dakota 35-31)
2007: 9-0
2008: 8-0
2009: 6-0
2010: 4-1 (lost to Southern Illinois 45-38)
2011: 4-0
TOTAL - 64-3 (2 of the losses against Southern Illinois)

HOME SWEET DOME
UNI is 179-45-1 (.796) 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 71-13 in home Missouri Valley Football Conference games, leading the league in home conference victories. UNI will play host to league foes Western Illinois, Indiana State, Southern Illinois and Youngstown State in the UNI-Dome this season.

PANTHER SPEED
Three members of UNI's honorable mention All-America 4x100 sprint team will play extensive action this season for the Panther football team.
    Running back Carlos Anderson, wide receiver Jarred Herring and defensive back Wilmot Wellington qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Championships last spring.


PANTHERS' TV COVERAGE
At least six UNI football games will be shown live in the state of Iowa in 2011.
    The Panther Sports Television Network will show a pair of UNI football games beginning with the Oct. 22 showdown between the Panthers and the Southern Illinois Salukis. The Panthers and Salukis will kick at 3 p.m. with the broadcast shown live on KWWL Ch. 7.
    The second PSN football game of the season will showcase the Panthers taking on the Youngstown State Penguins Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. in the UNI-Dome also on KWWL Ch. 7.
    WOI-DT (5.2) in Des Moines/Ames will also air both games in central Iowa.
    UNI's game at South Dakota State on Oct. 15 will be shown live on ESPN3. UNI's Nov. 19 matchup at Illinois State has also been picked up by ESPN3.
    UNI's contest at North Dakota State on Oct. 29 will be broadcast live on Fox College Sports Central.

PANTHER SPORTS TALK WITH MARK FARLEY
UNI head coach Mark Farley's radio call-in show will be broadcast live on the Panther Sports Radio Network every Thursday throughout the season. The show will take place at Old Chicago 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.

Improved Rennie, stifling defense key to UNI’s run

Northern Iowa quarterback Tirrell Rennie ran for more yards than he threw for last year against SIU.
Don't expect that to happen this weekend, when the second-ranked Panthers welcome the Salukis back to the UNI-Dome.
Rennie, a Payton Award nominee and a preseason first-team all-conference pick, rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in last year's 45-38 overtime loss at SIU. The 6-foot, 201-pound senior passed for 87 yards on 15 attempts that day, but has improved his throwing ability so much this season he's even more of a dual threat, according to SIU coach Dale Lennon.
"He's tough to grab on to in the backfield. He has great speed. He can score from anywhere on the field, so, he's that big-play threat for them," Lennon said. "He has a good running back corps that complements him, and his receivers have been making big catches. Plus, he's improved his passing game, and I think that's something that you really see as different from last year to this year. He's much more accurate with his throws."
Rennie is yet to be intercepted in his last 123 attempts, including his final two throws last season. It is the third-longest streak in the Football Championship Subdivision and 15 from tying Eric Sanders' school record. Through six games, Rennie is 73-of-121 for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns. The team's second-leading rusher behind freshman David Johnson, he has 502 yards and five touchdowns on 84 attempts.
Defensively, SIU will face its second top-five team in the last three weeks when it ventures to the UNI-Dome.
The Panthers moved up to second in the country in scoring defense after their 31-14 win at South Dakota State. No MVFC team this season has scored more than 14 points against UNI, which has two Buchanan Award candidates in defensive lineman Ben Boothby and linebacker L.J. Fort.
Etc.: Sophomore Kory Faulkner will start for SIU this weekend for the injured Paul McIntosh. Lennon said Monday that McIntosh's rehab has not gone as well as planned thus far. ... Freshman offensive lineman Tanner Crum is expected to start at left guard this weekend. ... Lennon is 4-0 lifetime against UNI, including two wins at the UNI-Dome. He led North Dakota to a win there in 2006 and led the Salukis to a 27-20 win there in 2009. UNI leads the series, 15-14.

UNI knocks down Sycamores

Locked in a physical battle to remain in the Missouri Valley Football Conference lead, a winded Northern Iowa defense needed to make a play, any play, to slow Indiana State's march for a potential go-ahead touchdown.
Enter the nation's best at taking the ball away.
Linebacker L.J. Fort caused a key fourth-quarter fumble as the No. 2-ranked Panthers fended off the challenge of No. 17 Indiana State, 23-9, in front of a packed house Saturday at the UNI-Dome for Homecoming.
Northern Iowa (4-1, 3-0) led 10-9 at the half and its advantage stood at 13-9 going into the fourth quarter. The Panthers went for it on fourth-and-goal at the 1 and the Sycamores (4-2, 2-1) held by stopping running back David Johnson for a 1-yard loss.
Indiana State went on to move 77 yards in 13 plays, getting two third-down conversions (its only of the game) and a fourth-down conversion (also the only of the contest) to approach the goal line.
Fort, who earlier in the series had an interception return touchdown called back by a penalty, was able to strip the ball from running back George Cheeseborough. James Conley recovered and six plays later the UNI offense put in a touchdown for a much-safer 20-9 lead with 4:13 left.
Coming into the weekend, Fort was the FCS leader in forced fumbles and now has five on the season.
"Our defense was starting to get gassed, I ran that pick back, then had to go right back and they drove the whole field on us," Fort said. "We knew we had to get off the field and make a play."
"I stripped it, it came loose a little bit and I finished popping it out," he added.
Fort also led the team with 12 tackles, just off his average of 12.75 per game that ranks second in FCS.
"It's his maturity," UNI head coach Mark Farley said of Fort's play as a senior. "He's always been a great football player, but he's a different person this season."
"It's pleasing for me to see how he's developed as a man. I think that's what's making a difference in the kind of player he is on the field," Farley added.
The win was the 11th in a row for the Panthers over the Sycamores at the UNI-Dome, but this one wasn't anywhere as easy as the last few meetings.
"Anytime you play here, it's tough enough," said Indiana State head coach Trent Miles. "You put the ball on the ground with a chance to go ahead in the fourth quarter and you miss seven points worth of kicks playing a team that is No. 2 in the nation, you are not going to win on the road."
Saturday's crowd of 16,890 - the third-largest all-time at the UNI-Dome - saw a heavy dose of 'Bell' in the first half.
Indiana State running back Shakir Bell had an outstanding first half with 14 carries for 145 yards. Bell entered second in FCS in rushing at 153.4 yards per game. The 5-foot-8, 185-pounder showcased both speed and power, but left the game with 3:24 left in the first half due to a head injury.
Bell finished with five runs of 15 or more yards and his not being available in the second half changed the scene.
The Panther defense regrouped in the second half and was able to protect the lead.
"Last year we couldn't finish in the fourth quarter," said UNI defensive tackle Ben Boothby, who had two sacks," but this year definitely we have a different mentality."
Tirrell Rennie had 17 carries for 93 yards for Northern Iowa to go with 10-for-14 passing for 142 yards and a score. Johnson added 92 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown.
On the drive after Fort forced the fumble, Terrell Sinkfield caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Rennie. It was the first scoring catch of Sinkfield's career in his 21st game.
"Each week he's gotten a little bit better and more confident," Farley said of Sinkfield. "That particular play in a critical situation was a huge. Terrell ran that ball down."
Tyler Sievertsen was 3-for-3 on field goals, while the defense got a boost from the 10 tackles and interception contributed by Jordan Smith.
"I'm very pleased with how our team played a complete game, steady game, start to finish," Farley said.
Northern Iowa travels to South Dakota State next Saturday for a conference contest against the Jackrabbits. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast online by ESPN3.com.
"Being No. 2 in the nation puts a big target on our back, but at the same time we embrace that target and take on that challenge," Rennie said. "We're not afraid to have our back against the wall and come out swinging."

Panthers passing one test after another

The tests never stop.
Saturday, Northern Iowa goes to South Dakota State to continue a critical stretch of the Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule.
That's the next test. The last test came Saturday night, when UNI fought off Indiana State, 23-9, to take first place in the league standings.
That battle with the Sycamores, in turn, tested the Panthers' depth, specifically at running back.
Carlos Anderson rested his ankle injury for the third consecutive Saturday. He watched David Johnson, once again, carry the load at running back. Johnson rushed 20 times for 92 yards and a touchdown.
Then Johnson, while bullying his way to a 21-yard run midway through the fourth quarter, suffered an injury. On came Zach Cutkomp, who carried nine times for 25 yards on two UNI scoring drives. Tirrell Rennie threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Sinkfield and Tyler Sievertsen kicked a 21-yard field goal.
Sunday, Panther head coach Mark Farley declined to be specific on what exactly happened to Johnson.
"I'd rather wait," he said. "(Johnson) appeared to be all right ...It was more of a shock. That's what it turned out to be."
As for Cutkomp, Farley said, "I thought he did very well. He had ball security, hit the holes and continued to run. It's nice to see when a third back gets in there and is productive."
Then there's the veteran back. Anderson participated in pregame drills Saturday, but Farley made the decision to keep him on the sidelines just before kickoff.
Anderson may make his comeback next Saturday at SDSU, said Farley.
"I wanted to play him, but at the same time I didn't want to put him out there one week too early," said Farley. "Hopefully, we made the right decision and he'll be ready to roll this week now."
Test one in a key four-game stretch is in the books with the win over Indiana State.
Now, the Panthers, having won four in a row go to Brookings. South Dakota State Saturday ended a four-game losing streak by beating Youngstown State. UNI also lost to the Jackrabbits two years ago.
After the trip to SDSU, the Panthers host Southern Illinois. Then, on Oct. 29, it's off to the Fargodome and North Dakota State. The unbeaten Bison are a half-game behind UNI in the Valley Football standings.
Everyone in Panther colors knows what the next three games mean and what must be done.
"Definitely, coach Farley made us aware of that - that we had the toughest part of the schedule coming up and we had to put our head down and keep hammering away," said linebacker L.J. Fort.
Said Farley, "I think we got the right team to attack that stretch of games."
HOT PURSUIT:  At one point in the first half, UNI's defense had an extra man on the field. To avoid the penalty, Farley called time out, but he had to sprint down the sideline to find an official since Indiana State was in the red zone.
"Good speed, huh?" said Farley, grinning. "No, I didn't blow a (hamstring) on that one."
GOING TO THE WELLINGTON:  Former running back Wilmot Wellington has been a regular on special teams. Saturday, he got extended time with the defense, making six tackles as a backup safety.
"The more special teams plays he's making, the more snaps he's getting on defense," said Farley. "He's getting better and better each week."
SIEVERTSEN HONORED: Sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen of Cedar Rapids has been named the Missouri Valley Football Conference's special teams player of the week, the league announced Sunday.
Sievertsen was a perfect 3-of-3 on field goals and 2-of-2 on PATs in the 23-9 win, posting a new career-high with 11 points. He connected on field goals from 48, 37 and 21 yards, with the 48-yarder being a new career-long. Sievertsen also notched two touchbacks in the Panthers' win.
Sievertsen is a perfect 18-of-18 on PATs and 8-of-9 on field goal attempts this season.

Panthers stand alone in first place

UNI refused to let go of what it needed the most in the UNI-Dome.
Weathering test after test, the Panthers Saturday beat the Sycamores, 23-9, before a homecoming crowd of 16,890, the third-largest in Dome history.
Now 3-0 in league play and 4-1 overall, UNI stands alone at the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference standings. Saturday's part of that climb was far from easy.
Normally a team that owns an edge in the ground game, the Panthers struggled to shut down Indiana State star Shakir Bell until he departed with a second-quarter injury. Yet, quarterback Ronnie Fouch kept leading drives into UNI territory.
When the Panthers owned the ball, they searched for rhythm and often seemed out of step. And, for the first time in 2011, the Panthers failed to score in the red zone when ISU stuffed David Johnson on a fourth-down run at the Sycamore 2-yard-line.
And yet ... the nation's second-ranked team won by two touchdowns. UNI prevailed because of some key plays, but also because of what it tapped emotionally and mentally at crunch time.
"We kept our poise tonight," said Panther head coach Mark Farley. "You go back and look at it, there were some ups and downs in that game, but our sideline was a very calm sideline as far as trying to execute and finding ways to make plays."
Farley added, "We overcame some things that happened to us on the field because we were poised and confident. It's how we played as a team that allowed us to win over a four-quarter period of time."
Indiana State put UNI's mettle to a severe stress test in the fourth quarter, when a 13-9 Panther lead appeared to be jeopardy of disappearing.
Things went wrong. Johnson couldn't get in the end zone on fourth down. A holding call erased L.J. Fort's interception runback for a touchdown. Then Indiana State drove to UNI's 28-yard line.
The Panthers knew what had to be done.
"Our defense was starting to get gassed," said Fort, who added, "We knew we had to get off the field and make a play."
So Fort, for the fifth time this year, forced a fumble. He stripped the football from Indiana State running back George Cheeseborough. Fellow linebacker James Conley recovered at the Panther 21. Just over seven minutes remained in the game.
"Bend, not break - that's what we did in the second half," said defensive tackle Ben Boothby, who finished with two sacks Saturday.
Then an offense that had sputtered broke the game open. Quarterback Tirrell Rennie retrieved an errant center snap and hit Terrell Sinkfield with a 36-yard touchdown pass that gave UNI a 20-9 lead with 4:13 left.
"That was a big change in the game for us," said Rennie after a 10-for-14 day through the air and 93 rushing yards. "We needed that cushion and our defense needed that cushion to put the game away."
Tyler Sievertsen's third and final field goal, a 21-yarder, set the final score. UNI had survived.
"Definitely, this shows what kind of team we are," said Boothby. "We really are a lot different, even though we have relatively the same guys back. Last year, we couldn't finish in the fourth quarter, but this year I think we definitely have a different mentality out there defensively, and as a team as a whole."
Indiana State's team was not quite whole after Bell left. He had 142 yards rushing on just 14 carries in the first half. But he suffered an apparent concussion after being hit by Varmah Sonie with 3:29 to go in the first half. Sonie drew a personal foul for the high tackle.
"No question, it factored in the game when he went out," said Farley of Bell.
Indiana State also missed an extra point and two short field goals.
"Anytime you play here, it's tough enough," said Sycamore head coach Trent Miles. "When you put the ball on the ground with a chance to go ahead in the fourth quarter and you miss seven points worth of kicks .... when you're playing the No. 2 team in the nation, you're not gonna win on the road."
UNI didn't have its "A" game, but Farley gave his team high marks for a victory.
"Our offense made a couple of mistakes and our defense made a couple of mistakes," said Farley. "But, without the effort and the total package, we're not successful. We're winning because of a great team effort."

The lowdown on the game

No. 17 Indiana St. (4-1, 2-0) at No. 2 N. Iowa (3-1, 2-0)
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: UNI-Dome
Radio: KXEL (1540 AM)
Television: none
Series: UNI leads 23-4
Last meeting: The Panthers beat the Sycamores, 30-20, at Terre Haute in 2010.
Last week: UNI improved to 2-0 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play by winning at Missouri State, 42-7. Indiana State also won for the second time in the MVFC with a 38-28 decision over South Dakota State.
What to watch: Sole possession of first place in Valley Football will be on the line Saturday. ... It's homecoming for the Panthers, who have beaten Indiana State eight straight times. ... Both teams lost on the opening weekend to Football Bowl Subdivision opponents. Since then, the Panthers and ISU haven't lost. .... Indiana State will give the ball frequently to sophomore Shakir Bell, the nation's second-leading rusher at 153.4 yards per game. Bell has the MVFC's top three individual efforts on the ground thus far, including a school-record 256 yards against Youngstown State. ...Quarterback Ronnie Fouch has completed 63 percent of his passes, and Justin Hilton is his favorite target with 17 catches. ... Indiana State stands roughly in the middle of MVFC defenses. It's sixth in scoring defense (30.8 ppg) and in yards allowed (408.2). ... UNI has been hitting on all cylinders on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Tirrell Rennie has completed 77 percent of his passes over the past two Saturdays... Running back David Johnson has back-to-back 100-yard rushing games and linebacker L.J. Fort leads Valley Football in tackles. He's also forced a league-best four fumbles.
Key matchup: Bell vs. Fort. The No. 1 rusher in Valley Football against its most prolific tackler.
UNI head coach Mark Farley: "Both teams have a lot of returning starters and more experience. The coaching staffs haven't changed. That means continuity in schematics. The players are more confident, more in rhythm and in tune. They just seem to be executing better. All that comes from stability and consistency. That's what I see in these two programs from last year to this year."

UNI is 58-24-7 in homecoming games, having won 18 of its last 22.

MVC Game of Week

No. 17 Indiana State Sycamores (4-1, 2-0 MVC) at No. 2 Northern Iowa Panthers (3-1, 2-0), 5 p.m.

Series record: Northern Iowa leads, 23-4

Last meeting: Northern Iowa 30, at Indiana State 20 (Nov. 6, 2010)

What to know: With Indiana State running back Shakir Bell (who last week finished one yard short of back-to-back-to-back 200-yard rushing games) and Northern Iowa quarterback Tirrell Rennie (99 ypg, nine total touchdowns) going head-to-head, spectators will get to witness the two best offensive players in the MVC this season.

In addition to his ability as a dual-threat quarterback, Rennie has engineered an incredibly efficient offense. The Panthers have just two turnovers (two fumbles, zero interceptions) and have converted on all 15 trips to the red zone.

Senior linebacker L.J. Fort is the leader of the Panthers' defense, which has limited opponents to 14.75 points per game. So far this season Fort is second in the FCS in tackles per game (12.75) and leads the nation in forced fumbles (4).

Prediction: Northern Iowa 35, Indiana State 20

Panthers, Sycamores Collide Saturday in Homecoming Matchup in the UNI-Dome

#2/#2 University of Northern Iowa (3-1, 2-0 MVFC) vs. #17/#19 Indiana State (4-1, 2-0 MVFC)
Game #5 * Sat., Oct. 8, 2011, 4 p.m. (Central)
Cedar Falls, Iowa * UNI-Dome (16,324/Artificial)
Series vs. INS: UNI leads 23-4
Television: None
Radio: Panther Sports Network

UNI FOOTBALL QUICK HITS

• Since 1920, UNI has recorded a mark of 58-24-7 in Homecoming games. The Panthers have won 18 of their last 22 Homecoming contests in the UNI-Dome.

• UNI holds a 23-4 all-time lead in the series vs. Indiana State. UNI has won 19 of the last 20 meetings between the two schools, including a streak of eight in a row.

• UNI head coach Mark Farley took over the all-time Missouri Valley Football Conference lead in victories with his 55th on Saturday. Farley and Missouri State head coach Terry Allen entered Saturday's game tied at 54 apiece. Farley has posted a league mark of 55-19 in 11 seasons.

• UNI is the only FCS team in the nation to score on all of its Red Zone scoring opportunities in the 2011 season, going 15-for-15 on scoring opportunities inside the 20-yard line. UNI has scored 12 touchdowns on its 15 trips inside the Red Zone (80 percent). The Panthers have made three field goals on their other trips inside the Red Zone.

• UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort ranks No. 2 in the nation in tackles per game (12.75) and No. 1 in the nation in forced fumbles (4). Fort posted a career-high 14 tackles, forced two fumbles and registered 1.5 tackles-for-loss in leading UNI to a 42-7 win at Missouri State.

• UNI quarterback Tirrell Rennie ranks fourth among all active FCS players with a career average of 105.4 rushing yards per game. Of the top 20 players on the list, Rennie is the only quarterback.

• Through four games, UNI stands at No. 3 in the nation with an average turnover margin of plus-2.25. The Panthers have registered 12 takeaways and have only turned the ball over three times so far this season.

• Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson is tied for No. 4 in the nation in scoring per game (10.50 points/game). Johnson added two more touchdowns in UNI's 42-7 win at Missouri State. Johnson's 4-yard score in the second quarter put UNI on top 14-7. Johnson then added a 1-yard score in the third quarter to make it 35-7 in the Panthers' favor.

• UNI has posted an all-time record of 614-381-47 since the inception of Panther football in 1895.
• UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his 11th season at the helm of the Panther program. Farley has posted a mark of 92-38, which ranks him for third on the Panthers' coaching victory list trailing only Clyde Starbeck (95 wins) and Stan Sheriff (129 wins). Farley is the Panthers' all-time postseason wins leader with nine (9-6 all-time in the playoffs).

• The Panthers boasted of nine players in the National Football League (when camps opened in late July), a list which includes: Brad Meester (Jacksonville Jaguars), Benny Sapp (Miami Dolphins), Brandon Keith (Arizona Cardinals), Chad Rinehart (Buffalo Bills), Austin Howard (Philadelphia Eagles), James Ruffin (Cincinnati Bengals), Quentin Scott (Oakland Raiders), Schuylar Oordt (St. Louis Rams) and Ryan Mahaffey (Baltimore Ravens).

• The Panthers have been picked to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference in the league's preseason poll. UNI has won 15 MVFC titles.

THE GAME
The No. 2-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team will play host to Indiana State in the Panthers' annual Homecoming contest on Saturday in the UNI-Dome. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m.

THE SERIES
UNI holds a 23-4 all-time lead in the series vs. Indiana State.
    UNI has won 19 of the last 20 meetings between the two schools, including a streak of eight in a row.
    It will also mark the 11th meeting between the two schools since UNI head coach Mark Farley took over the Panther program in 2001. Farley is 9-1 all-time vs. Indiana State.

ALL-TIME SERIES RESULTS VS. INS
1983 at INS L, 26-0
1985 vs INS W, 24-7
1986 vs INS W, 45-10
1987 at INS W, 38-14
1988 vs INS L, 24-6
1989 at INS W, 24-21
1990 at INS L, 33-23
1991 vs INS W,  49-22
1992 at INS W, 34-13
1993 vs INS W, 17-10
1994 at INS W, 11-10
1995 vs INS W, 27-10
1996 at INS W, 34-19
1997 vs INS W, 29-21 (3ot)
1998 at INS W, 31-28
1999 vs INS W, 44-21
2000 at INS W, 49-17
2001 vs INS W, 34-13
2002 at INS L, 21-19
2003 vs INS W, 22-14
2004 at INS W, 58-6
2005 vs INS W, 31-10
2006 at INS W, 34-14
2007 vs INS W, 68-14
2008 at INS W, 28-0
2009 vs INS W, 62-7
2010 at INS W, 30-20

THE COACHES
UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his 11th season at the helm of the Panther sideline. Farley has posted a mark of 92-38 in 11 seasons, which includes six trips to the NCAA FCS playoffs. Farley has notched a record of 55-19 in MVFC play.
    Trent Miles is in his fourth season as the Indiana State head coach. Miles has posted a record of 11-28 in his four years on the Sycamore sideline.

TELEVISION
The game will not be televised.

RADIO
The game will be broadcast on the Panther Sports Radio Network. Gary Rima (play-by-play) and Scott Peterson (analyst) will call the action.

UNI PANTHERS INSIDE ACCESS
Panther fans will be able to view most of UNI's home football games on www.UNIPanthers.com through UNI Panthers Inside Access. For a nominal fee, fans can get live streamed audio and video of most home games of UNI volleyball, football, men's basketball, women's basketball and wrestling 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 Panthers Inside Access link on the front page.

PANTHER POINTS

INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES
Indiana State comes into Saturday's game in a tie for first place in the MVFC standings with the UNI Panthers.
    The Sycamores have scored league wins over Youngstown State (37-35) and at South Dakota State (38-28). The Sycamores' only loss this season came at Penn State (41-7).

HOMECOMING HISTORY
Since 1920, UNI has recorded a mark of 58-24-7 in Homecoming games. The Panthers have won 18 of their last 22 Homecoming contests in the UNI-Dome.

UNI VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
With its 34-23 win over No. 16-ranked Stephen F. Austin (9/10), UNI extended its lead over the MVFC for the most wins against ranked FCS opponents. The Panthers enter Saturday's game against nationally-ranked Indiana State with a 65-41 all-time record vs. ranked FCS opponents.

REDZONE = PERFECT ZONE
UNI is the only FCS team in the nation to score on all of its Red Zone scoring opportunities in the 2011 season. UNI is 15-for-15 on scoring opportunities this season in the Red Zone (inside 20-yard line).
    UNI has scored 12 touchdowns on 15 trips inside the Red Zone (80 percent). The Panthers have made three field goals on their other trips inside the Red Zone.
    Last season, UNI converted 67 percent (30-of-45) of its trips inside the Red Zone, including only 38 percent for touchdowns (17-of-45).

TOP OF THE VALLEY TO YA!
UNI head coach Mark Farley took over the all-time Missouri Valley Football Conference lead in victories with his 55th on Saturday.
    Farley and Missouri State head coach Terry Allen entered Saturday's game tied at 54 apiece. Farley has posted a league mark of 55-19 in 11 seasons.
    Farley is also 6-0 in head-to-head matchups vs. the Panthers' former head coach Allen.

CONNECTING THRU THE AIR
UNI's 82.6 percent (19-of-23) completion percentage in its 42-7 win over Missouri State was the highest single-game percentage since an 85.7 percent game vs. Indiana State in 2007.
    On Nov. 10, 2007, UNI completed 85.7 percent of its passes in a 68-14 win over the Sycamores.

VARMAH TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE
Junior defensive back Varmah Sonie returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown in Saturday's 42-7 win at Missouri State. It marked the Panthers' first interception return for a touchdown since Andre Martin's 62-yard return for a score last season vs. Illinois State (Oct. 23, 2010).

FORT HAS A NOSE FOR THE BALL
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort ranks No. 2 in the nation in tackles per game (12.75) and No. 1 in the nation in forced fumbles (4).
    Fort posted a career-high 14 tackles, forced two fumbles and registered 1.5 tackles-for-loss in leading UNI a 42-7 win at Missouri State.
    Playing in his home state for the final time in his collegiate career, Fort registered seven tackles in the first quarter. With the Panthers leading 7-0, Fort ripped the ball from MSU receiver Robert Fields at the UNI 8-yard line to stymie a Bears' drive. Later in the third quarter, Fort again stripped the ball from Bears' running back Stephen Johnston giving the ball back to the Panthers, which led to a touchdown giving UNI a 35-7 advantage. 

FIRST SCORE FOR VEREEN
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Kevin Vereen Jr., playing his first game in his home state, caught three passes for 21 yards, including an 11-yard score from fellow redshirt freshman quarterback Jared Lanpher with 5:04 left in the fourth quarter.
    Vereen, a native of Waynesville, Mo., was playing in his first collegiate game in his home state. He came into the Missouri State contest having caught two passes for 15 yards on the season.

INITIAL TD FOR OWENS TOO
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Chad Owens scored his first collegiate touchdown in UNI's 42-7 win over Missouri State.
    Owens scored on a 7-yard option pitch from quarterback Tirrell Rennie in the first quarter.

LANPHER GETS AN ACCURATE BEGINNING
Playing in just his second collegiate game, redshirt freshman quarterback Jared Lanpher was able to get off to an accurate beginning to his passing career against Missouri State.
    Lanpher completed 6-of-7 passes for 46 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to fellow redshirt freshman wide receiver Kevin Vereen Jr. in the fourth quarter.

ABOVE THE CENTURY MARK
UNI quarterback Tirrell Rennie ranks fourth among all active FCS players with a career average of 105.4 rushing yards per game. Of the top 20 players on the list, Rennie is the only quarterback.

ACROSS SUBDIVISIONS
Rennie ranks sixth among all active Division I players (FBS and FCS combined) with his career average of 105.4 rushing yards per game. Only 10 players in the nation own averages of 100 yards or better per contest, and Rennie is the only quarterback in either subdivision to currently be over the century mark. Michigan's Denard Robinson (90.0 ypg) and Nebraska's Taylor Martinez (80.4 ypg) are the only other quarterbacks to qualify for the top-20 list in either subdivision.

BIG MARGIN
Through four games, UNI stands at No. 3 in the nation with an average turnover margin of plus-2.25. The Panthers have registered 12 takeaways and have only turned the ball over three times so far this season.

TURNOVER TURNAROUND
In 2010, UNI posted a minus-8 turnover margin through the first three games of the season. This year, the Panthers hold a plus-9 mark after four contests.

RUSHING UP THE LIST
With three more rushing touchdowns against Western Illinois, UNI quarterback Tirrell Rennie is now in a tie for eighth on the UNI all-time list with 20 career rushing touchdowns.
    Rennie pulled into a tie with former Panther signal-caller and current UNI associate head coach Bill Salmon (1972-75).
    Jeff Stovall (1993-96) holds the school record for rushing touchdowns with 46.

SIEVERTSEN GETTIN' HIS KICKS
Sophomore placekicker Tyler Sievertsen is tied for No. 26 in the nation in field goals per game (1.25).
    Sievertsen is 5-for-6 on field goals and 16-for-16 in extra points.

DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING
UNI is 64-5 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when holding the opposition to 20 points or less.

UNI when holding the opp. to 20 or less
2001: 7-0
2002: 2-0
2003: 6-1 (lost to Iowa St 17-10)
2004: 4-1 (lost to Western Kentucky 17-10)
2005: 6-0
2006: 5-0
2007: 10-0
2008: 10-0
2009: 6-1 (lost to Iowa 17-16)
2010: 6-1 (lost to Lehigh 14-7)
2011: 2-1 (lost to Iowa State 20-19)
TOTAL - 64-5 (3 of the losses against FBS schools)

GETTING OFFENSIVE
UNI is 63-3 in the Mark Farley era (2001-present) when scoring 30 or more points in a game.

UNI when scoring 30 or more points
2001: 6-0
2002: 2-0
2003: 6-0
2004: 6-1 (lost to Southern Illinois 40-36)
2005: 7-0
2006: 6-1 (lost to North Dakota 35-31)
2007: 9-0
2008: 8-0
2009: 6-0
2010: 4-1 (lost to Southern Illinois 45-38)
2011: 3-0
TOTAL - 63-3 (2 of the losses against Southern Illinois)

HOME SWEET DOME
UNI is 178-45-1 (.796) 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 70-13 in home Missouri Valley Football Conference games, leading the league in home conference victories. UNI will play host to league foes Western Illinois, Indiana State, Southern Illinois and Youngstown State in the UNI-Dome this season.

FIELD GOALS BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY
With Wellmark 3-Point Play, Wellmark will continue to make a donation to the Cedar Falls Recreation Division for each field goal made during the Panthers' 2011 football season, and for each three-point basket scored during both the men's and women's 2011-2012 basketball seasons. To date, $14,280 has been raised. Five other Division I universities in Iowa and South Dakota are part of the 3-Point Play program.
    The purpose of Wellmark's 3-Point Play is to support active and vibrant communities by funding projects that might not otherwise be completed. A running scoreboard of the totals raised by all six Division I universities, as well as information on the community wellness projects they support, can be viewed on www.wellmark3pointplay.com.

PANTHER SPORTS TALK WITH MARK FARLEY
UNI head coach Mark Farley's radio call-in show will be broadcast live on the Panther Sports Radio Network every Thursday throughout the season. The show will take place at Old Chicago 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.