CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa football program has announced its 2015 schedule today, featuring five home games and a season-opener against in-state foe Iowa State.
UNI will open the 2015 season in Ames, Iowa when they take on the Iowa State Cyclones on Sept. 5. The last time the Panthers and Iowa State faced off was in 2013 when UNI topped the Cyclones, 28-20 at Jack Trice Stadium. Two of head coach Mark Farley’s wins over FBS opponents have come against Iowa State.
Next for the Panthers, they will host the Eastern Washington Eagles on Sept. 12 for its home opener. UNI is 5-0 all-time against the Eagles in the UNI-Dome, including a 41-38 2005 Division I FCS Playoff win on the way to a National Championship game appearance.
For its first out-of-state trip of the season, UNI will head west when they battle against Cal Poly on Sept. 19. UNI hasn’t faced off against the Mustangs since 2002 when the Panthers defeated Cal Poly in triple-overtime, 29-26 to give UNI a 5-1 lead in the all-time series.
The Panthers will head into its open week on Sept. 26 before opening Missouri Valley Football Conference play on the road at Illinois State on Oct. 3. UNI will stay on the road the following weekend when they take on the North Dakota State Bison on Oct. 10. The Panthers handed both the Bison and the Redbirds their only losses of the regular season in 2014.
UNI will return for its annual Homecoming game on Oct. 17 when they play host to the Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks. Since 1920, UNI has recorded a mark of 61-25-7 in Homecoming games, including winning 21 of its last 26 in the UNI-Dome.
The Panthers will close out the month of October with a pair of games against the schools from the state of South Dakota, taking on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on the road on Oct. 24 and the South Dakota Coyotes in the UNI-Dome on Oct. 31.
UNI will host its second consecutive home game to start November, playing against Indiana State on Nov. 7 for Family Weekend. Farley is known as “Mr. November”, having posted a winning record of 43-8 during the Thanksgiving month.
UNI heads to Missouri State on Nov. 14 before closing out its 2015 regular season schedule against the Southern Illinois Salukis at home on Nov. 21. The 2015 Division I FCS Playoffs are scheduled to begin on Nov. 28.
