The University of Northern Iowa football team is ranked No. 6 in the final Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 Poll released on Monday. UNI has now finished the year in the Top 25 in 10 of the last 11 seasons, and the Panthers have taken home a top-six ranking in six of the last 11 seasons.
UNI entered the FCS playoffs ranked No. 2 and advanced to the quarterfinal round before dropping a road contest at the University of Montana.
Fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference school North Dakota State claimed the top spot in the poll two days after winning the national championship with a 17-6 victory over Sam Houston State, the No. 2 team in the final rankings.
Montana came in at No. 3 in the poll, Georgia Southern was No. 4, and Lehigh edged UNI for the No. 5 spot. Montana State, Maine, Towson and Old Dominion rounded out the Top 10.
Illinois State finished at No. 20, giving the MVFC three ranked teams.
UNI’s Final Rankings (2001-2011)
Year Ranking
2001 4
2002 NR
2003 5
2004 25
2005 2
2006 17
2007 4
2008 4
2009 18
2010 18
2011 6
