CEDAR FALLS – The Missouri Valley Football Conference released an updated schedule Wednesday after conference member Indiana State opted out of the spring football season last week.
The Valley reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to providing meaningful and safe competitive opportunities for the Conference’s student-athletes the MVFC will play a full 8-game schedule culminating the season with the NCAA Division I Football Championship, which begins with games on Saturday, April 24.
The new schedule eliminates a mid-season bye week and puts games in eight consecutive weeks with a rescheduling window for the week of April 17.
UNI starts the 2021 spring season with a huge top-5 match-up on Friday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. The Panthers, who were ranked third STATS fall preseason poll, host No. 5 South Dakota State in a game that is sure to have postseason implications. The two teams have played each other five times in the last three seasons, twice in the playoffs. UNI is 3-2 in those meetings.
The Panther next travel to face Youngstown State in the Staumbaugh Stadium in Youngstown, Ohio, for the MVFC Valley game of the Week. UNI returns home to face No. 9 Illinois State on March 6 at 4 p.m. in the UNI-Dome in another Top-10 matchup.
UNI travels to Southern Illinois on March 13 before welcoming in Missouri State and new head coach Bobby Petrino on March 20 at 4 p.m.
The Panthers travel to Western Illinois on March 27 and South Dakota on the week of April 3 before closing the season at home with the defending national champion North Dakota State Bison on April 10 at 4 p.m., in the final MVFC Game of the Week.
The schedule is subject to change with both dates and times.
SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 19 – SDSU – 7 p.m.
Feb. 27 – at Youngstown State – 11 a.m. – MVFC TV
March 6 – Illinois State – 4 p.m.
March 13 – at Southern Illinois – 12 p.m.
March 20 – Missouri State – 4 p.m.
March 27 – at Western Illinois
Friday, April 2 – at South Dakota – 6 p.m.
April 10 – North Dakota State – 4 p.m. – MVFC TV
April 17 – Rescheduling Window
April 24 – FCS Playoffs
