THE GAME
#21/#15 UNI (0-1, 0-0 MVFC)
@
RV/RV Sacramento State (1-0, 0-0 Big Sky)
Date: Sept 11
Place: Hornet Stadium
Time: 8:00 pm CT
TV: ESPN+
Talent: David Lewis & Darren Arbert
THE PANTHERS
• The Panthers will take on the Hornets in the first contest between the two programs on Sept 11.
• The Panthers are 2-0 when playing games on Sept 11 since the 2001 season, defeating Minnesota State 4-0 in 2004 and beating North Dakota State 16-9 in 2010.
• UNI fell to (FBS) #7 Iowa State 16-10 in a hard-fought season opener. The Panthers scored first from a 52-yard catch and run from Quan Hampton. The Panther defense contained Heisman hopeful Breece Hall to just 69 yards rushing.
• Panther defenders Alfonzo Lambert and Omar Brown both recorded forced fumbles against Iowa State.
• The Panthers return all 22 offensive and defensive starters from last season.
• 11 Panthers were honored with MVFC Preseason honors, Jared Brinkman (First Team), Trevor Penning (First Team), Spencer Cuvelier (First Team), Mathew Cook (First Team), Omar Brown (Second Team), Austin Evans (Second Team), Deion McShane (Second Team), Will McElvain (HM), Isaiah Weston (HM), Benny Sapp III (HM), Tyler Hoosman (HM)
• 8 Panthers were honored with All-MVFC recognition in the Spring of 2021. First Team All-MVFC selection and the returning MVFC Defensive Player of the Year Jared Brinkman leads a stout defensive unit along with Spencer Cuvelier (First Team), Brawntae Wells (Second Team), Austin Evans (Second Team), and Omar Brown (Honorable Mention)
• A BIG play machine, Isaiah Weston has caught 72 passes for 1,585 career yards. His 22.0 yards per catch is 7th in the UNI career record book.
• Mark Farley is the winningest coach in UNI and Missouri Valley Football History and the 10th coach in FCS history with 150 FCS victories. The win against Youngstown State last season was his 100th MVFC win.
THE HORNETS
• The Hornets opened the season with a 19-7 victory over Dixie State. The Hornets first quarter opened with a 9 play 33-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. The Hornet defense then recorded a safety to go up 5-0.
• Troy Taylor was named the 11th head football coach at Sacramento State on Dec. 17, 2018. In his first season with the Hornets, he guided the team to a 9-4 overall record and a 7-1 league record, he was named the conference coach of the year and was the recipient of the Eddie Robinson Award (FCS national coach of the year).
• Following a breakout season as a running back and a pass catcher in 2019, Elijah Dotson was named second-team FCS All-America by HERO Sports and also brought in his second consecutive first-team All-Big Sky selection. Dotson continued to add to his resumé as he was voted to the All-Big Sky preseason team, first-team preseason All-American by Stats Perform, the third team by HERO Sports, and was named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List.
• The most experienced unit on defense lies with the linebackers which return the two primary starters from 2019 and five players who have seen significant playing time. Marcus Hawkins headlines the unit as the team’s middle linebacker. Hawkins earned second-team all-Big Sky honors in 2019 after leading the team with 81 total tackles.
