CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa Panther football travels to Vermillion, South Dakota, on Saturday, November 14, 2026, to face the South Dakota Coyotes in the next-to-last game of the regular season, seeking to rebound from its first home loss of the year.
UNI finished 4-1 inside the UNI-Dome after No. 5 South Dakota State defeated the Panthers last Saturday. The Panthers remain the only team in the FCS with two victories over opponents ranked in the top five of the Stats Perform poll this season.
Northern Iowa defeated No. 3 Illinois State and No. 4 North Dakota earlier in the campaign, marking its first season with two victories over top-five opponents since 2005. UNI also hosted three top-five teams in the same season for the first time in program history, according to school records.
Panthers return to the DakotaDome seeking revenge
The Panthers last visited South Dakota’s DakotaDome in 2024, and their most recent victory in Vermillion came in 2022.
South Dakota edged UNI 17-14 last season. A 58-yard Coyotes field goal at the end of the first half ultimately made the difference. UNI scored with 41 seconds remaining but could not recover the ensuing onside kick.
Saturday’s meeting provides the Panthers a chance to avenge that narrow defeat before their regular-season finale.
UNI looks to respond after SDSU defeat
The Panthers are coming off a loss to No. 5 South Dakota State, which led throughout the contest. NorthIowaToday.com reported that the Jackrabbits defeated UNI 41-15, ending the Panthers’ unbeaten home run.
Quarterback Jaxon Dailey completed 23 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown. Taj Hughes led the receiving corps with five catches for 54 yards, while Christian Collins rushed seven times for 27 yards.
Briggs Hughston caught his first touchdown pass of the season in the fourth quarter. On defense, Calvin Jaworski paced UNI with nine tackles, including six solo stops.
Jaworski powers an opportunistic defense
Jaworski has been one of the Panthers’ most productive defensive players. Against Indiana State, he returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown, his second pick-six of the season, tying UNI’s single-season record.
It was the ninth time a UNI player had recorded multiple interception return touchdowns in a season; the last came in 2022 when Woo Governor had two in one game.
Jaworski ranks second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 0.25 interceptions and 4.63 solo tackles per game, and third with 8.4 total tackles per contest. Josiah Young is second in the MVFC with one pass defended per game.
Northern Iowa leads the league in defensive touchdowns with two, turnover margin at plus-0.89 per game, fewest fumbles lost with two, and time of possession at 31:51. The Panthers have gained 15 turnovers while surrendering seven and rank among national leaders in protecting the football.
Andrew Price scored on a blocked punt recovery and return against North Dakota. Franz Reisz and AJ Vaughn have each recovered two fumbles this season, among the conference’s top figures.
Dailey leads an offense with experienced receivers
Dailey, who took over the starting quarterback role after the Southern Illinois game, entered 2026 with experience from 10 games a year earlier, when he completed 66 of 110 passes for 823 yards and seven touchdowns.
UNI’s receiving group includes returning veterans JC Roque Jr., Ayden Price, Jaiden Ellis-Lahey and Tay Norman, as well as transfers Taj Hughes and Cyrus Courtney.
Roque led the Panthers in 2025 with 56 catches for 595 yards and seven touchdowns. Hughes joined UNI from Drake, where he caught 46 passes for 510 yards and two scores last season. Courtney arrived from Iowa Western Community College after helping the Reivers win a national championship.
Brady McCullough is averaging 17.16 yards per reception, the second-highest mark in the MVFC. Running backs Christian Collins and Florida Atlantic transfer Xavier Terrell contribute to an offense that underwent significant changes entering the season.
Iowa athletes form the heart of the roster
The Panthers have 69 Iowa natives on their 112-player roster, including 12 incoming freshmen. Another 26 players are from Iowa’s neighboring states, meaning 95 team members hail from Iowa or one of its six bordering states.
Cedar Falls, Urbandale and West Des Moines Valley high schools each have five former players on the roster, while Ankeny is represented by four.
Saturday’s matchup
UNI will play South Dakota at the DakotaDome in Vermillion on November 14. The university’s release did not provide a kickoff time or broadcast details.
The Panthers’ complete schedule, roster and team information are available at UNIpanthers.com.