Football Travels To Northern Iowa
9/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 17, 2004
INSIDE FOR WEEK THREE: The Lumberjacks go on the road for the first time in 2004 this week as they travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa to take on the Northern Iowa Panthers. SFA and UNI are both ranked among the top-15 in the nation and meet for the fourth time in the UNI-Dome. The 'Jacks are 0-5 in domed stadiums since 1994 with losses to Northern Iowa, Northern Arizona and Idaho over that span. This marks the second straight week SFA will tangle with a ranked opponent. Northern Arizona entered last week's game ranked 13th in the Sports Network poll and UNI enters this weeks game at number seven in the country. The 'Jacks played two straight against ranked opponents in the opening two weekends of the 2002 season, losing to 17th ranked Portland State in Portland, then beating 19th ranked Montana State the following week at home.
LAST GAME vs NORTHERN IOWA: UNI beat the 'Jacks 38-24 last year in Nacogdoches. The Lumberjacks lost despite 514 yards of total offense. QB Zeke Dixon passed for 337 yards and a touchdown, but UNI tailback Terrance Freeney countered with 249-yards rushing and three touchdowns. Freeney scored with 1:21 left on a 33-yard run to seal the 14-point win for UNI.
THE SERIES: Northern Iowa leads the series 5-1. SFA has lost five straight to the Panthers and is winless (0-3) in the UNI-Dome.
1995 SFA 26 UNI 7 2000 UNI 37 SFA 30
1996 UNI 38 SFA 12 2002 UNI 31 SFA 24
1998 UNI 14 SFA 10 2003 UNI 38 SFA 24
THE OPPONENT: Northern Iowa returns 15 starters off a 2003 team that went 10-3 and lost in the I-AA playoff quarterfinals to Delaware. UNI lost its season opener to Iowa State by a 23-0 final, but bounced back in week two to beat Minnesota State, 40-0. UNI is averaging 182.0 yards per game on the ground while allowing 115.5 to its opponents. RB Jim Lizzi leads the UNI ground attack with a 74.0 ypg average, but Terrance Freeney is right on his heels with a 63.5 ypg average. QB Tom Petrie has completed 53.3 percent of his passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns. All three of the scoring passes came this past week against Minnesota State. Northern Iowa was 6-0 at home last season and is riding an eight game home win streak. UNI is 140-36-1 overall in the UNI-Dome.
THE COACHES: SFA is coached by Mike Santiago (Southern Utah, 1977) now in his sixth season at SFA. Santiago has posted a 35-22 record as a college head coach, all with SFA. In his first season, he led the Lumberjacks to a share of the Southland title (1999). The 'Jacks have won at least six games each season under Santiago and a winning record in 2004 will mark the longest such streak in SFA history. UNI is led by Mark Farley, now in his fourth year at Northern Iowa. He led UNI to an 11-3 record in his first season and guided his team to a 10-3 record a year ago. Overall, Farley is 27-13 at UNI. Santiago is 0-3 vs. UNI, while Farley is 2-0 vs. the 'Jacks. ™
