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Coach Mark Farley
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Tuesday, April 8, 2008 4:33 AM CDT
UNI announces 2008 football schedule
By UNI Sports Information
CEDAR FALLS --- The University of Northern Iowa's 2008 football schedule has been finalized by UNI head football coach and interim director of athletics Mark Farley.

This year, for the first time, Panther season tickets will provide a significant cost savings for fans compared to the cost of individual tickets purchased for each of the five 2008 Panther home games.

UNI will play four of its first six games in the comforts of the UNI-Dome. The Panthers have posted a mark of 160-41-1 for a .799 winning percentage and went 6-1 last season in the UNI-Dome. The Panthers' schedule features five home games for the second consecutive season. Last season, UNI averaged 16,201 fans for each of its five regular season home contests.

UNI is coming off a 12-1 season that featured a perfect 11-0 regular season and saw the Panthers ranked No. 1 in the country for the final six weeks of the regular season.

The Panthers will open the 2008 season in Provo, Utah, against the Brigham Young University Cougars on Aug. 30. BYU finished last season 11-2 and ranked No. 14 in the country after finishing the year with a 17-16 win over UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl. It will be the first meeting between UNI and BYU.

UNI will play its first home game of the season Sept. 6 against the University of South Dakota Coyotes. USD is transitioning from Division II to FCS. The Coyotes posted a mark of 6-5 in their final season of Division II football in 2007. UNI and USD last met in 1982 with the Panthers earning a 41-24 victory over the Coyotes.

After a bye week, the Panthers will begin Gateway Football Conference play in the UNI-Dome Sept. 20 against the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits as a part of the Family Weekend festivities. UNI and SDSU have met the past two seasons with the Panthers scoring victories in Cedar Falls (27-17 in 2006) and in Brookings (31-17 in 2007). For the second consecutive season, SDSU ended the year ranked in the FCS polls. SDSU ended the 2007 season with a 7-4 record after winning seven of its last eight games, which included the Jackrabbits earning the Great West Football Conference championship.

UNI will then travel to Carbondale, Ill., Sept. 27 to take on the Southern Illinois University Salukis. The Panthers defeated the Salukis last season, 30-24, to win the Gateway title. SIU finished the 2007 season with a 12-2 mark and lost to Delaware in the NCAA FCS semifinals, 20-17. SIU named Dale Lennon, formerly head coach at North Dakota, as its new head coach Dec. 28, 2007.

Homecoming is set for Oct. 11 when UNI will play host to the Illinois State University Redbirds in the UNI-Dome. The Panthers have won 16 of their last 19 Homecoming contests, including the last three in a row. Illinois State is coming off a 4-7 season, which included a 23-13 loss to UNI.

The Panthers will welcome the North Dakota State University Bison to the UNI-Dome Oct. 18 as the two schools will meet for the first time since 1982. The 2008 season will mark the first year in the Gateway for the Bison. NDSU finished with a 10-1 record for the second straight season including a 3-1 ledger in the Great West Football Conference under the direction of head coach Craig Bohl.

UNI will then finish the season with road contests in four of its last five games. UNI will hit the road Oct. 25 to battle the Youngstown State University Penguins in Youngstown, Ohio. YSU went 7-4 last season, which included a 3-3 mark in Gateway play. The Panthers have won seven straight games in the series with the Penguins, including a 14-13 win this past season.

The second part of the road trip features a matchup with the Western Illinois University Leathernecks on Nov. 1. It marks the second straight season UNI will travel to Macomb, Ill., to challenge WIU. UNI tallied a 42-3 win last season against the Leathernecks.

The Panthers final home game of the 2008 season will feature the Missouri State University Bears on Nov. 8 in the UNI-Dome. The Bears finished the 2007 season with a 6-5 record. UNI notched a 38-17 victory over Missouri State last season.

UNI will close out the Gateway portion of the schedule with a trip to Terre Haute, Ind., and a matchup with the Indiana State University Sycamores on Nov. 15. Indiana State will be under the direction of first-year head coach Trent Miles.

The Panthers' regular season finale will take them back to the state of Utah to play the Southern Utah University Thunderbirds in Cedar City on Nov. 22. SUU will also be under the direction of a first-year head coach - Ed Lamb. UNI and SUU have met three times with the Panthers scoring wins in all three matchups.

To purchase your 2008 UNI football season tickets please call the UNItix office at 319-273-4TIX. Panther Scholarship Club members can take advantage of an early bird ticket discount of $10 if tickets are ordered prior to June 13.

2008 Season Ticket Prices

Adult - $120

Faculty/Staff/Emeritus - $110

Seniors (60+) - $75

Youth (3-16) - $60

2008 UNI Football Schedule

Date Opponent Site Time

Aug. 30 BYU Provo, Utah 5 p.m.

Sept. 6 South Dakota UNI-Dome 4:05 p.m.

Sept. 20 South Dakota State* UNI-Dome 4:05 p.m.

Sept. 27 at Southern Illinois* Carbondale, Ill. 6 p.m.

Oct. 11 Illinois State* UNI-Dome 4:05 p.m.

Oct. 18 North Dakota State* UNI-Dome 4:05 p.m.

Oct. 25 at Youngstown State* Youngstown, Ohio 3 p.m.

Nov. 1 at Western Illinois* Macomb, Ill. 6:05 p.m.

Nov. 8 Missouri State* UNI-Dome 4:05 p.m.

Nov. 15 at Indiana State* Terre Haute, Ind. 11 a.m.

Nov. 22 at Southern Utah Cedar City, Utah 2 p.m.

* - Indicates Gateway Football Conference game

Home games in bold

ALL TIMES CENTRAL (subject to change)
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