CEDAR FALLS --- Serve one concession speech with a side order of a sales pitch.

That's how head coach Mark Farley mixed his most substantial sound bite Monday at his weekly press conference.

His Northern Iowa team has lost two consecutive games --- to Missouri Valley Football Conference co-leaders Southern Illinois and South Dakota State. The Panthers don't play Saturday; they resume MVFC action Nov. 7 at the UNI-Dome against Youngstown State.

Gazing at UNI's 3-2 MVFC mark (5-3 overall), Farley admitted that one prize is beyond reach.

"We will not win the league," said the Panther head coach. "That's out of the question right now by a numbers game."

To claim its third straight Valley Football title, UNI would need to win its last three games and then hope both SIU and SDSU drop three in a row. That's not a likely scenario. The Salukis, for example, play at Indiana State Saturday.

So the MVFC's automatic bid to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs probably won't go to UNI. Farley, though, suggested that a sweep of November's schedule could buy the Panthers an 8-3 overall record and their second at-large playoff berth in school history.

"As far as what the ultimate goal is, it's still there if we play in November," said Farley.

How? Farley pointed out that teams with four losses have been making the FCS tournament. In fact, that's happened four times since 2006. Therefore, an 8-3 record may be good enough to qualify UNI.

Farley also said that the MVFC owns an 8-1 record in the opening round of the FCS playoffs dating back to 2005.

"What that tells you is our league is a very strong league compared to the rest of the country when you're throwing in the first 16 teams," said Farley.

Before UNI can take that sales pitch to the FCS selection committee, it must attend to more pressing business. First comes the bye week, then Youngstown State.

The upcoming days will be devoted to straightening out some of the mistakes that cost UNI dearly over the past two Saturdays, said Farley. A return to fundamentals is on the agenda.

Finally, Farley said he's going to hunt for "probably three more players" at unspecified spots to build depth.

That's the recipe for a team that's trying to bury three losses that could have been victories, if the opener at Iowa is tossed in the mix.

"We're upset. We feel we could have won all three games," said Farley. "That's the frustration of it. But what we have to understand is those next three games in November could propel you into December. So we are in the thick of things right now.

"It's just we're in a position where we must win. And we have to use this week to clean up the errors that are costing us those games."

MEDICAL CENTER - Farley said offensive lineman Nate Herrig suffered a concussion in Saturday's loss at South Dakota State. His replacement, Evan Tecklenburg, sustained a knee injury that will sideline him for two to four weeks. Jay Tepley, little-used in 2009 after playing extensively a year ago, filled in at Brookings.

Farley also said linebacker Elijah Hodge played Saturday with a high fever commonly caused by the flu.

But UNI's not the only team dealing with injuries.

Southern Illinois lost starting quarterback Chris Dieker for an estimated six weeks to a broken left clavicle. Dieker was hurt in SIU's victory over Youngstown State. Redshirt freshman Paul McIntosh will start at Indiana State Saturday.