CEDAR FALLS - During the course of his career, New Hampshire quarterback Ricky Santos has led his team to a 37-13 record and four straight playoff appearances.

Santos won the 2006 Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision. He has thrown for 12,961 career yards with 120 touchdown passes to rank third on the all-time FCS list in both categories.

This season, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound senior has completed 230 of 315 passes (73 percent) for 2,721 yards and 22 TDs with just seven interceptions.

Northern Iowa quarterback Eric Sanders is 34-8 since stepping into the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman. He has led the Panthers to 11 fourth-quarter comeback wins, two trips to the playoffs and the 2005 national championship game.

Sanders has completed 69.4 percent of his college passes for nearly 9,000 yards and 66 touchdowns. He ranks second on UNI's all-time completions and total offense lists.

This season, the 6-1, 200-pound senior from Oelwein has completed 76.3 percent of 241 passes for 2,237 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Tonight at 6:35 p.m., they go head-to-head as Northern Iowa hosts New Hampshire at 6:35 p.m. in the opening round of the FCS playoffs.

"I know there are a lot of great players out there … but I really believe you'll see the two best quarterbacks in our division out there on that field," said Panther head coach Mark Farley, taking his fourth team into the postseason.

Santos and the no-huddle Wildcats offense he operates certainly have UNI's attention. The Panthers saw what Santos can do in person when they upended the Wildcats, 24-21, in the 2005 playoff quarterfinals in Durham, N.H.

"I remember preparing for him when he was a sophomore," said Farley. "He's an extremely good football player.

"Santos is a strong, mobile quarterback. He's a very strong runner, not just a finesse runner. He has the ability to throw the ball and he's got a very strong arm and he can read coverages, and they've got a system that's made for him.

"What probably separates him is he's consistent in his play."

Santos was recently named the most valuable player in a Colonial Athletic Association that sent a record five teams into the FCS playoffs.

"Just understanding that alone would tell you what kind of quality player he is and the respect he gets from his own conference," said Farley.

So, UNI's challenge is to stop Santos, who has distributed the ball to wideouts, tight ends and running backs alike. Seven Wildcats have double-digit receptions, led by Keith LeVan with 66 for 787 yards and 10 scores. Mike Boyle has 46 catches for an average of 16.8 yards each, tight end Scott Sicko has 46 grabs for 566 yards and J.T. Wright has 27 for 336.

It's hard to tell if New Hampshire has a capable ground game because the Wildcats seldom rely on it. Chad Kackert is the leading rusher with 319 yards, Robert Simpson has 284 and Santos has 211. If they want to run tonight, they'll have to do it against the second-best run defense in FCS (89.8 yards per game).

It all points to a major challenge for a UNI pass defense that has given up some yards (200.5 per game) but not many points (an FCS-best 13.2 per game). The responsibility reaches across the board, said Farley, from the defensive line to the linebackers and secondary.

"The pass coverage is a challenge, but being able to rush the quarterback and get the sack … The guy makes you miss. Once he makes you miss and starts running around, that's when he starts to make the big plays.

"You can't miss him and then have to start holding coverage for 3 to 4 seconds. Once you get in that 4-second category, things start to open up and he starts making big plays."

In theory, the best defense against Santos is a ball-control offense that limits his opportunities. New Hampshire's undersized but quick defense has given up 181.5 rushing yards, 431.9 total yards and 28.5 points per game.

"They are continually sending pressure at your quarterback to make up for any lack of size they have," said Farley.

"Your offense can be a real good defense, but I think that all plays out with how the game unfolds. It would be nice to go out there and be able to rush the football, but that takes great focus and great effort to do 12- or 14-play drives against good football teams without making mistakes."

New Hampshire can also answer those long drives in short order.

"They can throw the football, so it doesn't take them long to go down the field," said Farley.

New Hampshire head coach Sean McDonnell said even Santos can't single-handedly carry the Wildcats every week. Thus, the four losses.

"It's been a couple of things," said McDonnell. "Our defense has not stopped the other team in the run game. We have not created turnovers on defense, and on offense we have not had the ball in our hands, and when we've had it we've turned the ball over.

"People who know who we are and what type of team we are … offense has been our forte for a long time. When we've been good and been able to play successful football, we've created some turnovers.

"I look at Northern Iowa and I see a team that doesn't turn it over (five interceptions, seven fumbles). I look at Northern Iowa and I see a team that runs it well (229.6 yards per game with a 1,143-hard rusher in Corey Lewis). I look at Northern Iowa and see a team that stops the run (89.8 yards per game).

"So, we're gonna have our hands full."

Contact Doug Newhoff at (319) 291-1467 or doug.newhoff@wcfcourier.com

Who: No. 17 New Hampshire (7-4) at No. 1 Northern Iowa (11-0)

When: Today, 6:35 p.m.

Where: UNI-Dome, Cedar Falls (16,400)

Television: None

Radio: UNI Sports Network (KXEL 1540 AM originating)

Series history: UNI leads, 1-0.

Last meeting: The Panthers visited Durham, N.H., for the 2005 playoff quarterfinals and upended the No. 1 Wildcats, 24-21. UNI built a 21-0 lead, then had to hang on at the end. New Hampshire quarterback Ricky Santos completed 27 of 42 passes for 345 yards, including 10 to David Ball for 188 yards. David Horne ran 28 times for 144 yards for the Panthers, whose defense forced three key fumbles.

Key matchup: UNI's defense has to control New Hampshire quarterback Ricky Santos. That means enough of a pass rush to disrupt his rhythm and force his hand, but enough discipline to keep him from breaking out of the pocket, as well. That also means tight coverage from the Panthers' linebackers and defensive backs, along with some hard knocks for any Wildcats who do catch the football.

Can Northern Iowa win? The Panthers are the top seed, and they're playing at home where they are 11-2 overall in postseason games. They have enough dimensions in their offense to move the football against the Wildcats' shaky defense. The keys are avoiding turnovers and limiting Santos' opportunities with the football.

Can New Hampshire win? The Wildcats are a well-coached, hard-nosed football team with a ton of big-game experience and a second life as the last team invited to the 16-team playoffs. They're also driven by their postseason failures the past two seasons, including the 2005 loss to UNI. If the game is close and it's in Santos' hands, New Hampshire will have a chance.