The UNI Panthers open the Missouri Valley Football conference race on the road this weekend at Indiana State. These teams have not played since back in 2011. UNI coach Mark Farley says the team has gotten much better under their current coach and they are playing very well.

Indiana State is 3-1 and led by quarterback Mike Perish are averaging nearly 300 yards of passing per game. “There will be a little bit of a shift because they do rely on the passing game and they are very confident in the passing game and we are going to have to balance up our coverages and try to get some pressure. There are not many who have gotten pressure on him,” Farley says.

He says the Sycamores will provide a tough opener to conference play as he says they beat Ball Sate handily and Liberty and have grown since their early game against Indiana.

Farley says the Panthers will need a consistent effort to contend for the league crown. “We have to play right on the edge of tenacity and poise to be at that level,” Farley says.

UNI is 2-2 and Farley says the Panthers are looking forward to the conference race as it’s what they’ve been preparing for in the first games.

By Elwin Huffman, KOEL, Oelwein