UNI takes national spotlight tonight in football

The Northern Iowa Panthers face a difficult non-conference challenge this evening with a visit to Stephen F. Austin. The Panthers are 1-1 after a September sixth win over Northern Michigan while Stephen F. Austin enters the game following an upset loss at Southern Utah.UNI coach Mark Farley says they’re a good football team that is much like his team. Farley says after games against division-one Iowa State and division-two Northern Michigan, the real season begins for the Panthers against a team that was rated in the pre-season one-double-a poll. He says they’re healthy and gotten the players ready to play.Games against quality non-conference opponents can always be a factor in a team’s playoff fate but Farley says the outcome of no one game will be more important than any other. He says at least seven of their remaining nine games will be against a ranked opponent.The game will also give the Panthers national exposure. It will be carried by Fox Sports Net.