Mark Farley after the win at ISU.
One of the most talked-about storylines from the first week of the college football season is the success of FCS teams against competition from a higher division. Including UNI’s win over Iowa State, a total of eight FCS teams pulled off victories over teams from the FBS.
While some in the national media say that is a surprise, UNI coach Mark Farley says it isn’t to him. “We’ve been on the cusp of beating 1-A schools for years, it’s not just us. I mean there are other teams who are out there playing good football, it’s a neat deal,” Farley says.
“I think it’s great for college football, it’s great for college athletics. You could win one of these but it’s still who makes it to November that matters. But these games are definitely exciting for the fans and for the players early in the season.”
Farley says that playing games against FBS teams provides players at schools like UNI an opportunity to perform on a slightly bigger stage. He says they do athletics in college for the athletes and playing the FBS schools is a chance for them to experience that atmosphere and he says it will be something the players will remember for a long time.
Saturday’s win was UNI’s second win against an FBS team in the past seven seasons. Of their last three losses against FBS schools, UNI has lost by an average of just six points.
By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls