The Northern Iowa Panthers football program represents the University of Northern Iowa in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). The program began in 1895 and has fielded a team every year since with the exceptions of 1906–1907 and 1943–1944. The Panthers play their home games at the UNI-Dome on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. They have appeared in the Division I FCS playoffs 22 times, third most among all current teams but have never won an FCS Division I championship.
History
Classifications NCAA College Division (1956–1972) NCAA Division II (1973–1980) NCAA Division I-AA/FCS (1981–present)
Conference memberships Independent (1895–1922) Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1923–1934) North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1935–1977) Mid-Continent Conference (1978–1984) Gateway Football Conference/Missouri Valley Football Conference (1985–present)
Championship and postseason history Conference championships
Northern Iowa has won thirty-three conference titles, the most out of the four Iowa Division I institutions. The Panthers have won two Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, twelve North Central Conference championships, three Association of Mid-Continent Universities football championships and sixteen Missouri Valley Football Conference championships.
1927 IIAC 7–0–1 6–0 1928 IIAC 5–1–3 4–0–2 1940 NCC 8–1 5–0 1941 NCC 5–3 5–0 1942 NCC 6–1 5–0 1946 NCC 4–1–2 2–0–1 1947 NCC 5–3–1 4–0 1948 NCC 7–3 5–0 1949 NCC 5–2 5–1 1952 NCC 6–2 5–1 1960 NCC 9–1 6–0 1961 NCC 7–2 5–1 1962 NCC 7–1–1 5–0–1 1964 NCC 9–2 5–1 1981 AMCU 5–6 2–1 1982 AMCU 4–6–1 2–0–1 1984 AMCU 9–2 2–1 1985 MVFC 11–2 5–0 1987 MVFC 10–4 6–0 1990 MVFC 8–4 5–1 1991 MVFC 11–2 5–1 1992 MVFC 12–2 5–1 1993 MVFC 8–4 5–1 1994 MVFC 8–4 6–0 1995 MVFC 8–5 5–1 1996 MVFC 12–2 5–0 2001 MVFC 11–3 6–1 2003 MVFC 10–3 6–1 2005 MVFC 11–4 5–2 2007 MVFC 12–1 6–0 2008 MVFC 12–3 7–1 2010 MVFC 7–5 6–2 2011 MVFC 10–3 7–1
College Division bowl games Northern Iowa played in the NCAA's College Division from 1937–1972. Twice in those years they qualified for a College Division bowl game. 1960 Mineral Water Bowl 9–1–0 Hillsdale College L 6–17 1964 Pecan Bowl 9–2–0 Lamar (TX) W 19–17
Division I-AA/FCS playoff games The Panthers have made twenty-two appearances in the Division I-AA/FCS playoffs, with an overall record of 24–22.
1985 QuarterfinalSemifinal Middle TennesseeGeorgia Southern W 28–21L 33–40 1987 First roundQuarterfinalSemifinal Youngstown State Arkansas StateNortheast Louisiana W 31–28W 49–28L 41–44 2OT 1990 First round Boise State L 3–20 1991 First roundQuarterfinal Weber StateMarshall W 38–21L 13–41 1992 First roundQuarterfinalSemifinal Eastern Washington McNeese StateYoungstown State W 17–14W 29–7L 7–19 1993 First round Boston University L 21–27 2OT 1994 First round Montana L 23–29 1995 First roundQuarterfinal Murray StateMarshall W 35–34L 24–41 1996 QuarterfinalSemifinal William & MaryMarshall W 38–35L 14–31 2001 First roundQuarterfinalSemifinal Eastern IllinoisMaineMontana W 49–43W 56–28L 10–38 2003 First roundQuarterfinal Montana StateDelaware W 35–14L 7–37 2005 QuarterfinalSemifinalNational Championship New Hampshire Texas StateAppalachian State W 24–21W 40–37L 16–21 2007 First roundQuarterfinal New HampshireDelaware W 38–35L 27–39 2008 First roundQuarterfinal MaineNew HampshireRichmond W 40–15W 36–34L 20–21 2010 First round Lehigh L 7–14 2011 Second roundQuarterfinal WoffordMontana W 28–21L 10–48 2014 First roundSecond round Stephen F. AustinIllinois State W 44–10L 21–41 2015 First roundSecond roundQuarterfinal Eastern IllinoisPortland StateNorth Dakota State W 53–17W 29–17L 13–23 2017 First roundSecond round MonmouthSouth Dakota State W 46–7L 22–37 2018 First roundSecond round LamarUC Davis W 16–3L 16–23 2019 First roundSecond roundQuarterfinal San DiegoSouth Dakota StateJames Madison W 17–3W 13–10L 0–17 2021 First round Eastern Washington L 9–19
FCS National Championship games 2005 National Championship 11–4 Appalachian State L 16–21
UNI-Dome The UNI-Dome opened in 1976, as the home of the UNI Panthers football team. The facility's capacity for football is 12,200. At football games, where cold temperatures are frequently an issue for fans, the UNI-Dome announcers will announce "conditions at game time" prior to each game. The announcers will announce the weather in the town where the visiting team is from, the current weather conditions outside the Dome, and then say "Inside - 72 degrees, no wind, welcome to the Dome!" to emphasize the fact that a domed stadium is not affected by the weather. Heading into the 2025 season, the Panthers have a home record of 233–68–1 in the UNI-Dome, having won nearly 80 percent of their games in the UNI-Dome.
All-Americans First Team Selections
Paul Jones, E, 1937 (WR) Paul DeVan, HB, 1949 (AP) Lou Bohnsack, C, 1952 (AP) LeRoy Dunn, T, 1955 (WR) Dick Formanek, T, 1956 (WR) George Asleson, G, 1960 (AP) Jerry Morgan, QB, 1960 (WR) Wendell Williams, G, 1961 (AP) Dan Boals, FB, 1962 (WR) Randy Schultz, FB, 1964 and 1965 (AP) Ray Pedersen, G, 1967 (AP) Mike Timmermans, T, 1975 (AP) Brian Mitchell, PK, 1990 and 1991 (AP) Kenny Shedd, AP, 1992 (AP) William Freeney, LB, 1992 (AP) Andre Allen, LB, 1994 (AP) Dedric Ward, WR, 1995 and 1996 (AP) Eric Harris, LB, 1999 (AP) Brad Meester, C, 1999 (AP) Adam Vogt, LB, 2001 (AP) Mackenzie Hoambrecker, PK, 2002 (AP) Dre Dokes, DB, 2006 (AP) Brannon Carter, LB, 2007 (AP) Chad Rinehart, OL, 2007 (AP) James Ruffin, DL, 2009 (AP) Ben Boothby, DL, 2011 (AP) Michael Schmadeke, PK, 2014 (AP) Jack Rummells, OL, 2014 (AP) Deiondre' Hall, DB, 2015 (AP) Karter Schult, DL, 2016 (AP) Jared Brinkman, DL, 2020-21c and 2021 (AP) Trevor Penning, OL, 2021 (AP) Matthew Cook, 2023, K (AP)
WR=Williamson Ratings; AP=Associated Press;
c - 2020-21 selections include players who played Fall 2020 and teams (such as Northern Iowa) which moved their schedule to Spring 2021 due to COVID
Notable players
Willie Beamon Eddie Berlin Khristian Boyd Spencer Brown Mark Farley L. J. Fort Daurice Fountain Derrick Frost Joe Fuller Mike Furrey Deiondre' Hall Ryan Hannam Austin Howard David Johnson James Jones Brandon Keith Chris Klieman Joshua Mahoney Brad Meester Larry Miller Brian Mitchell Bryce Paup Trevor Penning Chad Rinehart Eric Sanders Benny Sapp Randy Schultz Terrell Sinkfield Varmah Sonie Justin Surrency Tanner Varner Dedric Ward Kurt Warner–Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Xavier Williams Mike Woodley Steve Wright
Future non–conference opponents Announced schedules as of July 2, 2026.
at Eastern Washington Butler at Iowa State at Iowa at Wisconsin at Iowa State Drake at Nebraska Valparaiso Lindenwood at Iowa at Lindenwood
References
External links