UNI Meets Montana in FCS Quarterfinals
Courtesy: UNI Athletics Communications
Release: Monday 12/05/2011
Release: Monday 12/05/2011
#2/#3 University of Northern Iowa (10-2, 7-1 MVFC) vs.
#5 Montana (10-2, 7-1 Big Sky)
Game #13 • Fri., Dec. 9, 2011 • 7:05 p.m. (Central)
Missoula, Mont. • Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,200/Sprinturf)
Series vs. Montana:
Montana leads, 4-0
Television: ESPN
Radio: Panther Sports Network
UNI FOOTBALL QUICK HITS
• The No. 2-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team will make its 12th NCAA FCS quarterfinal appearance in school history when it meets the No. 5-ranked University of Montana Grizzlies on Fri., Dec. 9. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. (CT) at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Mont. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
• UNI is attempting to reach its eighth semifinal in FCS playoff history on Friday against Montana. UNI holds a 7-4 all-time mark in the quarterfinal round, but is 1-3 in quarterfinal games played on the road.
• The Panthers are making their 16th appearance in the FCS Playoffs and their seventh since head coach Mark Farley took over in 2001.
• With a 23-20 double-overtime win at Illinois State on Nov. 19, UNI locked up a share of its 16th Missouri Valley Football Conference championship and its seventh title since 2001.
• The 2011 season is UNI's sixth season with at least 10 wins since 2001. UNI posted 10 or more victories in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011.
THE GAME
The No. 2-ranked and No. 5-seeded University of Northern Iowa football team will make its 12th NCAA FCS quarterfinal appearance in school history when it meets the No. 5-ranked and No. 4-seeded University of Montana Grizzlies on Fri., Dec. 9. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. (CT) at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Mont.
THE SERIES
This will be the fifth all-time meeting between UNI and Montana. UNI is 0-4 overall against Montana, 0-3 on the road, and 0-2 in the FCS Playoffs.
1981 at Montana L, 42-21
1987 Montana L, 33-16
1994 at Montana* L, 23-20
2001 at Montana** L, 38-0
*NCAA First Round
**NCAA Semifinal
THE COACHES
UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his 11th season at the helm of the Panther sideline. Farley has posted a mark of 99-39 in 11 seasons, which includes seven trips to the NCAA FCS playoffs. Farley has notched a record of 60-20 in MVFC play, which ranks him No. 1 on the all-time league wins chart.
Farley is the winningest postseason coach in UNI history with a record of 10-6.
Robin Pflugrad is in his second season as the head coach of
the Grizzlies. His overall record at Montana is 16-6. Pflugrad was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year in 2011.
TELEVISION
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN. Justin Kutcher (play-by-play) and Tom Luginbill (analyst) will call the game.
RADIO
The game will be broadcast on the Panther Sports Radio Network. Gary Rima (play-by-play) and Scott Peterson (analyst) will call the action.
UNI PANTHERS INSIDE ACCESS
Panther fans will be able to view most of UNI's home football games on www.UNIPanthers.com through UNI Panthers Inside Access. For a nominal fee, fans can get live streamed audio and video of most home games of UNI volleyball, football, men's basketball, women's basketball and wrestling as well as some road contests. To sign up, please go to UNI's official athletic website at www.unipanthers.com and click on the Panthers Inside Access link on the front page.
PANTHER POINTS
SEARCHING FOR THE SEMIS
UNI is attempting to reach its eighth semifinal in FCS playoff history on Friday against Montana. UNI holds a 7-4 all-time mark in the quarterfinal round, but is 1-3 in quarterfinal games played on the road, with the lone win coming in 2005 at No. 1-ranked New Hampshire, 24-21.
UNI's FCS Quarterfinal History
1985 Eastern Washington W, 17-14
1987 Arkansas State W, 49-28
1991 at Marshall L, 41-13
1992 McNeese State W, 29-7
1995 at Marshall L, 41-24
1996 William & Mary W, 38-35
2001 Maine W, 56-28
2003 at Delaware L, 37-7
2005 at New Hampshire W, 24-21
2007 Delaware L, 39-27
2008 New Hampshire W, 36-34
MONTANA GRIZZLIES
Montana holds a 10-2 overall record after a 41-14 second-round playoff victory over Central Arkansas. The Grizzlies earned the automatic bid from the Big Sky Conference with a conference record of 7-1.
Montana's two losses this season came in its opener at Tennessee on Sept. 3 (42-16) and in a Big Sky Conference matchup at Sacramento State on Sept. 24 (42-28). The Grizzlies are 7-0 at home.
GRIZ NOTABLES
Montana is ranked No. 16 in the nation in both rushing offense (215.2 ypg) and rushing defense (114.8 ypg allowed). The Grizzlies average 33.2 points per game and allow 19.8 points per game.
Montana has four players who each have more than 60 carries and 350 yards rushing on the season. Peter Nguyen leads the group with 136 carries for 768 yards. Seven different Grizzlies have at least two rushing touchdowns.
Senior Brody McKnight ranks fourth in the nation with an average of 43.96 yards per punt. As a placekicker, McKnight is 21-of-27 on field goal attempts and 43-of-43 on PATs this year.
PLAYOFF TDs FOR HERRING
For the second time in his career, Jarred Herring caught two touchdown passes in an FCS playoff game. He caught two touchdown scores in a first-round win over Maine in the 2008 playoffs. Herring latched on to two scoring passes in Saturday's 28-21 win over Wofford.
Herring moved into a tie for 10th place on the UNI career list with 17 receiving touchdowns. Brian Baker (1984-87) also tallied 17 scores through the air.
ONE MORE FOR 100
UNI head coach Mark Farley's next win will be the 100th of his career. Farley is 99-39 in 11 seasons at UNI.
RARE FEAT
The Panthers pulled a rare feat in their second-round win over Wofford when they scored two touchdowns without any time running off the clock.
With the score tied at 14-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, David Johnson rushed in from one yard out to give UNI a 21-14 lead with 14:56 on the clock. When the ensuing kickoff was fumbled in the endzone, UNI sophomore receiver Phil Wright recovered for a Panther touchdown without the clock starting, and UNI took a 28-14 lead.
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort was named the national co-Defensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network following UNI's playoff-opening win over Wofford.
Fort registered a game-high 16 tackles in UNI's 28-21 win. Despite yielding 457 yards against Wofford's triple option, the Panthers defense buckled down in the second half and limited the Terriers to one touchdown on six drives.
NO STATISTICAL EDGE
UNI has been outgained 879-429 in total offense over its last two contests. However, a plus-3 turnover margin in those games helped the Panthers to win both.
DEFENSIVE P.O.Y.
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort has been named the 2011 Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Fort tallied 57 points in the voting of league head coaches, sports information directors and media. Cornerback Marcus Williams of North Dakota State took runner-up honors with 41 points.
With Fort taking the honor in 2011, a UNI player has now claimed the award in four of the last five seasons.
Fort joins current UNI head coach Mark Farley (1985), William Freeney (1991, 1992), Andre Allen (1993, 1994), Adam Vogt (2001), Brannon Carter (2007), and James Ruffin (2008, 2009) in the rich history of Panthers who have claimed the league's top defensive honor.
RECORD BREAKER
With 167 total tackles through 12 games, Fort is only five stops shy of setting the UNI school record for most tackles in a season. His 339 career tackles are the fifth-most ever by a Panther.
UNI's Top-10 Season Tackles List
1. Joe Anderson (1981) 170
2. L.J. Fort (2011) 167
3. Peter Burns (1992) 163
4. Adam Vogt (2001) 160
5. Matt Pedersen (1999) 150
T6. Reed Hunemuller (1978) 141
T6. William Freeney (1992) 141
8. Josh Mahoney (2008) 139
9. Ryan Doak (2000) 138
10. Darin Heideman (2005) 137
UNI's Top-10 Career Tackles List
1. Ryan Doak (1997-2000) 453
2. Matt Pedersen (1996-99) 426
3. Joe Anderson (1979-82) 380
4. Andre Allen (1991-94) 358
5. L.J. Fort (2008-present) 339
6. Paul Wolf (1991-94) 327
7. Reed Hunemuller (1975-78) 303
8. William Freeney (1989-92) 300
9. Bryce Paup (1986-89) 298
T10. Jason McCleary (1991-94) 296
T10. Casey Tierney (2000-03) 296
NATIONAL CALIBER
Fort leads the nation in total tackles (167) and tackles per game (13.92). He has posted at least 10 stops in every game this season and 12 or more tackles on 10 different occasions.
ACCURACY COUNTS
UNI sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen has been the second-most accurate field goal kicker in all of Division I football (FBS and FCS combined) in 2011. Sievertsen has made 17-of-19 field goals (89.5 percent).
Ryan Estep of Norfolk State (20-of-22) is the only kicker in the nation with more than 11 FGs made who has a higher percentage.
44 CONSECUTIVE KICKS
Between field goal attempts and PATs, Sievertsen converted a string of 44 consecutive attempts before missing a 47-yard field goal against Wofford on Dec. 3. Prior to that, his only miss of the season came on a 42-yard try against Western Illinois on Sept. 24.
Eight of Sievertsen's 17 field goals have come from 40 yards or further.
BEST IN THE RED ZONE
UNI is No. 1 in the nation in Red Zone scoring efficiency. The Panthers are 37-for-39 (94.9 percent) in Red Zone scoring opportunities this year. UNI has scored 27 TDs and has kicked 10 FGs in the Red Zone.
Last season, UNI converted 67 percent (30-of-45) of its trips in the Red Zone, including 38 percent for TDs (17-of-45).
NOT THROWING PICKS
UNI's season total of only three interceptions thrown is one of the best marks in school history. Only the 1957 and 1955 UNI squads threw fewer picks in a year, with each team throwing two interceptions.
Since 1985, the fewest interceptions thrown in a season by the Panthers came in 2007 when they had six.
INTERCEPTION MARGIN
UNI's mark of 18 defensive interceptions to 3 interceptions thrown (plus-15) is tied for the second-best mark in the FCS. Sam Houston State leads with a plus-16 margin.
INTs ARE KEY
Keyed by 18 interceptions this season, UNI leads the MVFC in pass efficiency defense (114.04 rating) and turnover margin (plus-1.42 per game). The Panthers are fourth in the nation in turnover margin.
UNI has 30 takeaways and 13 turnovers in 2011.
TOUGH TO SCORE
UNI is ranked No. 4 in the nation in scoring defense, allowing an average of 16.58 points per game. Four of the top five teams in scoring defense (No. 1 Sam Houston State, No. 2 North Dakota State, No. 4 UNI and No. 5 Norfolk State) qualified for the FCS Playoffs.
SECOND HALF SHUTDOWN
UNI has been especially stingy in the second half of games when it comes to giving up points this season. The Panthers have given up only 67 second-half points this season for an average of 5.6 points/game. UNI holds a 162-67 edge in second-half scoring.
UNI has allowed only 13 total points in the third quarter of games, outscoring its opponents by a 79-13 margin in the third quarter.
BIG CHUNKS OF YARDAGE
UNI has two players who rank among the FCS active career leaders in yards per carry. Quarterback Tirrell Rennie is No. 11 on the list with an average of 5.46 yards per carry, and running back Carlos Anderson is No. 14 on the list at 5.36 yards per carry.
RUSHING RENNIE
With 100 yards at Illinois State (11/19), senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie surpassed 2,000 rushing yards for his career at UNI. Rennie has racked up 2,125 yards in only 23 career games, and he is averaging 5.46 yards per carry for his career.
Rennie is eighth on the UNI career rushing touchdowns list with 24. One more TD will tie him with Errol Peebles (1985-88) for seventh on the all-time list.
CARLOS APPROACHES 2,000
Junior running back Carlos Anderson needs 104 rushing yards to reach the 2,000-yard mark for his career.
AGAINST THE SOCON
With a second-round victory over Wofford in the FCS Playoffs, UNI earned its first win against a team from the Southern Conference.
ALL-PURPOSE PERFORMER
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson has recorded 100 or more all-purpose yards in seven of UNI's 12 games this season.
FARLEY AGAINST THE BEST
Since taking over as UNI head coach before the 2001 season, UNI head coach Mark Farley holds a record of 13-11 against Top-10 teams and a mark of 33-19 against Top-25 teams.
UNI's last win vs. a top-10 team was a 36-34 win over No. 10 New Hampshire on Dec. 6, 2008, in the NCAA FCS quarterfinals.
UNI AGAINST THE BEST
UNI has the most wins in MVFC history against ranked FCS opponents, with a 68-42 mark all-time.
The Panthers are 4-1 this season against ranked FCS opponents with victories against No. 12 Wofford, No. 14 Illinois State, No. 16 Stephen F. Austin and No. 17 Indiana State.
NOSE FOR THE BALL
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort ranks No. 2 the nation with six forced fumbles in 12 games, and he is tied for No. 4 among active FCS players with eight forced fumbles in his career.
PAIR OF RUNNERS-UP
UNI had two players finish as runners-up in the MVFC balloting for specialty awards. Senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie finished as the runner-up for Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, and redshirt freshman running back David Johnson finished second in the voting for MVFC Freshman of the Year.
Shakir Bell of Indiana State was the league's Offensive Player of the Year, while Austin Sumner of South Dakota State was the MVFC Freshman of the Year.
FINAL FOUR
Four Panthers are finalists for the top three FCS individual awards presented by The Sports Network. UNI's four finalists are the most in the nation for a single school.
Senior linebacker L.J. Fort and senior defensive lineman Ben Boothby are among the 20 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award (given to the top defensive player in FCS), senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie is on the ballot for the Walter Payton Award (top player in FCS), and redshirt freshman running back David Johnson is a contender for the inaugural Jerry Rice Award (top freshman in FCS).
SPOTTING SOME POINTS
On seven different occasions this season, UNI has allowed the opposition to score first. However, UNI has come back to win each of those games, holding a 7-0 record in that situation. UNI is 3-2 when it scores first this season.
FORT, SIEVERTSEN RECOGNIZED
Following a 23-20, double-overtime victory at No. 14 Illinois State on Nov. 19, L.J. Fort was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week and sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
At Illinois State, Fort had a game for the record books. He racked up a career-high 22 total tackles in the contest, including nine solo stops and 1.5 TFL. Trailing 6-3 with 2:52 left in the third quarter, Fort forced his sixth fumble of the season and the recovery led to a UNI scoring drive.
Sievertsen's three field goals and 11 total points carried UNI to a share of the MVFC title. He connected on field goal tries of 38, 40 and 36 yards and was also 2-of-2 on PATs.
Trailing 13-10 in the fourth quarter, Sievertsen converted a 40-yard field goal attempt into a stiff wind to tie the game and force overtime with only five seconds remaining. In the second overtime period, his 36-yard field goal served as the game-winner.
HALF THE PLAYS
In its 23-20, double-overtime, come-from-behind victory at Illinois State on Nov. 19, UNI found a way to win while only running half as many plays as the Redbirds.
Illinois State ran 100 offensive plays in the game, while UNI only managed 50. The Panthers were outgained 401-191 in the contest.
RENNIE IN MVFC PLAY
In seven MVFC games this season, senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie was a combined 93-of-140 passing for a 66.4 percent completion rate. He has thrown for 1,184 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception in conference play.
JOHNSON COMFORTABLE IN THE ENDZONE
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson has racked up 12 touchdowns in his first 12 career games. David Horne owns the UNI record for touchdowns in a season with 19 in 2005.
MITCHELL AWARD FINALIST
UNI sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen has been named one of ten finalists for the Fred Mitchell Award presented annually to a Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, NAIA or NJCAA placekicker who excels on the football field and in the community.
The winner of the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award will be announced December 15, and he will be honored on February 20, 2012, at the National Football Foundation Chicago Chapter Awards Ceremony at Halas Hall.
#5 Montana (10-2, 7-1 Big Sky)
Game #13 • Fri., Dec. 9, 2011 • 7:05 p.m. (Central)
Missoula, Mont. • Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,200/Sprinturf)
Series vs. Montana:
Montana leads, 4-0
Television: ESPN
Radio: Panther Sports Network
UNI FOOTBALL QUICK HITS
• The No. 2-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team will make its 12th NCAA FCS quarterfinal appearance in school history when it meets the No. 5-ranked University of Montana Grizzlies on Fri., Dec. 9. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. (CT) at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Mont. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
• UNI is attempting to reach its eighth semifinal in FCS playoff history on Friday against Montana. UNI holds a 7-4 all-time mark in the quarterfinal round, but is 1-3 in quarterfinal games played on the road.
• The Panthers are making their 16th appearance in the FCS Playoffs and their seventh since head coach Mark Farley took over in 2001.
• With a 23-20 double-overtime win at Illinois State on Nov. 19, UNI locked up a share of its 16th Missouri Valley Football Conference championship and its seventh title since 2001.
• The 2011 season is UNI's sixth season with at least 10 wins since 2001. UNI posted 10 or more victories in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011.
- UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort has been named the 2011 Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie was the league's runner-up for Offensive Player of the Year.
- UNI's mark of 18 defensive interceptions to 3 interceptions thrown (plus-15) is tied for the second-best mark in the FCS.
- UNI sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen has been the second-most accurate field goal kicker in all of Division I football (FBS and FCS combined) in 2011. Sievertsen has made 17-of-19 field goals (89.5 percent). Only one other kicker in the nation with more than 11 FGs made has a higher percentage.
- UNI head coach Mark Farley is second on the Panthers' all-time win list with 99 career victories. Farley now trails only Stan Sheriff's 129 wins, which he accomplished from 1960-82.
- UNI has posted an all-time record of 620-382-47 since the inception of Panther football in 1895.
THE GAME
The No. 2-ranked and No. 5-seeded University of Northern Iowa football team will make its 12th NCAA FCS quarterfinal appearance in school history when it meets the No. 5-ranked and No. 4-seeded University of Montana Grizzlies on Fri., Dec. 9. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. (CT) at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Mont.
THE SERIES
This will be the fifth all-time meeting between UNI and Montana. UNI is 0-4 overall against Montana, 0-3 on the road, and 0-2 in the FCS Playoffs.
1981 at Montana L, 42-21
1987 Montana L, 33-16
1994 at Montana* L, 23-20
2001 at Montana** L, 38-0
*NCAA First Round
**NCAA Semifinal
THE COACHES
UNI head coach Mark Farley is in his 11th season at the helm of the Panther sideline. Farley has posted a mark of 99-39 in 11 seasons, which includes seven trips to the NCAA FCS playoffs. Farley has notched a record of 60-20 in MVFC play, which ranks him No. 1 on the all-time league wins chart.
Farley is the winningest postseason coach in UNI history with a record of 10-6.
Robin Pflugrad is in his second season as the head coach of
the Grizzlies. His overall record at Montana is 16-6. Pflugrad was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year in 2011.
TELEVISION
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN. Justin Kutcher (play-by-play) and Tom Luginbill (analyst) will call the game.
RADIO
The game will be broadcast on the Panther Sports Radio Network. Gary Rima (play-by-play) and Scott Peterson (analyst) will call the action.
UNI PANTHERS INSIDE ACCESS
Panther fans will be able to view most of UNI's home football games on www.UNIPanthers.com through UNI Panthers Inside Access. For a nominal fee, fans can get live streamed audio and video of most home games of UNI volleyball, football, men's basketball, women's basketball and wrestling as well as some road contests. To sign up, please go to UNI's official athletic website at www.unipanthers.com and click on the Panthers Inside Access link on the front page.
PANTHER POINTS
SEARCHING FOR THE SEMIS
UNI is attempting to reach its eighth semifinal in FCS playoff history on Friday against Montana. UNI holds a 7-4 all-time mark in the quarterfinal round, but is 1-3 in quarterfinal games played on the road, with the lone win coming in 2005 at No. 1-ranked New Hampshire, 24-21.
UNI's FCS Quarterfinal History
1985 Eastern Washington W, 17-14
1987 Arkansas State W, 49-28
1991 at Marshall L, 41-13
1992 McNeese State W, 29-7
1995 at Marshall L, 41-24
1996 William & Mary W, 38-35
2001 Maine W, 56-28
2003 at Delaware L, 37-7
2005 at New Hampshire W, 24-21
2007 Delaware L, 39-27
2008 New Hampshire W, 36-34
MONTANA GRIZZLIES
Montana holds a 10-2 overall record after a 41-14 second-round playoff victory over Central Arkansas. The Grizzlies earned the automatic bid from the Big Sky Conference with a conference record of 7-1.
Montana's two losses this season came in its opener at Tennessee on Sept. 3 (42-16) and in a Big Sky Conference matchup at Sacramento State on Sept. 24 (42-28). The Grizzlies are 7-0 at home.
GRIZ NOTABLES
Montana is ranked No. 16 in the nation in both rushing offense (215.2 ypg) and rushing defense (114.8 ypg allowed). The Grizzlies average 33.2 points per game and allow 19.8 points per game.
Montana has four players who each have more than 60 carries and 350 yards rushing on the season. Peter Nguyen leads the group with 136 carries for 768 yards. Seven different Grizzlies have at least two rushing touchdowns.
Senior Brody McKnight ranks fourth in the nation with an average of 43.96 yards per punt. As a placekicker, McKnight is 21-of-27 on field goal attempts and 43-of-43 on PATs this year.
PLAYOFF TDs FOR HERRING
For the second time in his career, Jarred Herring caught two touchdown passes in an FCS playoff game. He caught two touchdown scores in a first-round win over Maine in the 2008 playoffs. Herring latched on to two scoring passes in Saturday's 28-21 win over Wofford.
Herring moved into a tie for 10th place on the UNI career list with 17 receiving touchdowns. Brian Baker (1984-87) also tallied 17 scores through the air.
ONE MORE FOR 100
UNI head coach Mark Farley's next win will be the 100th of his career. Farley is 99-39 in 11 seasons at UNI.
RARE FEAT
The Panthers pulled a rare feat in their second-round win over Wofford when they scored two touchdowns without any time running off the clock.
With the score tied at 14-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, David Johnson rushed in from one yard out to give UNI a 21-14 lead with 14:56 on the clock. When the ensuing kickoff was fumbled in the endzone, UNI sophomore receiver Phil Wright recovered for a Panther touchdown without the clock starting, and UNI took a 28-14 lead.
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort was named the national co-Defensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network following UNI's playoff-opening win over Wofford.
Fort registered a game-high 16 tackles in UNI's 28-21 win. Despite yielding 457 yards against Wofford's triple option, the Panthers defense buckled down in the second half and limited the Terriers to one touchdown on six drives.
NO STATISTICAL EDGE
UNI has been outgained 879-429 in total offense over its last two contests. However, a plus-3 turnover margin in those games helped the Panthers to win both.
DEFENSIVE P.O.Y.
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort has been named the 2011 Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Fort tallied 57 points in the voting of league head coaches, sports information directors and media. Cornerback Marcus Williams of North Dakota State took runner-up honors with 41 points.
With Fort taking the honor in 2011, a UNI player has now claimed the award in four of the last five seasons.
Fort joins current UNI head coach Mark Farley (1985), William Freeney (1991, 1992), Andre Allen (1993, 1994), Adam Vogt (2001), Brannon Carter (2007), and James Ruffin (2008, 2009) in the rich history of Panthers who have claimed the league's top defensive honor.
RECORD BREAKER
With 167 total tackles through 12 games, Fort is only five stops shy of setting the UNI school record for most tackles in a season. His 339 career tackles are the fifth-most ever by a Panther.
UNI's Top-10 Season Tackles List
1. Joe Anderson (1981) 170
2. L.J. Fort (2011) 167
3. Peter Burns (1992) 163
4. Adam Vogt (2001) 160
5. Matt Pedersen (1999) 150
T6. Reed Hunemuller (1978) 141
T6. William Freeney (1992) 141
8. Josh Mahoney (2008) 139
9. Ryan Doak (2000) 138
10. Darin Heideman (2005) 137
UNI's Top-10 Career Tackles List
1. Ryan Doak (1997-2000) 453
2. Matt Pedersen (1996-99) 426
3. Joe Anderson (1979-82) 380
4. Andre Allen (1991-94) 358
5. L.J. Fort (2008-present) 339
6. Paul Wolf (1991-94) 327
7. Reed Hunemuller (1975-78) 303
8. William Freeney (1989-92) 300
9. Bryce Paup (1986-89) 298
T10. Jason McCleary (1991-94) 296
T10. Casey Tierney (2000-03) 296
NATIONAL CALIBER
Fort leads the nation in total tackles (167) and tackles per game (13.92). He has posted at least 10 stops in every game this season and 12 or more tackles on 10 different occasions.
ACCURACY COUNTS
UNI sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen has been the second-most accurate field goal kicker in all of Division I football (FBS and FCS combined) in 2011. Sievertsen has made 17-of-19 field goals (89.5 percent).
Ryan Estep of Norfolk State (20-of-22) is the only kicker in the nation with more than 11 FGs made who has a higher percentage.
44 CONSECUTIVE KICKS
Between field goal attempts and PATs, Sievertsen converted a string of 44 consecutive attempts before missing a 47-yard field goal against Wofford on Dec. 3. Prior to that, his only miss of the season came on a 42-yard try against Western Illinois on Sept. 24.
Eight of Sievertsen's 17 field goals have come from 40 yards or further.
BEST IN THE RED ZONE
UNI is No. 1 in the nation in Red Zone scoring efficiency. The Panthers are 37-for-39 (94.9 percent) in Red Zone scoring opportunities this year. UNI has scored 27 TDs and has kicked 10 FGs in the Red Zone.
Last season, UNI converted 67 percent (30-of-45) of its trips in the Red Zone, including 38 percent for TDs (17-of-45).
NOT THROWING PICKS
UNI's season total of only three interceptions thrown is one of the best marks in school history. Only the 1957 and 1955 UNI squads threw fewer picks in a year, with each team throwing two interceptions.
Since 1985, the fewest interceptions thrown in a season by the Panthers came in 2007 when they had six.
INTERCEPTION MARGIN
UNI's mark of 18 defensive interceptions to 3 interceptions thrown (plus-15) is tied for the second-best mark in the FCS. Sam Houston State leads with a plus-16 margin.
INTs ARE KEY
Keyed by 18 interceptions this season, UNI leads the MVFC in pass efficiency defense (114.04 rating) and turnover margin (plus-1.42 per game). The Panthers are fourth in the nation in turnover margin.
UNI has 30 takeaways and 13 turnovers in 2011.
TOUGH TO SCORE
UNI is ranked No. 4 in the nation in scoring defense, allowing an average of 16.58 points per game. Four of the top five teams in scoring defense (No. 1 Sam Houston State, No. 2 North Dakota State, No. 4 UNI and No. 5 Norfolk State) qualified for the FCS Playoffs.
SECOND HALF SHUTDOWN
UNI has been especially stingy in the second half of games when it comes to giving up points this season. The Panthers have given up only 67 second-half points this season for an average of 5.6 points/game. UNI holds a 162-67 edge in second-half scoring.
UNI has allowed only 13 total points in the third quarter of games, outscoring its opponents by a 79-13 margin in the third quarter.
BIG CHUNKS OF YARDAGE
UNI has two players who rank among the FCS active career leaders in yards per carry. Quarterback Tirrell Rennie is No. 11 on the list with an average of 5.46 yards per carry, and running back Carlos Anderson is No. 14 on the list at 5.36 yards per carry.
RUSHING RENNIE
With 100 yards at Illinois State (11/19), senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie surpassed 2,000 rushing yards for his career at UNI. Rennie has racked up 2,125 yards in only 23 career games, and he is averaging 5.46 yards per carry for his career.
Rennie is eighth on the UNI career rushing touchdowns list with 24. One more TD will tie him with Errol Peebles (1985-88) for seventh on the all-time list.
CARLOS APPROACHES 2,000
Junior running back Carlos Anderson needs 104 rushing yards to reach the 2,000-yard mark for his career.
AGAINST THE SOCON
With a second-round victory over Wofford in the FCS Playoffs, UNI earned its first win against a team from the Southern Conference.
ALL-PURPOSE PERFORMER
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson has recorded 100 or more all-purpose yards in seven of UNI's 12 games this season.
FARLEY AGAINST THE BEST
Since taking over as UNI head coach before the 2001 season, UNI head coach Mark Farley holds a record of 13-11 against Top-10 teams and a mark of 33-19 against Top-25 teams.
UNI's last win vs. a top-10 team was a 36-34 win over No. 10 New Hampshire on Dec. 6, 2008, in the NCAA FCS quarterfinals.
UNI AGAINST THE BEST
UNI has the most wins in MVFC history against ranked FCS opponents, with a 68-42 mark all-time.
The Panthers are 4-1 this season against ranked FCS opponents with victories against No. 12 Wofford, No. 14 Illinois State, No. 16 Stephen F. Austin and No. 17 Indiana State.
NOSE FOR THE BALL
UNI senior linebacker L.J. Fort ranks No. 2 the nation with six forced fumbles in 12 games, and he is tied for No. 4 among active FCS players with eight forced fumbles in his career.
PAIR OF RUNNERS-UP
UNI had two players finish as runners-up in the MVFC balloting for specialty awards. Senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie finished as the runner-up for Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, and redshirt freshman running back David Johnson finished second in the voting for MVFC Freshman of the Year.
Shakir Bell of Indiana State was the league's Offensive Player of the Year, while Austin Sumner of South Dakota State was the MVFC Freshman of the Year.
FINAL FOUR
Four Panthers are finalists for the top three FCS individual awards presented by The Sports Network. UNI's four finalists are the most in the nation for a single school.
Senior linebacker L.J. Fort and senior defensive lineman Ben Boothby are among the 20 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award (given to the top defensive player in FCS), senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie is on the ballot for the Walter Payton Award (top player in FCS), and redshirt freshman running back David Johnson is a contender for the inaugural Jerry Rice Award (top freshman in FCS).
SPOTTING SOME POINTS
On seven different occasions this season, UNI has allowed the opposition to score first. However, UNI has come back to win each of those games, holding a 7-0 record in that situation. UNI is 3-2 when it scores first this season.
FORT, SIEVERTSEN RECOGNIZED
Following a 23-20, double-overtime victory at No. 14 Illinois State on Nov. 19, L.J. Fort was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week and sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
At Illinois State, Fort had a game for the record books. He racked up a career-high 22 total tackles in the contest, including nine solo stops and 1.5 TFL. Trailing 6-3 with 2:52 left in the third quarter, Fort forced his sixth fumble of the season and the recovery led to a UNI scoring drive.
Sievertsen's three field goals and 11 total points carried UNI to a share of the MVFC title. He connected on field goal tries of 38, 40 and 36 yards and was also 2-of-2 on PATs.
Trailing 13-10 in the fourth quarter, Sievertsen converted a 40-yard field goal attempt into a stiff wind to tie the game and force overtime with only five seconds remaining. In the second overtime period, his 36-yard field goal served as the game-winner.
HALF THE PLAYS
In its 23-20, double-overtime, come-from-behind victory at Illinois State on Nov. 19, UNI found a way to win while only running half as many plays as the Redbirds.
Illinois State ran 100 offensive plays in the game, while UNI only managed 50. The Panthers were outgained 401-191 in the contest.
RENNIE IN MVFC PLAY
In seven MVFC games this season, senior quarterback Tirrell Rennie was a combined 93-of-140 passing for a 66.4 percent completion rate. He has thrown for 1,184 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception in conference play.
JOHNSON COMFORTABLE IN THE ENDZONE
Redshirt freshman running back David Johnson has racked up 12 touchdowns in his first 12 career games. David Horne owns the UNI record for touchdowns in a season with 19 in 2005.
MITCHELL AWARD FINALIST
UNI sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen has been named one of ten finalists for the Fred Mitchell Award presented annually to a Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, NAIA or NJCAA placekicker who excels on the football field and in the community.
The winner of the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award will be announced December 15, and he will be honored on February 20, 2012, at the National Football Foundation Chicago Chapter Awards Ceremony at Halas Hall.
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