BYU football: Cougars coach says these Panthers are no patsies
The results? UNI was drubbed by No. 21 Iowa, 66-0, in 1997. Eight years later, the Panthers dropped a 45-21 decision to the No. 22 Hawkeyes. UNI, which hails from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), is saddled with another large challenge on Saturday — traveling to No. 16 BYU.
The Cougars are not only the highest-ranked FBS team the Panthers have played, but coach Mark Farley calls BYU "the best team we've played."
"Probably why I'm labeling them the best is because of their aspirations going into the season," said Farley. "I mean, they're coming off 11-2 seasons two years in a row."
Farley also refers to Cougars quarterback Max Hall as a "Heisman-type candidate."
All that aside, UNI is looking forward to the challenge. "If we can play to the level we're capable of playing," Farley said, "this will be a good football game."
"We're not going out there to get experience," Panthers defensive end James Ruffin told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. "We're going down there to win."
Meanwhile, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall has been effusive in his praise of the UNI program, which is ranked No. 3 in the FCS preseason poll and posted a 12-1 record last season.
"Northern Iowa is a team that knows how to win. They expect to win," Mendenhall said. "They're very well coached. Coach Farley has done a lot of things there that I could certainly learn from in establishing consistency over time, which is the ultimate goal. I don't think you'll see much difference between Northern Iowa and some of the better teams in our league." ... We think this is a very good opponent."
UNI lost quarterback Eric Sanders, a three-year starter, to graduation, as well as four of its five starting offensive linemen. Stepping into Sanders' spot is 6-foot-2, 230-pound sophomore Pat Grace, a QB in a fullback's body. The strong-armed Grace, who will be making his first collegiate start, has completed 7-of-8 passes in his career as Sanders' backup, while rushing 15 times for 90 yards. The Cougars expect Grace to try to make plays with his legs.
"He's a big guy. You do have to bring your big-boy pads," said linebacker David Nixon. "You don't want to get run over by him."
Recent comments
If you had any brains and looked at the numbers Hall put up as a…
RE: Heisman candidate? Hall? | Aug. 30, 2008 at 12:25 a.m.
to Ridgerunner what do you mean when you say "Consider Michigan'…
huh | Aug. 29, 2008 at 11:23 p.m.
What a slap in the face to all Heisman winners. I'm a BYU season…
Heisman candidate? Hall? | Aug. 29, 2008 at 9:39 p.m.
