GAME NINE || Saturday, October 29 || 1:00 PM
Wayne, Nebraska || Cunningham Field
Upper Iowa University at Wayne State College
Game Notes: Upper Iowa || Wayne State || Northern Sun Weekly Release
Upper Iowa vs.Wayne State Live Options
Radio: AM 950 KOEL - "The Voice" of UIU Football, Joe Stasi, will bring you all the action on northeast Iowa's largest AM radio station. UIU's Director of Sports Communication, Howie Thompson, will add color commentary to the broadcast this week.
Live Webcast (provided by New Media Television)
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This Week in Peacock Football...
Upper Iowa will head out on the road for the second straight weekend as the Peacocks will line up with the Wildcats of Wayne State College in another NSIC South Division contest. The Peacocks will look to win their fourth game of the year after letting one slip away last Saturday at Southwest Minnesota State after leading by ten points early in the second half. A fourth win is something that hasn’t been done in the 21st century. The 1999 squad, which finished 6-4, was the last team to win a fourth ball game in a season. The Wildcats come into the game having lost two straight after winning five games in a row and moving into the top 25 poll. During the win streak, the Wildcats posted a 7-0 victory over #1 Minnesota Duluth.
The Series...
The Peacocks won their first-ever NCAA Division II and Northern Sun contest at Wayne State, 24-14, in 2006. The Wildcats won the yearly meeting in 2007, 2008 and 2009, but last year Upper Iowa won on senior day in Fayette by a 21-20 count to pull their all-time series record against the Wildcats to 2-3. The last time the teams played in Wayne, the Wildcats, ranked #18 at the time, escaped with a 24-21 win despite eight turnovers including five interceptions, two fumbles and a turnover on downs. The Peacocks had a pair of field goals blocked and missed two others in the game that cost them the upset.
Last Meeting...
UIU 21 - WSC 20: On senior day in Fayette last year, the Peacock defense and a junior wide receiver delivered an upset victory in the team’s final home game this season. Upper Iowa blocked a potential game winning field goal for Wayne State with 24 seconds to play to claim the 21-20 win.
Trailing 14-6 at halftime, Jessie Hubbard returned the opening kick 92 yards for a touchdown that pulled UIU within two, 14-12. Hubbard started his return to the middle and was almost taken down at the 20, but he broke out toward the UIU sideline and ran away from the Wildcat pursuers for the score. The Peacocks tied the score on their two-point conversion thanks to a Ben Curran to John Baldwin connection.
Hubbard crossed the goal line again as the clock moved under two minutes to play in the quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Kevin Paulsen recorded his second huge return of the game. His first, a 60-yard return, resulted in a three-play, 17-yard scoring drive in the second quarter. This time Paulsen returned the kick 86 yards to the UIU three-yard line. Nick Pulscher took the first snap off left tackle for what seemed to be a tying score. However, the extra point team for the Wildcats was in disarray as the holder ran onto the field late. The result was a rushed kick and a missed extra point that left the Peacocks with a 21-20 lead as the third quarter came to an end.
The Wildcats took the ball at their own 20-yard line with 2:39 showing on the clock in the final quarter. Quarterback Evan Johnson led the Wildcats 66 yards in 10 plays to set up the potential game winning kick. Johnson hit on five of his seven pass attempts finding Paulsen and Tommy Warren on two occasions each. Wayne State put the kick down at the twenty, but the Peacocks blocked the field goal for the second time in the game. The first block came on a 42-yard attempt in the second quarter when DaeJohn Love sprinted around the edge to knock the ball down.
Hubbard caught 10 passes for 78 yards and added 114 yards in kick returns. Dominique Jackson caught the Peacocks’ first touchdown on a 44-yard bomb from Curran and added two more catches for a total of 71 yards.
The Peacock defense was led by freshman Ethan Douglas and senior Joe Nix, who each recorded 8 tackles. Douglas had 7 solo stops, while Nix had 3 tackles for loss.
Mr. Smith making his mark…
Chris Smith was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week following his third game in a UIU uniform after the school’s Homecoming Game win over MSU Moorhead. Smith has rushed for over 100 yards in four of the seven ball games he has played in. After sitting out most of the Winona State game and all of the Bemidji State contest, he has returned to the field to rush for 462 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 68 carries over the last three weeks including 230 yards last week at Southwest Minnesota State. The huge day ranks third all-time for rushing yards in a game behind Dave Sanger’s 248 in 1969 and T.C. Hicks’ 233 yards in 2007.
He currently ranks 15th in the country and 2nd in the NSIC for rushing yards per game (113.3). His 793 yards this season are just 111 yards shy of reaching into the top eight season totals in Peacock history. He has also moved into the top 100 in the nation in all-purpose yards per game; Smith is tied for 72nd nationally and is 10th in the NSIC with 117 yards/game.
Let the Freshman Lead…
Redshirt freshman quarterback Cole Jaeschke is ranked 29th in the country and 3rd in the NSIC in passing efficiency. He has posted a 141.97 rating through the first eight weeks and is leading the Peacock offense that is ranked 52nd in the country and 3rd in the NSIC in total offense (396.0 yards/game). Jaeschke has completed 59.3% of his passes for 1,699 yards and 9 touchdowns, while rushing for 98 yards on 337 carries. He ranks 66th in the nation and 4th in the NSIC in total offense at 224.6 yards/game.
Keeping Cole Clean…
The UIU offensive line has kept their young signal caller’s uniform clean this season allowing just 7 sacks to rank 9th nationally and 2nd in the NSIC in sacks allowed/game.
Catch him if you can…
Senior wideout Jessie Hubbard is enjoying an outstanding senior season averaging 84.1 receiving yards/game which ranks him 34th in the country and 3rd in the NSIC. The two-time All-NSIC performer has 30 catches for 673 yards and 5 touchdowns including three long td catches (76 yds. 75 yds. and 60 yds.). Hubbard also has 11 rushes for 50 yards and 18 kick returns for 380 yards. The West Palm Beach, Florida native is leading the Peacocks in all-purpose yards and is 38th in the nation and 6th in the NSIC with 137.9 yards per game.
Strong Up the Middle…
Junior Tony Leggett is leading the defense from his middle linebacker position. After missing a game due to injury, Leggett returned to make 9 tackles last week against the Mustangs. Leggett’s 71 tackles tie him for 23rd nationally and 4th most in the NSIC with 10.14/game. Sophomore Ethan Douglas is making his presence felt at strong linebacker as well. His 67 tackles are 89th best in the nation and 9th in the NSIC.
Sandoval... Just Kickin’ It…
Junior Steven Sandoval remains perfect in Peacock blue and white. Sandoval has hit all nine field goal attempts and all twenty-two extra point attempts this season. His 49 points rank him 11th in the NSIC in scoring, while he’s is tied for 27th nationally and 4th in the NSIC in field goals made/game (1.12). His nine triples have eclipsed the old record of field goals made in a season; the old record of 6 was held by Mike DeMuth and Cory Wenthe.
Knowlton Finding the Groove...
Punter Evan Knowlton is finding the groove for the Peacocks. He is currently 68th in the country in net punting with a 33.4 yard average per punt. He is 63rd in the nation in yards per punt with a 38.5 average.
