GAME ELEVEN || SATURDAY, NOV. 14, 2015 || 12:00 PMFAYETTE, IOWA || HARMS-EISCHEID STADIUM#17 UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS AT UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY
LIVE OPTIONS
LIVE STATS || LIVE WEBCAST || NSICSCORES.COM || AM 950 KOEL
WEEKLY NOTES
UPPER IOWA || SIOUX FALLS || NORTHERN SUN || TWO DEEPS
THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa will close out their 2015 regular season on Saturday with a game against the #17 Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls. The Peacocks, who secured their third straight winning season last week, will look to spoil the postseason plans of Sioux Falls, who are currently sitting in the final playoff seat with an 8-2 record. The Cougars boast one of the top offenses in the country averaging 475.2 yards per game with 202 of those yards coming on the ground, but UIU will counter with one of the stiffest run defenses in the nation as teams are averaging less than 90 yards a game on the ground. UIU will recognize and honor ten seniors prior to the game. The group of young men have combined for 20 victories over the last four years and will give their all to make it 21 on Saturday.
THE SERIES... Sioux Falls holds a 2-1 lead in the series which began just three seasons ago. Last November, the Cougars raced out to a 38-0 lead midway through the third quarter en route to a 45-21 victory over Upper Iowa. All of UIU's points came in the final 17 minutes. Two years ago in Fayette,
Chris Smith set the new single-season mark for rushing yards in a season. More importantly the yards and his three touchdowns of 3, 18 and 59 yards fueled UIU to victory, 30-28, over the Cougars. In 2012's wild shootout in South Dakota, which was the first-ever meeting between Upper Iowa and Sioux Falls, the nationally-ranked Cougars jumped all over the Peacocks early taking a 37-0 lead, UIU quarterback
Cole Jaeschke put the team on his right arm and rallied the Peacocks with the greatest passing performance in Upper Iowa history. He threw for 606 yards on 43 completions in 78 attempts, all three setting Peacock records. Sioux Falls held on for a 54-41 win in the series opener.
SENIOR SEND OFF... On Saturday ten Peacock seniors will play their final game at Harms-Eischeid Stadium including
Dakota Basten,
Ryan Bubulka,
Derek Hurschman,
Jake Johnston,
Joe McCaffery,
Cody Nilges,
Brandon Rogers,
Jevell Rollins,
Cole Stephen and
Alex Wahl.
RECORD BREAKER... Junior wide receiver
Jalen Amis broke Upper Iowa's and the Northern Sun Conference's record for receptions in a season with his 12 grabs at Wayne State College last Saturday. The Butte College transfer now has 94 catches this season passing Upper Iowa's
Derek Giesking, who grabbed 93 passes in 2014. His 9.4 catches per game rank 2nd nationally and lead the NSIC. Amis' 757 receiving yards are the 7th most in the conference, while his 6 touchdowns are 11th best in the NSIC.
JUST KICKIN' IT... Kicker
Brady Beuschel knocked in all four of his extra point attempts, as well as the game-tying and game-winning field goals from 30 and 34 yards at Wayne State last Saturday. With the two three-pointers, the redshirt freshman has tied the Upper Iowa record for made field goals in a season with 13; Steven Sandoval kicked set the mark in 2011. Beuschel ranks 18th nationally in both field goals percentage (81.3%, 1st NSIC) and makes per game (1.3, 3rd NSIC). Beuschel has scored 72 points (33-34 XP and 13-16 FG) with a long of 48 yards against Concordia University-St. Paul.
"LAMMERS" AND NAILS... Freshman
Brent Lammers threw for 272 yards and 4 touchdowns in Upper Iowa's come-from-behind, double overtime victory last Saturday. In his three starts for the injured
Dimitri Morales, Lammers has completed 55.9% of his passes (81-145) for 781 yards and 6 touchdowns, while adding 174 rushing yards and a score on 52 carries.
WITNESSES FOR THE DEFENSE... The Peacock defense has been led by a group of veterans and is ranked 7th in NCAA Division II and 2nd in the NSIC in rushing defense allowing just 87.4 yards per game to their opponents. In addition to stone-walling opponents running games, Upper Iowa ranks 18th nationally and leads all of the NSIC teams in tackles for loss with 8.3 per game. Seniors
Alex Wahl,
Cole Stephen and
Jevell Rollins, as well as juniors
Tate Thompson,
Darius Cohen and
Marcus McCoy have been at the forefront of UIU's defensive leaders this season. Wahl and Stephen have recorded 96 (46th NCAA/3rd NSIC) and 89 tackles (7th NSIC), respectively, from their linebacker positions. The pair are also two of the best in the NSIC in getting the job done on their own; Wahl has 52 (55th NCAA/5th NSIC) and Stephen has 43 (9th NSIC). Rollins has registered 51 tackles from the defensive line and Thompson has stopped 52 ball carriers from his safety spot while adding 2 interceptions and a punt return touchdown. Wahl has 17.5 tackles for loss (18th NCAA, 2nd NSIC) and Rollins is close behind with 13.5 behind the line of scrimmage (55th NCAA, 5th NSIC). McCoy and Cohen each have intercepted three passes (5th NSIC) this season at cornerback.
TARGETS ON THEIR BACKS… Wideouts
Jarred Edmonds and
Trey MacTaggart are both enjoying big seasons as well for UIU and haven't slowed down with the change of quarterbacks. MacTaggart has pulled in 57 passes (6th NSIC) for 660 yards (13th NSIC) and 5 touchdowns, while Edmonds has 52 grabs (11th NSIC) for 673 yards (12th NSIC) and 7 touchdowns (t-6th NSIC).
Cameron Lee has also added some big games and has totaled 24 catches for 339 yards.
NCAA Super Region 3 Rankings| 1 | NW Missouri State (MIAA) | 10-0 |
| 2 | Minnesota State (NSIC) | 9-1 |
| 3 | Humboldt State (GNAC) | 8-1 |
| 4 | Henderson State (GAC) | 9-1 |
| 5 | Augustana (NSIC) | 8-2 |
| 6 | Emporia State (MIAA) | 8-2 |
| 7 | Sioux Falls (NSIC) | 8-2 |
| 8 | Central Missouri (MIAA) | 8-2 |
| 9 | Southwest Minnesota State (NSIC) | 7-3 |
| 10 | Western Oregon (GNAC) | 7-2 |
The top seven teams in the final NCAA Super Region Poll next week earn a spot in the postseason... only the number one seed gets a bye in the first round.
