GAME EIGHT || SATURDAY, OCT. 22, 2016 || 3:07 PM
FAYETTE, IOWA || HARMS-EISCHEID STADIUM
UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS VS. AUGUSTANA VIKINGS

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THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa welcomes the Vikings of Augustana University to Harms-Eischeid Stadium on Saturday on Salute to Service Day in Fayette.  The Peacocks got in the win column in the NSIC South with their first victory at Concordia University, St. Paul, while the Vikings enter the match up after a 42-35 loss at home to Minnesota State University, Mankato; each team is 1-2 in the division. Possession downs will be key as Augie is converting 56% of their third downs. Augustana will rely on their prolific quarterback Trey Heid, who missed the game last time Augustana was in Fayette in 2014.  The Peacocks took advantage forcing 7 Augie turnovers. UIU's defense will look to force giveaways on Saturday like they did a week ago to fuel the upset over Augustana.

 

ALWAYS A PEACOCK... Today the Peacocks salute all that serve in our great nation and are proud to wear a helmet sticker in honor of Steve Owen, the father of former Peacock football players Chadd and Brandon. Owen was a sergeant in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department who was killed in the line of duty on Oct. 5. Sergeant Owen was no stranger to Fayette. He had been with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department for 29 years and was recognized during his career with the agency's highest honor for courage.
 
THE SERIES... Augustana won the first seven match ups with Upper Iowa after the series began in 2005. UIU put an end to that streak and earned their first win over the Vikings in 2014. The Peacocks found themselves trailing and in a familiar position with Augustana heading into the final quarter two seasons ago in Fayette, but this time Upper Iowa wrote a different ending to the story. The Peacocks scored 15 unanswered points in the final quarter to rally and pull ahead of Augie by six points.  UIU's defense stood up on the Vikings' final drive coming up with an interception, their sixth of the day, in the end zone. Last season, Augie claimed a 41-20 win in Sioux Falls and an 8-1 advantage in the series.
 
MR. "BELVIDERE"... Freshman linebacker Eric Munoz was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week following UIU's win last saturday. Munoz intercepted a pass on Concordia University, St. Paul's opening drive and returned it 29 yards to set up UIU's first touchdown. In just his third game and second start of the season, Munoz led the way for the UIU defense with 13 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. The interception came on a second and ten for Concordia-St. Paul; Munoz made the play on the ball and then returned it 29 yards to the CSP 34-yard line.  Upper Iowa converted the turnover into the game's first touchdown eight plays later and set the tone at Sea Foam Stadium. The Belvidere, Ill. product played a major role in UIU's success against the Golden Bear rushing attack; UIU held their hosts to just 30 yards on the ground on Saturday. Munoz has 21 tackles with 10 solo stops and 3 tackles for loss with a sack.
 
BREAKING THROUGH THE LINE… The Peacocks have broken through opponent lines to block 5 kicks, which rank 5th in the country and 2nd in the Northern Sun, this season including three field goals, an extra point and a punt.  Zach Ries and Joe Busch have registered a pair of blocks each to tie for the 6th highest total in the nation and top marks in the NSIC, while Alex VanGerpen got his hands on a punt against Minot State.
 
PUT THE FLAGS AWAY THIS WEEK… Both Augustana and Upper Iowa have kept the field clean this season with the second and third least penalties in the Northern Sun Conference. Nationally, the Vikings are ranked 22nd with only 37 penalties on the season, while the Peacocks are ranked 26th in the country with their 39 penalties.  Augustana has lost 297 yards on their miscues and Upper Iowa has gone 307 yards backwards; both are averaging less than 44 yards penalized per game.
 
A TALE OF TWO RED ZONES… The Peacocks have had different results in the red zone this season depending on whether they have the ball or their opponents do.  Upper Iowa is holding their opponents to a 63% success rate of scoring in the red zone, which is the 21st lowest percentage in the nation and best rate in the Northern Sun.  The Peacocks have allowed 13 touchdowns and 4 field goals in their opponent's 27 trips inside the 20-yard line.  Conversely, UIU had struggled inside their opponent's 20-yard line prior to last week's win at Concordia-St. Paul when they converted points on all five trips in the red zone with three touchdowns and a pair of field goals.  UIU has now converted on 61.5% of their trips into the red zone (15th NSIC) with 13 touchdowns and three field goal in their 16 trips inside the 20.
 
MEET ME IN THE BACKFIELD… The Peacock defense has been living in opponent's backfields.  Upper Iowa is 23rd nationally and 3rd in the conference in sacks/game and 22nd in the nation and 1st in the NSIC in tackles for loss/game.  UIU has recorded 22 sacks and 60 tackles for loss after adding 5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss versus the Golden Bears last Saturday. The team is led by Jojo Simpson with 10 tackles for loss (41st NCAA/2nd NSIC) and 5.5 sacks (33rd NCAA/4th NSIC), Zach Gardner with 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks and Zach Ries with 7.5 tackles for loss (7th NSIC) and 2.5 sacks.
 
THE BROADCAST TEAM... Play-by-play announcer, and Upper Iowa alum, Joe Stasi is in his 14th consecutive season as the "Voice of the Peacocks" and 16th overall. This week he will be joined by Chris Shaw, who graduated from Upper Iowa with a Bachelor's degree in sports communication and a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration.  He also worked in the UIU sports communication office for six years during his undergrad and graduate time in Fayette. The AM 950 KOEL and webcast pre-game show is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., while the KCRG 9.2 broadcast is slated to start at 3 p.m.