GAME SEVEN || SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 2017 || 5 PM
FAYETTE, IOWA || HARMS-EISCHEID STADIUM
UPPER IOWA VS. #4 MINNESOTA STATE

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THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa will play at Harms-Eischeid Stadium for the second consecutive week as they host the #4 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Both teams are coming off key victories, as the Mavericks remained unbeaten with a 42-21 home win against Augustana, and moved up a spot in the national rankings. The Peacocks picked up a 34-29 victory over the Golden Bears of Concordia-St. Paul, and held a two-score lead twice in the process. UIU is now 4-2 through six games, and picked up their first NSIC South win as well. This week's game can be seen online via a live webcast option or through the Stretch Internet app on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple or Android TV. In eastern Iowa, you can listen to the game on AM 950 KOEL and watch on KCRG TV 9.2.
 
THE SERIES... The Mavericks have won all eleven meetings in the series, which began in 2004 and 2005 when Upper Iowa was moving up to NCAA Division II and then restarted when Minnesota State gained membership in the Northern Sun Conference prior to the 2008 season.  The Peacocks have struggled to score over the years against Minnesota State averaging just 11.1 points per game. In 2014, the Peacocks held a 14-7 lead after the first quarter, but dropped a 45-14 decision. Two seasons ago in Fayette, UIU led 10-7 at halftime, only to surrender 31 second-half points to lose 38-10. The Peacocks held a first half lead over the Mavericks for the third straight year during last season's matchup in Mankato, Minn. The difference was that UIU stayed close throughout the second half. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Peacocks pulled with five, 26-21. Minnesota State didn't let Upper Iowa get any closer though as the Mavericks scored a final touchdown with just over four minutes to play in the game securing a 33-23 victory.
 
NSIC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK... Redshirt junior Jesse Vizzini is the NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week. Vizzini returned a punt for a touchdown that gave Upper Iowa the breathing room they needed to secure a 34-29 win on Salute to Service Night. Vizzini took a Golden Bear punt on one-hop in the fourth quarter and returned it 82-yards for the final Peacock touchdown. The return put Upper Iowa ahead 34-22 and provided the home team with the cushion they needed to preserve a victory. Vizzini is 9th in the Northern Sun in combined kick return yards with 243, but more importantly is ranked 24th in the nation and 4th in the NSIC in punt return average at 12.3 yards/return.
 
CENTURY MARK IN SIGHT... Senior kicker Brady Beuschel owns the career marks in both field goals (19) and extra-points (97) and now needs just three made extra points to become the first kicker at UIU to hit the century mark.
 
GRINDING IT OUT... Fans of the passing game may not get a lot out of Saturday's contest with the Mavericks. The two teams are ranked as the top two rushing offenses in the Northern Sun and combine for an average of 545 yards/game including 318 yards on the ground (2nd NCAA) for nationally-ranked Minnesota State and 227 yards/game (17th NCAA) for Upper Iowa. Junior running back Ryan Parmely crossed the 1,000-yard mark in his career last week for UIU.
 
CROSSING ENEMY LINES... Upper Iowa has recorded 45 tackles for a loss (33rd NCAA/4th NSIC) of 196 yards led by a trio of Peacock tacklers. Jojo Simpson has 6.5 tackles for loss (7th NSIC) including 3 sacks (7th NSIC), while Jesse Hynek has 5.5 tackles for loss with a pair of sacks and Mitchel Siech has posted 5 tackles for loss including 2 sacks. The defense is averaging 3.0 sacks per game which ranks 21st nationally and 2nd in the Northern Sun.
 
SHARING THE LOAD... Six Peacock defenders have registered at least 25 tackles including Keith Schwickerath (42), Jordan Rommes (39), Mitchel Siech (35), Nic Patterson (32), Tate Thompson (30) and Tanner Thompson (27). Rommes has added 3 interceptions to his tally sheet, while Schwickerath has three punt blocks and a touchdown on the season.
 
HE WENT TO "JARRED"... Senior wideout Jarred Edmonds is quarterback Brent Lammers leading target this season. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa product has 35 catches for 547 yards and 5 scores this season and has pulled in 147 catches (11th all-time at UIU) for 1,863 yards (8th) and 19 touchdowns (T-6th) in his three seasons in Peacock blue and white.
 
THE BROADCAST TEAM... Play-by-play announcer, and Upper Iowa alum, Joe Stasi is in his 15th consecutive season as the "Voice of the Peacocks" and 17th 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 pre-game show is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.