GAME FOUR || THURSDAY, SEPT. 21, 2017 || 7 PM
FAYETTE, IOWA || HARMS-EISCHEID STADIUM
UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS VS. U-MARY MARAUDERS
 
THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa returns to Harms-Eischeid Stadium for the final NSIC cross-division game against the University of Mary. The Peacocks and Marauders will be featured as the NSIC Thursday Night Game of the Week broadcast live on the Midco Sports Network in North Dakota, South Dakota and parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Fans in eastern Iowa will also be able to see the game on KCRG 9.2. Live stats and a live webcast are available on computer or through the Stretch Internet app on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple or Android TV. An audio broadcast on AM 950 KOEL will be available for the game.
 
THE SERIES... Prior to the 2013 season, the Marauders owned a 4-0 record against the Peacocks since Upper Iowa moved up to NCAA Division II and joined the Northern Sun with the Marauders prior to the 2006 season. U-Mary won two games in Fayette and two in Bismarck. The teams have only met twice since then and Upper Iowa has claimed both victories. Upper Iowa posted their first win in the series in Fayette in 2013 thanks to five touchdowns in the second and third quarters in a 36-7 decision. UIU's former quarterback Cole Jaeschke broke the all-time passing yardage record and the all-time touchdown passes record and former running back Chris Smith surpassed the 2,000-yard mark in his career in the game. Two years ago in 2015, the Peacocks made it two in a row with a 34-16 victory in Bismarck. Jarred Edmonds, a sophomore at the time, scored three touchdowns in the second quarter as UIU broke a scoreless tie to take a 21-0 lead into halftime.
 
ATTA "BEU"... Senior kicker Brady Beuschel is tied for the team lead in scoring with 18 points through the first three games. After missing his first extra-point attempt of the season, Beuschel has been perfect knocking in 12 straight point-after attempts and a pair of field goals. The Juda, Wis. product now owns the career marks in both field goals (18) and extra-points (85).
 
GET YOUR HANDS UP... The Peacocks have blocked five kicks this season, which is the most in all of NCAA Division II. The tally is fueled by three punt blocks by Keith Schwickerath (also the top mark in all of NCAA Division II); all three punt blocks have resulted in Upper Iowa touchdowns including two at the University of Minnesota Crookston and one at Northern State University. Austin Buck and Jojo Simpson have also blocked kicks for UIU.
 
RUSH COMMITTEE... The Peacocks are averaging 194.7 yards/game on the ground (5th NSIC) thanks to the yardage of four young men. Antoine Conner leads the runners with 173 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Brent Lammers follows closely behind with 163 yards and a score. Jon Deprey has registered 117 yards rushing with a score, while Ryan Parmely ran for 105 yards and three scores in the first game and a half before missing the last game and a half due to injury. The group is averaging 4.4 yards per carry led by Deprey (5.3) and Conner (5.3).
 
AIR ATTACK EMERGING... The Peacock passing game has begun to gain momentum as the season moves along. Lammers threw for 270 yards and a touchdown last week at Northern State. His 59.8 conversion rate is fourth best in the NSIC and his 19 completions per game rank as the third highest mark in the conference. Two favorite targets have emerged for Lammers through three games. Senior Jarred Edmonds caught 11 passes for 143 yards and a score at NSU and now has 19 grabs for 261 yards. Brandyn Tulloch has pulled in 18 passes for 188 yards and a score, which came at home versus Minnesota Duluth.
 
GETTING IN THE BACKFIELD... Upper Iowa has registered 23 tackles for a loss of 95 yards led by a pair of Peacock tacklers. Jojo Simpson has 5 tackles for loss including 3 sacks, while Mitchel Siech has posted 4.5 tackles for loss including 1.5 sacks. Simpson's total is the third best in the Northern Sun, while Siech's tally is the fifth most in the conference.