GAME EIGHT || SATURDAY, OCT. 20, 2018 || 2 PM
ST. CLOUD, MINN. || HUSKY STADIUM
UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS AT ST. CLOUD STATE HUSKIES
THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa will take to the road for two Saturdays in a row beginning with a trip to St. Cloud, Minn. The Peacocks and Huskies will get together for the final NSIC cross-division weekend of the season; kick off is slated for 2 p.m. at Husky Stadium. SCSU will be celebrating Homecoming weekend on campus. The Huskies are 5-2 on the season and are coming off a 30-27 win over the University of Sioux Falls last Saturday. Upper Iowa comes into the match up with a 3-4 record after posting back-to-back wins at Minot State University, 44-9, and at home against Bemidji State University, 27-24, last Saturday. Fans that can't make it to the game in St. Cloud, Minn. can listen on AM 950 KOEL, follow the game online through live stats and a webcast at UIUPeacocks.com/Live, or stream the game live through the Stretch Internet app on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple or Android TV.
THE SERIES... The Huskies own a 4-1 record in the five meetings with the Peacocks since Upper Iowa moved up to NCAA Division II prior to the 2005 campaign. Four years ago in St. Cloud, the Peacocks completed a perfect 4-0 run through the NSIC North Division thanks to a 37-31 victory over the Huskies. In UIU's win,
Chris Smith put the team on his back running for 208 yards and 3 touchdowns and adding 44 receiving yards. His 19-yard touchdown run off the left side came with just five seconds to play in the final quarter to break a 31-31 tie. St. Cloud State University claimed the first three meetings after the move up, by counts of 54-28 (2008), 57-10 (2009) and 45-20 (2012) when Upper Iowa reopened the transformed Harms-Eischeid Stadium. Upper Iowa's only other win prior to moving up to NCAA DII was in 1949 (23-20). Two season ago in Fayette, the Peacocks turned the ball over five times including two fourth quarter giveaways. Â St. Cloud State took advantage of the turnovers scoring their final two touchdowns after intercepting a pair of Upper Iowa passes.
LET'S MAKE IT THREE... Upper Iowa has the opportunity to make it three straight wins on Saturday after scoring a 44-9 win at Minot State University and a 27-24 win over Bemidji State University last Saturday to highlight Homecoming Weekend at UIU. The last time the Peacocks won three straight games was during the 2015 season when UIU won their first three games.
STAYING GROUNDED... During UIU's two wins over Minot State and Bemidji State, the team has rushed for its top two totals of the season. The Peacocks picked up a season-high 290 yards against MiSU on 52 attempts and then followed it up with 151 yards on the ground on 47 carries against BSU. The 441 yards gained in the last two games equal the amount of rushing yards gained over the course of UIU's first five games.
HOLDING THE LINE... UIU's three linebackers are leading the Peacock defense this season and have limited opposing offenses to just 16 points a game over the last four match ups. Junior
Nic Patterson led the defense last week with 15 tackles to move into the team lead with 64 tackles. Senior
Jordan Rommes is second on the team with 62 tackles including a team-high 42 solo stops, while junior
Mitchel Siech has 58 tackles and 41 solo tackles. The trio has combined to make 26.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. All three have interceptions this season, but Siech has grabbed 3 this season.
SCORING ON DEFENSE... Upper Iowa's defense has scored a pair of touchdowns this season thanks to a 20-yard sack fumble return by
Christian Ruff at home against Augustana University and a 26-yard interception return by
Mitchel Siech on the road last Saturday at Minot State University. The two scores leads NSIC defenses and is the 19th most in the nation.
STICKY HANDS... Upper Iowa's defense has been a menace to opposing quarterbacks when it comes to interceptions. The Peacocks have ten interceptions this season led by
Mitchel Siech's three and
Daniel Ruffin Jr.'s two. UIU's ten picks rank 23rd in the nation and 2nd in the Northern Sun. With the team's five fumble recoveries, Upper Iowa has 15 turnovers gained this season, which ranks 33rd in NCAA Division II and 5th in the country.
