GAME ONE || SATURDAY, SEPT. 1, 2018 || 6 PM
FAYETTE, IOWA || HARMS-EISCHEID STADIUM
UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS VS AUGUSTANA VIKINGS
 
THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa will open at home against the Vikings of Augustana University at 6 p.m. under the lights at Harms-Eischeid Stadium. The Peacocks will host Youth Day and Ag Day on Saturday. Both teams boast experienced defenses that will look to contain good running attacks. The Vikings are looking to improve on 2017's 4-7 record, while Upper Iowa wants to take the next step in their progression after four 6-5 seasons in the last five years. Quarterback Brent Lammers, the 2017 NSIC leader in total offense, will look to lead the Upper Iowa offense on the ground and through the air.
 
LIVE OPTIONS… Fans not at the game can follow live stats or a webcast through the links at UIUPeacocks.com/Live, listen on AM 950 KOEL, watch on KCRG 9.2 or stream through the Stretch Internet app on Roku, Fire, Apple or Android televisions.
 
THE SERIES... Augustana owns a 9-2 advantage in the all-time series with Upper Iowa, but UIU has won two of the last four meetings. The Vikings won the first seven match-ups with the Peacocks 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. After UIU's first win in the series, Augie claimed a 41-20 win in Sioux Falls and a 54-35 victory in Fayette. Last season, Upper Iowa posted their second win over the Vikings, but first victory in Sioux Falls with a 21-20 decision. UIU trailed in the fourth quarter, but scored a go-ahead touchdown and held on with key stops down the stretch to preserve the win.
 
52 Years in the Making… The Peacock football team is coming off their fourth winning season in the last five years after finishing the 2017 campaign with a 6-5 mark overall and a 3-4 record against the NSIC South Division. Upper Iowa posted wins against Minnesota Crookston, Northern State, UMary, Concordia-St. Paul, Augustana and Southwest Minnesota State.  The 27 wins over the last five years are the most in program history since a five-year span from 1962-66 that produced 32 wins. The six victories last year mark the 19th time a football team at UIU has reached the 6-win mark in the program's 122-year football history. The Peacocks, who had only five winning seasons between 1966 (8-2) and 2013 (6-5), secured their 38th winning season.
 
Trio of All-NSIC South Division Performers Return… All-NSIC second-teamer Ryan Parmely led the Peacock rushing attack with 871 yards and 6 touchdowns last season and he will be joined in the backfield by Antoine Conner and Jon Deprey, who combined for 509 yards and 6 scores. Senior quarterback and an All-NSIC honorable mention performer, Brent Lammers is back for his final season and junior linebacker Mitchel Siech will lead the defense this year after earning a place on the honorable mention list as well.
 
Total Package… Senior quarterback Brent Lammers led the NSIC in total yards in 2017 with 2,463 yards of offense. The Peacock signal caller rushed for 547 yards, the highest total among quarterbacks, and threw for 1,916 yards, the second most yards in the air last season in the NSIC. For his career, Lammers has rushed for 896 yards and 8 touchdowns and thrown for 3,418 yards and 20 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 55%.
 
"Siech" and Destroy… Junior Mitchel Siech returns to spearhead the Peacock defense this season from his linebacker position. The Denver, Iowa product ranked third on the team with 65 tackles last season and second on the squad in tackles for loss with 9. Siech was named as UIU's Defensive NSIC Player to Watch in 2018. He recorded a pair of sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble as a sophomore.
 
The Broadcast Team... Play-by-play announcer, and 1991 Upper Iowa alum, Joe Stasi is in his 16th consecutive season as the "Voice of the Peacocks" and 18th overall. This week he will be joined by Chris Deback, a writer with the Fayette County Union and the voice of the North Fayette Valley Tigerhawks. The AM 950 KOEL pre-game show is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
 
AUGUSTANA STORyLINES... From the Desk of Elliot Nathan, Augustana Director of Athletic Communications
Week 1 Quick Hits:
•Augustana scored at least 20 points in eight-of-nine season-opening games.
•The Vikings have won four-of-five season-opening games under head coach Jerry Olszewski, and 10 of their last 12 season-openers overall.
Olszewski earned his first-ever win as a Viking at MSU Moorhead in the 2013 season-opener, 41-28.
•Saturday's game marks the start of the 36th season in the booth for legendary Augustana broadcaster Jeff Fylling.
•Center Jake Lacina is the son of former Minnesota Viking and Augustana hall of famer Corbin Lacina.
 
Augustana Players To Watch:
Kirby Hora. (LB, 6-2/210, Sr.)
•The Sioux Falls, South Dakota native led the NSIC with 129 tackles in 2017, a number that ranked fifth nationally in DII.
•Named First Team All-NSIC, First Team CoSIDA Academic-American, Academic All-NSIC, Daktronics/CCA All-Region First Team and First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2017.
Ryan Bradberry (RB, 5-11/225, So.)
•The NSIC named Bradberry as Augustana's offensive player to watch in 2018.
•In his true freshman season (2017), the Dallas, Texas native lead the Vikings with 775 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns.