GAME FOUR || SATURDAY, SEPT. 28, 2019 || 6 PM
FAYETTE, IOWA || HARMS-EISCHEID STADIUM
UIU PEACOCKS VS. SMSU MUSTANGS

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THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa will host the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University this Saturday in the team's final night game under the lights at Harms-Eischeid Stadium in 2019. The Peacocks and Mustangs will meet in a NSIC South Division battle before turning their eyes on the North Division for the next four games. Both teams have lost their opening three games of the season; they will now look to get back on the winning track and build momentum heading into October.

LIVE OPTIONS... The game will be broadcast live on KCRG-TV 9.3 and on AM 950 KOEL. The game can be streamed through the NSIC app on Roku and Amazon Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android televisions. Live stats and a webcast are also available online at UIUPeacocks.com/Live.
 
THE SERIES… Southwest Minnesota State leads the all-time series 12-3. SMSU won nine straight games against Upper Iowa until 2017 when the Peacocks claimed a 31-20 Homecoming victory. Last season, Upper Iowa lost a 21-20 decision in Marshall as the Mustangs snapped an 11-game losing streak and posted their first win of the season. Both teams scored a touchdown in each of the first three quarters, but a missed extra point by UIU proved to be the difference. Prior to 2018, the last time the teams were together in Marshall was 2016 and the game turned into a wild shootout that saw the Mustangs post a 59-42 victory after the teams combined for over 1,300 yards of total offense. SMSU held a 482-388 advantage in passing yards, while both teams rushed for over 200 yards. From 2011-14, the four matchups were decided by just twelve points combined; three were played in Marshall, Minn. The Mustangs won 28-24 in 2011 and 38-37 in 2012 before holding off a first and goal for UIU with under a minute to play in 2013 to claim a 52-48 win in Fayette.  In 2014, the Mustangs scored 14 fourth quarter points to claim a come-from-behind 28-25 win over UIU; the loss was UIU's first of the season after opening 5-0.  Four years ago, Upper Iowa took a 19-14 lead into halftime in Fayette, but the Mustangs put 20 points on the board in the second half while shutting out the Peacock offense to post a 34-19 victory. The first two UIU wins in the series came in 2004 (28-16) and in 2007 (39-27).
 
THAT KID HAS A LEG… Both Southwest Minnesota State and Upper Iowa are at the top of the Northern Sun Conference and NCAA Division II in net punting. The Mustangs are first in the NSIC and sixth nationally with a 41.79-yard average this season thanks to the leg of Aiden Belt, while the Peacocks are second in the conference and seventh in NCAA Division II with a 40.83-yard average off the legs of both Jonathon Argueta-Herrera and Mitchel Siech. Net punting is the total yards that a punt gains after the opponent return is factored in.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES... The Peacock defense has been living behind the line of scrimmage and causing damage this season. UIU has posted the third most tackles for loss in the Northern Sun Conference with 28 through the first three games. Siech (5.5), Erik Hansen (4.5) and Laith Smith (4) lead Upper Iowa in that category and rank second, seventh and twelfth in the Northern Sun, respectively. Hansen has also registered 4.5 sacks this season with 4 coming at Winona State University last Thursday.
 
VICTORY… The Mustangs and Peacocks both are working for their first win of the season as they come into the game winless in 2019. The Peacocks had a great opportunity in their home against Concordia University, St. Paul with the ball deep in Golden Bear territory late in the fourth quarter, but came up short in a 28-23 loss. The Mustangs dropped an overtime decision at Wayne State College in week two 19-13. Both teams are hungry heading into week four, and both want the victory before the schedule shifts to cross-divisional match ups in the NSIC.
 
TEN HANDS… Upper Iowa has a strong receiving corps that runs five men deep. Alexander Stevens leads the group with 14 grabs this season for 136 yards and 3 scores, while Brandyn Tulloch and Tre'dious Thomas have 12 and 10 catches for 130 and 74 yards, respectively. Bralin Simon has racked up the most yards in the group with 142 on just 8 catches and DJ Emsweller rounds out the fivesome hauling in 7 passes for 74 yards.