THIS WEEKEND IN UIU FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa football hosts their final game in Harms-Eischeid Stadium this Saturday. The Peacocks (0-8) will line up against the Wildcats of Wayne State College, who come in with a 6-2 record this season. The Peacocks are celebrating Youth Day on Saturday with kids 18 and under getting free admission to the game in Fayette. Prior to the game, Upper Iowa will recognize 19 seniors that are suiting up for the final time at Harms-Eischeid Stadium. Last week, UIU lost a 17-14 heartbreaker at Minot State University, while WSC defeated Southwest Minnesota State University 38-14 on the road. Wayne's two losses this season have come to Augustana University and Bemidji State University. Upper Iowa is averaging 14.8 points this season with 323.5 yards of total offense a game, while Wayne State is scoring 34.5 points with 409.6 yards of total offense per game this year. The Wildcats have converted 26 of their 28 red-zone trips into points on the scoreboard, while the Peacocks have scored on 13 of their 27 opportunities inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

LIVE OPTIONS... The game will be broadcasted live on AM 950 KOEL and on Eastern Iowa's CW 9.3 at noon. The game can be streamed live through most mobile devices at NSICNetwork.com/UIUPeacocks or through the NSIC Network app on Roku and Amazon Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android televisions. Live stats, live audio and more are all available online at UIUPeacocks.com/Live.
 
DIGITAL GAMEDAY PROGRAM… Upper Iowa is not printing gameday programs this season. Fans can access the interactive and digital gameday program at any time at UIUPeacocks.com/Programs. The digital programs are available to fans both at our games and those at home listening to or watching the action. QR Codes will also be located around the stadium to scan with your cell phone's camera that will link you directly to that game's specific digital gameday program.

THE SERIES... The Peacocks and Wildcats have locked up in fourteen battles on the gridiron with WSC holding an 8-6 edge in the series history. Wayne State has won the last three meetings to snap a four-game win streak by Upper Iowa. Two years ago, Wayne State dominated the contest at home posting a 62-0 win. In 2018, the Peacocks raced out to an early 21-0 lead on Senior Day in Fayette after three rushing touchdowns and a pair of interceptions in the first 16 minutes of the game. Upper Iowa looked to be in control of the Wildcats. Unfortunately, Wayne State didn't see it that way and scored six touchdowns including a pair of special team touchdowns to take a three-score lead. WSC held off a fourth quarter charge by the home team to come away with a 42-35 win. In 2017, Wayne State scored a 28-10 victory after forcing eight Pea­cock turnovers. UIU's win streak lasted from 2013 through 2016. Five seasons ago in Fayette, Upper Iowa pushed out to multiple two-score leads, but had to hold on late for a 35-30 win. UIU scored a come-from-behind, over­time victory in Wayne, Neb. in 2015. Big quarters have been the formula for UIU in the series. In 2014, the Peacocks scored 29 in the second frame on the way to a 58-29 win, and in 2015 in Wayne, the Peacocks used 17 points in the fourth quar­ter to rally and tie the Wildcats and added 10 more in a pair of overtime periods to win 34-31 when Brady Beuschel knocked in a game-winner from 34 yards. The two teams began playing each other in 2006. UIU won the first meeting, 24-14, to claim their first-ever NCAA Division II and NSIC victory.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET... Wayne State scored the game's first two touchdowns in just seven snaps highlighted by two plays. The first score came on fourth and four when Andy McCance hit Taurean Grady for a 27-yard touchdown down the sideline. The second big play came on an 85-yard touchdown run by Devin Merkuris. Wayne State dominated the line of scrimmage on offense running for 415 yards thanks to a 7.4-yard average per rush. The Wildcats added 144 passing yards to tally 559 yards of total offense compared to Upper Iowa's 205 yards. Wayne State only faced seven third downs in the game, while converting on both of their fourth down snaps en route to the 62-0 win.
  
SAYONARA SENIORS… The Peacocks will recognize and say thank-you to 19 seniors prior to the game. The big group playing their final game at Harms-Eischeid Stadium include Student Coach Sawyer Huss, linebacker Brody Bazile, receiver DJ Emsweller, safety Terrell Powell, receiver Lane Canny, receiver Alexander Stevens, defensive lineman Kyle Domin, fullback Eric Ihde, defensive back Biingo Lewis, punter Jack Beulke, defensive end Erik Hansen, defensive lineman Samson Tufui, offensive lineman Conner Ariss, offensive lineman Drew Knese, offensive lineman Brian Sadler, offensive lineman Carter Harris, offensive lineman Alex Schneider, offensive lineman Ethan Bayles and defensive lineman Laith Smith.
 
TWO HANDS ON THE BALL… Upper Iowa is one of nine teams in the nation that have only one fumble lost on the season. While the Peacocks have thrown 12 interceptions, the quarterbacks and running backs have kept two hands on the ball when running through traffic.
 
RUSH COMMITTEE… The Peacock rushing attack has been great since a season-low 35 yards at Augustana in week six. At home against No. 24 Minnesota State University, Mankato, UIU rushed for 162 yards and then put together a 181-yard game with two scores at Minot State last Saturday. Over the last two games, Willy Camacho has rushed for 155 yards and a touchdown and Keontae Luckett has run for 133 yards and a score. Desean Phillips added 42 yards on nine carries against the Mavericks. Camacho added five receptions for 31 yards in the two games, while Luckett caught one ball for four yards. The offensive line has been opening some great holes for the backs over the last eight quarters of action.
 
BLOCK PARTY... The Peacock special teams has posted four blocked kicks this season, which ranks thirteenth in the nation and still leads the NSIC. Ben Houselog, Isaac Pope, DJ Green Jr. and Kyle Domin all have gotten their hands on opponents kicks.
 
MAKING STOPS… Safety Joey Rattin took over the lead in tackles for UIU after lineback Brody Bazile had to leave the Minot State game with a hand injury. Rattin has 49 tackles to his name, while Bazile comes in at 48 including a team-high 23 solo stops. DJ Green Jr. made five tackles last week and is third on the team with 40 stops, but the corner also made an interception and forced and recovered a fumble against the Beavers. Erik Hansen has registered 39 tackles this season with a jaw-dropping 16.5 tackles for loss, which ranks sixth nationally and leads the NSIC, including six sacks (33^rd NCAA DII, 3^rd NSIC). In total, UIU has 66 tackles for loss (21^st NCAA DII, 1^st NSIC) with 20 sacks (3^rd NSIC) on the season.
 
GOOD HANDS... Receiver DJ Emsweller has caught seven touchdowns and registered 409 receiving yards this season. His three-game, two-touchdown streak came to an end a yard shy of the goal line on UIU's opening possession against Minnesota State. Emsweller caught a pass on a crossing route and ran toward the end zone but was tackled at the one. An injury kept Emsweller off the field at Minot State, but the Tampa native is ready to go this Saturday against the Wildcats. In addition to Emsweller, the Peacocks have gotten 416 receiving yards and a score on 35 receptions from Alexander Stevens, 181 yards and a touchdown on 24 grabs from Xavier Saldana and 156 yards on 11 catches from Lane Canny.
 
NEXT UP... The Peacocks will be on the road for their final two games of the 2021 season. Upper Iowa will play at Winona State University on Nov. 6 and at the University of Sioux Falls on Nov. 13. Both games are scheduled for a 1 p.m. kick.