THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL… Upper Iowa football is back on campus in Fayette for Homecoming Weekend. The Peacocks will host the Vikings of Augustana University at Harms-Eischeid Stadium at 3 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 8. UIU comes into the NSIC South Division game with an 0-5 mark overall, while Augie is 4-1 overall and looking to bounce back after their first defeat of the season last Saturday.
 
LIVE OPTIONS... Fans that can't be in Fayette for this year's Homecoming Game have several options to follow along in real time. Live stats and a webcast are available through links at UIUPeacocks.com/Live. In addition, the game can be streamed 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. The game will also be broadcast live on Eastern Iowa's CW 9.3 along with the broadcast duo of Joe Stasi and Josh McGehee.
 
GET YOUR TICKETS… Upper Iowa has partnered with HomeTown Ticketing for all six of this season's football games at Harms-Eischeid Stadium. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at UIUPeacocks.com/Tickets or by paying cash at the North or South Gate. Upper Iowa students and Peacock faculty and staff have been notified on how to access their free passes to the games and may enter through either the North or South Gates with their scannable pass either printed or on their mobile device. Fans that are claiming a football, cheer or dance guest pass must sign in at the East Gate between Pattison Soccer Field and Harms-Eischeid Stadium. Fans are encouraged to stay ahead of the curve this season with the HomeTown Ticketing Fan App available on all mobile device platforms.


WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE THE GAME… Upper Iowa has a few reminders for all fans attending this weekend's Homecoming Game. The following are not permitted in Harms-Eischeid Stadium for any fans; backpacks, pets, outside alcohol. Fans at Harms-Eischeid Stadium are encouraged to be loud and proud supporting our Peacocks, but unruly or inappropriate behavior in the stadium are grounds for removal. Make gameday at Harms-Eischeid Stadium a great experience for yourself and all those around you.
 
DIGITAL GAMEDAY PROGRAM… Digital gameday programs are available to fans in the stadium or at home for Saturday's game. Fans can access the interactive gameday program at any time at UIUPeacocks.com/Programs. 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…  Augustana holds a 12-2 advantage in the all-time series with Upper Iowa. 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 eight years 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. Five years ago, 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. In 2018, the Peacocks raced out to a 24-0 lead after just 10 minutes of play in the first quarter. By halftime, the Vikings had stormed back in front 35-31. UIU pulled within three points, 48-45, late in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get the go-ahead points on the board in their final possession. Augustana has won the last two match ups in Sioux Falls including a dominant 52-0 shutout in 2019 and a 37-20 win at Kirkeby-Over Stadium last fall.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET… Last fall, Upper Iowa and No. 25 Augustana met in Sioux Falls for their annual battle. The Vikings won the game 37-20 fueled by a huge second quarter that saw the home team post two touchdowns and a field goal. The Peacocks had a pair of touchdowns come off the board after tough penalties erased big plays for the visitors. Upper Iowa had trouble moving the ball on the ground in Sioux Falls, but picked up 338 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Augstana gained 101 more yards of total offense than their guests, 474-373, fueled by 377 yards and four touchdowns in their passing game. Augustana was the only team to earn a takeaway with an interception.
 
PEACOCK TALES... Upper Iowa is averaging 65.6 yards per game on the ground this season, but UIU was able to gain 134 rushing yards last Saturday fueled by Desean Phillips' 97 rushing yards… The Peacocks have three rushing touchdowns this season thanks to the footwork of Phillips, Aboubacar Barry and Willy Camacho… UIU is averaging 147.4 passing yards per game with five touchdowns and five interceptions… Marcus Orr's top two performances this season have come at home where he has thrown for 376 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions in a pair of games… Cole Ewald leads the receiving corps with 18 catches, 232 yards and one touchdown… Isaiah Gray (132), Jahani Wright (107, 1 TD) and Richard Kamara (98, 1 TD) have also been engaged in the passing game… Linebacker Collin Jones leads the team in tackles with 33, while fellow linebacker Trevor Thompson has 28 stops under his belt. In total, seven Peacocks have 20 tackles or more including Cejai Parrish (25), RJ Knaack (24), Zacarius Murray (23), Tyler Owen (22), and Baxter Bohr (20). Freshman Cody Cotton has made a big impact on the field from his corner position; the corner back has been credited with seven pass break ups and an interception.
 
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS (Courtesy of Augustana Athletics Communication)… Augustana is 4-1 after suffering its first loss of the year this past week. In the loss at the University of Sioux Falls, the Vikings gained 405 yards of offense with 293 coming through the air. Casey Bauman was back at quarterback for the Vikings after missing nearly three games due to injury. He has now totaled 376 yards passing and six touchdowns. Three of those passing touchdowns came this past week with one each to Jack Fisher, Devon Jones and Isaiah Huber. Jones is the top receiver this year in terms of receptions at 15, while Fisher holds the most yards (217) and touchdowns (four). Defensively, T.J. Liggett leads AU with 36 tackles while Peyton Buckley has totaled 34. Combined, the two have totaled 6.5 tackles for loss. Grayson Diepenbrock leads the team in stops behind the line of scrimmage with 7.5 tackles for loss with six coming on sacks. For the season, Augustana averages 362.6 yards per game offensively 196.0 through the air. Defensively, AU holds opponents to just 73.8 yards rushing and 261.4 yards passing.
 
ON THE HORIZON… The Peacocks will head to Mankato, Minnesota next Saturday, Oct. 15. Upper Iowa will line up against the Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato for another NSIC South Division matchup. UIU and MSU are slated for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Blakeslee Stadium.