TODAY IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL… Upper Iowa is home for their final two games of the 2022 season beginning with today's tilt against the Warriors of Winona State University. The game is a meeting of two schools separated by just 100 miles; the shortest trip in the Northern Sun Conference for both schools. Winona State is on a roll with two straight wins over AFCA Top 25 teams to get to 7-2 overall, while Upper Iowa is 1-8 on the season. Kick off is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. at Harms-Eischeid Stadium in Fayette.
LIVE OPTIONS... Fans that can't be in Fayette for this week's 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 UIU Hall of Famer 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. 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.
REMINDERS FOR FANS… Upper Iowa has a few reminders for all fans attending this weekend's 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 FABRIC OF OUR LIVES… Freshman
Cody Cotton has had an electric start to his career in Peacock blue and white. The Racine, Wis. native has 28 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass break ups from his corner back position. Both his interceptions and total passes defended (10) rank as the fifth-highest totals in the Northern Sun Conference.
GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES… Wideout
Cole Ewald (#3) is enjoying a solid season on the outside for the Peacocks. Ewald has caught 27 passes for 351 yards and three touchdowns. He has been a main target of both
Marcus Orr and
Darryl Overstreet Jr. this season.
TIGHT ENDS TRENDING… Both sophomore tight end
Isaiah Gray and freshman tight end
Eddie Burgess have become big pieces of UIU's passing game over the last month. Gray has caught 17 passes this season including nine receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown in his last four games. UIU is hopeful that Burgess returns to the lineup this week after missing last week's game in Wayne due to injury. After just one catch for two yards in the first five games, the Montezuma, Iowa product pulled in 11 catches for 113 yards and three touchdowns against Augustana University, Minnesota State University, Mankato and Minot State University.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES'… Junior linebacker
Collin Jones has put together a great season from his linebacker position. Jones leads the team in tackles with 52 including a team-high 33 solo stops, 1.5 for loss and a sack. Jones had his best games at Southwest Minnesota State University when he made 10 tackles and at the University of Minnesota Duluth with nine tackles.
THE SERIES... The Warriors carry a 15-2 advantage in the all-time series with Upper Iowa after last season's 40-12 victory in Winona last season. The all-time advantage includes a 12-2 record since Upper Iowa moved up to NCAA Division II. In 2018, Upper Iowa capped off Hall of Fame Weekend in style by scoring three touchdowns in the final quarter to rally from a two-score deficit and upset the No. 11 Warriors. The Northern Sun South Division shootout featured a little bit of everything with big plays from both teams in every phase from special teams to defense to offense. The win marked UIU's first win of the season, the first win over Winona State at Harms-Eischeid Stadium and the first victory over a nationally-ranked opponent since Upper Iowa moved to NCAA Division II. UIU's first win over WSU came in 2015 in Winona, Minn. UIU defeated WSU 35-21 behind the play of quarterback Dimitri Morales, who was responsible for five touchdowns. In 2016, Winona State scored 17 points in the third quarter and forced three UIU turnovers inside the Warriors 25-yard line to post a 27-13 decision. While in 2017, the No. 25 Warriors defeated the Peacocks 37-7 to open the NSIC South Division slate; WSU returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the game.
LAST TIME THEY MET... A season ago, Winona State used a 128-29 advantage in rushing yards and a defensive score to grab the victory in Winona, 40-12. The Peacocks scratched the scoreboard first as the first quarter drew to a close. A muffed punt by Winona State gave Upper Iowa the ball at the 19-yard line. UIU didn't waste any time converting the Warrior miscue into points. Quarterback
Marcus Orr hit tight end
Isaiah Gray for a 16-yard gain setting up first and goal from the three-yard line. Orr found running back
Desean Phillips on the next play for a touchdown. The extra point was blocked giving UIU a 6-0 lead heading into the second quarter. On their ensuing possession, the home team answered their guest's score with a five-play, 66-yard drive and added the extra point to take a 7-6 lead. Midway through the second quarter, Orr threw an interception that Richard Azunna grabbed and returned for a 64-yard touchdown and a 14-6 lead for the Warriors. After a three-and-out, WSU got great field position and used six plays to cover 35 yards and a third touchdown in the frame to take a 20-7 lead into halftime. In the second quarter, Upper Iowa had 15 offensive snaps, but only gained 38 yards in over eight minutes of possession. In the second half, each team only had four possessions apiece. Winona State scored on their first three possessions and then were able to run out the clock with their last possession. Upper Iowa scored a touchdown on their second possession of the third quarter, but turned the ball over on downs at the Warrior 26 and 35-yard lines on their first and third possessions of the half. Orr hit Gray for a 16-yard touchdown to get UIU's second score. UIU's extra point was blocked again and Winona State's Brian Corbins Jr. scooped up the ball and returned it 79 yards for a defensive two-point conversion.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS (Courtesy of Winona State Athletics Communication)… Winona State has the second-best defense in the NSIC in terms of points allowed, at 17.2. WSU's offense is seventh in the league in average points scored at 28.8 per game. The Warriors are ranked third in the NCAA Division II Super Region rankings (3rd) and are receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches' Poll. Winona State has blocked three punts this season that have resulted in Warrior scores. Trevor Paulsen and Kyle Haas have split quarterback duties in games so far this year. Combined, they are 144-of-253 for 1,678 yards and ten TD's. Darryl Williams leads Winona State in receiving with 275 yards, good for a 13.75 yards per catch. Sam Santiago-Lloyd has 410 yards on 116 carries this season and leads all WSU rushers with four touchdowns. Clay Schueffner is tops in the NSIC in total tackles (83) and and second in the league in solo stops (50). Carter Duxbury, last season's NSIC Defensive Player of the Year, has been in on six sacks in 2022, leading the team. Winona State has scored 13 rushing touchdowns this year through six different players.
ON THE HORIZON… Upper Iowa will be on the turf in Harms-Eischeid Stadium one more time next Saturday, Nov. 12 to close out the 2022 season. The Peacocks will honor their seniors prior to kick off of their 12 p.m. match up with the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls.
