FAYETTE, Iowa - Peacock football (2-3, 1-1 GLVC) saddles up for a homecoming showdown against Truman State (Mo.) (2-3, 2-0 GLVC), which is the last team still undefeated in GLVC competition. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Harms-Eischeid Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Upper Iowa has never beaten Truman State, as the Peacocks are 0-6 all-time dating back to 1941 against the Bulldogs. TSU won last season's matchup by a score of 48-21.
During the Jason Hoskins era, the Peacocks are 2-3 in homecoming games, but have won it each of the last two seasons. UIU will attempt to make it three straight homecoming wins on Saturday against the Bulldogs.
LIVE OPTIONS
Fans unable to attend the games this weekend can stay connected with a pair of live options available at UIUPeacocks.com/Live, featuring access to live stats and a pay-per-view webcast through GLVCSN. Fans can also refer to the links attached to this story for all live options.
In addition to GLVCSN.com, viewers can catch the Peacocks on the GLVCSN iOS and Android mobile app, as well as the GLVCSN app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for all Peacock home events can be purchased digitally at tickets.uiu.edu. Single game tickets are available online and at the ticket booth on gameday. If you want to pay in person, both Harms-Eischeid Stadium and Dorman Memorial Gymnasium are now accepting all major credit cards, checks and cash.
TICKET PRICES…
Upper Iowa Students … Free Admission after showing UIU Student ID
Upper Iowa Faculty/Staff … Free Admission after showing 26-27 Season Pass
Football General Admission Sales … Adults - $10, Youth (Grades K-12) - $5, Kids (Age 5 and under) - Free
DIGITAL GAMEDAY PROGRAMS
Fans can access the interactive and digital gameday program any time at UIUPeacocks.com/Programs. The digital programs are available to fans at our games and to those watching at home. QR Codes will be located around the stadium to scan with your cell phone's camera, which will link you directly to that game's specific digital gameday program.
LAST TIME OUT
Upper Iowa finally turned the tables, winning a close game at home on Saturday in double overtime against Missouri S&T (1-5, 0-3 GLVC), 39-37. After a 12-yard touchdown pass to running back Jayden Gordon, quarterback Zamar Wise converted the game-winning two-point conversion to tight end Logan Rosauer in the end zone.
Trailing 24-21 in regulation, junior kicker Nathan Behne drilled a 27-yarder to tie the game and send it into overtime. Wise had two touchdowns on the ground, one in the second quarter and one in overtime. Damon Head Jr. had UIU's other touchdown on the ground, and Jalen Hodo recorded a pick-six for the first Peacock score of the game.
Junior linebacker Evan Dorn had a monster game with 22 tackles and a forced fumble. That marked the most tackles in a game in the NCAA Division II era for the program, and he added a team-high five tackles.
Wise finished the game 18-of-26 for 193 yards and a touchdown, with 39 rushing yards and two scores. Freshman wide receiver LJ Nyenow Jr. totaled five catches for 88 yards, including four catches on the game-tying drive to end regulation.
Michael Mulherin added 13 tackles with two solo tackles, and Braylon Kammrad had 10 tackles. Hodo totaled nine tackles with the pick-six. Dominic Salibi had four tackles, a team-high four pass breakups and an interception.
The last four games for UIU have been decided by a total of seven points, with UIU coming on the right side of this one. The average margin of 1.75 points is the closest in four straight games in program history. UIU last played four straight one-score games in 2008 with an average margin of victory of 4.75 points.
GLVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dorn earned the first GLVC Defensive Player of the Week award for the Peacocks this season after his 22-tackle performance. He joined Wise following the opener vs. Jamestown to earn weekly honors for the Peacocks this season. Dorn's the first defensive player of the week for UIU since Shaquille Roman on Nov. 3, 2025.
AROUND THE GLVC
The Peacocks weren't the only overtime contest in the GLVC this past weekend, as McKendree (Ill.) (2-3, 2-1 GLVC) hit a game-winning field goal to beat Quincy (Ill.) (2-3, 1-1 GLVC), 46-43. Southwest Baptist (Mo.) (3-3, 2-1 GLVC) defeated Lincoln (Mo.) (2-3, 1-2 GLVC) 52-17 to get its second win in conference play as well.
William Jewell (Mo.) (3-1, 2-1 GLVC) suffered its first loss of the season to UIndy (2-4, 1-2 GLVC), 45-10. The Greyhound defense snagged three interceptions in the victory. William Jewell, Southwest Baptist and McKendree are all tied for second place in the GLVC, one game back from Truman State.
This week, Southwest Baptist and McKendree will break their tie with a game in Lebanon at 1 p.m. William Jewell travels to Quincy at 3 p.m., and Missouri S&T faces UIndy at 6 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.
Quincy quarterback Bradyn Little leads the league in passing efficiency with a QBR of 152.3. He's thrown for 1,285 yards and 14 touchdowns. UIndy's Nick Patterson has the most passing yards in the league with 1,331 and eight touchdowns.
QU also has the top rusher in the conference with Collin Parsons averaging 122 yards per game while adding seven touchdowns. The Hawks also have the top receiver in the league in Derrick Miller, averaging 75.8 yards per game with three touchdowns.
On defense, Southwest Baptist's Ricky Woodhouse leads the GLVC with 72 tackles. Lincoln's TJ Kelly leads the league in tackles-for-loss with nine, while Mark Gorbatenko has a league-high four sacks. SBU's Maxwell Kates and Joel Beshore each have three interceptions to lead the conference.
STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Wise leads the GLVC in total offense, averaging 276.2 yards per game. That mark also ranks 20th nationally. He's fifth in the GLVC in rushing yards per game, averaging 86.6, and fifth in passing yards per game, averaging 189.6. His seven rushing touchdowns are tied for fourth in the conference.
Ronald Wilson Jr. is second on the team in rushing with 128 yards. Head Jr. has run for 113 yards and four touchdowns. Gordon has 107 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
Nyenow Jr. is the team's leader in receiving with 18 catches for 319 yards and two touchdowns. He is third in the GLVC in receiving yards and seventh in receptions per game. Wilson Jr. has added 15 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield. Rosauer has 11 catches for 111 yards, and Camden Hungerholt has 11 catches for 105 yards.
Mulherin is the team's leader in tackles with 45 (14 solo), and Dorn has 43 tackles (14 solo). They rank fourth and sixth in the GLVC in tackles per game, respectively. Kammrad has a team-high 15 solo tackles (35 total). Demontay Mack leads the team in tackles-for-loss with four, and Hodo has three tackles-for-loss.
Salibi has eight pass breakups and two interceptions, leading the GLVC with 10 passes defended. He also ranks third in the nation in this category. Aaron King has four pass breakups and an interception, tying for the third-most passes defended in the GLVC. Salibi and Hodo each have two interceptions, tying for third in the conference.
Junior Nathan Behne is 8-of-11 on field goal attempts this season with a long of 43 yards. He leads the GLVC and ranks seventh nationally in field goals per game. Behne is seventh in the GLVC in scoring, averaging 7.2 points per game.
As a team, the Peacocks are third in the GLVC in scoring, averaging 30.4 points per game, and fourth in the GLVC in defensive scoring, giving up 27.6 points per game. UIU is second in the conference in yards allowed per game, averaging 325, aided by a second-place passing defense allowing 170.8 per game.
Upper Iowa leads the GLVC and ranks 16th nationally in passing efficiency defense. UIU ranks 21st nationally in red zone offense at 90.9%. The Peacocks average 33:09 of time of possession per game, ranking second in the conference and 17th in the nation.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
Truman State went 0-3 to start the season in nonconference play, but has won two straight GLVC games to start the season against Missouri S&T and UIndy. The Bulldogs defeated the Greyhounds 29-27 in Indianapolis on Sept. 26 and enter this weekend's game in Fayette coming off a bye.
TSU's three losses were to Washburn (Kan.) (3-1-1), Davenport (Mich.) (5-0) and Northeastern State (Okla.) (3-3). Davenport is ranked No. 11 in this week's AFCA Coaches' Poll, and Northeastern State was ranked in last week's poll before a loss to No. 23 UT Permian Basin (4-1).
Quarterback Dylan Hair, an All-GLVC Second Team selection last season, is 77-of-126 for 1,041 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions during his senior campaign. Hair is second in the GLVC in quarterback efficiency with a rating of 147.2. He's thrown for 200+ yards in the last two games against GLVC competition, running for 121 yards against S&T.
Sophomore running back Madden Irving is third in the GLVC in rushing with 477 yards (95.4 per game) and six touchdowns. He's averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Hair is second on the team in rushing with 254 yards and a score.
Senior receiver Jackson Overton has 19 catches for 246 yards and a touchdown, putting him at 10th in the conference. Seniors Jalen Kent and Kel Battle each have over 100 yards receiving. 2025 All-GLVC Second Team receiver Nathan Ryan has 10 catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns, but did not play the last game against UIndy.
On defense, fifth-year linebacker Jack Weltha leads the team with 41 tackles (16 solo), 3.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack. Sophomore Bryant Pool has totaled 37 tackles (20 solo), and junior defensive back Connor Beerman has added 36 tackles (21 solo). Pool leads the team in tackles-for-loss with 4.5.
Defensive lineman Tucker McDowell has posted a team-high 2.5 sacks, tying for fourth in the GLVC. Senior corner Idrique Carmichael has totaled a team-high five pass breakups to tie for second in the conference. Junior linebacker Dalton Brown has Truman State's lone interception.
The second half got away from the Peacocks in last season's meeting with Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri. After UIU went up 14-13 late in the first half, TSU scored 35 unanswered to win the game, 48-21.
The Peacocks had three turnovers and two turnovers on downs, finishing 3-of-11 (36.4%) on third downs. Truman State rushed for 210 yards on the ground, the most by any opponent against UIU last season.
Kellen Nesbitt is in his third season as the head coach for the Bulldogs, and he led Truman State to its first NCAA Division II Playoff berth since 1994 last season. Nesbitt has an 18-11 record at Truman State entering Saturday's game.
