FAYETTE, Iowa - Upper Iowa football starts its September road stretch at Fred G. Hughes Stadium in Joplin, Missouri, on Saturday at 6 p.m. against the Missouri Southern Lions (0-1). With a win, the Peacocks will achieve their first 2-0 start since the 2015 season. 

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 the MIAA Network. Missouri Southern has access for fans to listen to the game via SOMO Sports Radio. Fans can also refer to the links attached to this story for all live options. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Peacocks won their first season-opener since 2017 and their first home season-opener since 2015 this past Saturday against Jamestown (N.D.), 30-13. Quarterback Zamar Wise led the Peacock attack on offense with 279 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. The senior totaled 119 yards and two scores on the ground, with 160 yards and two scores through the air.

Freshman LJ Nyenow Jr. also emerged onto the scene with a strong start to his young career. The Cedar Rapids native caught a team-high six passes for 91 yards. Sacred Heart (Conn.) transfer Merv Amazan also caught a TD pass from 25 yards out on his first career catch. 

UIU's pass defense was impressive, holding Jamestown quarterback Cole Hentges to 9-of-28 (32.1%) with only 73 passing yards. Dominic Salibi intercepted a pass on the final Jimmie offensive drive of the game. Jamestown was led by Mason Whitley on the ground with 77 rushing yards and two touchdowns. 

Upper Iowa outgained Jamestown, 383-215. Michael Mulherin led the UIU defense with eight tackles while defensive end Daniel Robinson added seven, and linebacker Evan Dorn had six. Central Arkansas transfer Jalen Hodo tallied five tackles and UIU's only sack. Salibi added three pass breakups, and Aaron King had two pass breakups in the secondary. 

AROUND THE GLVC
The Peacocks were one of four teams that picked up wins on the weekend in the GLVC, as No. 9 UIndy, Southwest Baptist and Lincoln (Mo.) each moved to 1-0. Truman State (Mo.) fell in the closest game of the weekend to Washburn (Mo.), 27-21.

GLVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Wise earned the conference's first offensive player of the week award for the season after his four-touchdown performance. The Peacocks totaled seven GLVC Player of the Weeks during the historic 2025 campaign. 

ABOUT THE LIONS
Missouri Southern's fourth-quarter comeback attempt was stifled in a 30-23 loss to Midwestern State (Texas) in their opener this past weekend. MSSU led 9-2 early, but fell behind 30-9 entering the fourth quarter before two touchdowns cut the deficit to seven. 

The Lions' defense forced a fumble at their own 11-yard line with 3:02 remaining in the game, but the offense immediately went three-and-out. MSSU had one last chance with a hail mary attempt to end the game that fell incomplete. 

Sophomore quarterback Tillman Martin finished the game 21-of-28 for 210 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He threw both of his touchdowns to Isaiah Green, who totaled seven catches for 84 yards. 

Martin played in all 11 games for the Lions last season, throwing for 2,506 yards and 17 touchdowns with a 136.9 QBR. He threw for a season-high 446 yards and four touchdowns in MSSU's second game last season against Southwest Baptist (Mo.).

Green caught 26 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns last season. Junior receiver Isaiah Padello is also back after an All-MIAA Honorable Mention campaign in 2025. The Hawaii native played in all 11 games and caught 25 passes for 431 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Running back Narkel LeFlore, a transfer from Tennessee-Martin, led the team in rushing with eight carries for 45 yards. He also previously spent three seasons at McKendree (Ill.). Sophomore Messiah Smith also ran six times for 25 yards and a touchdown. 

On defense, linebackers Riley Hammons and Briar McIntire led the team with seven tackles each. Hammons, a senior, enters this weekend with 28 games of playing experience. McIntire played all 11 games last season and was a CSC Academic All-District®  nominee.

Fifth-year defensive back Noah Conner had an interception and added five tackles for the Lions against Midwestern State. The Lions registered five tackles-for-loss and one pass breakup in the defeat.

Head coach Atiba Bradley is in his sixth season with the Lions in 2026. He is the first and only Missouri Southern graduate to lead the program. He has an 18-39 career record at Missouri Southern.