FAYETTE, Iowa - The Peacocks (1-1) are back after the bye to face their first ranked opponent of the season in No. 25 Michigan Tech (2-1) for the Huskies' homecoming game. Kickoff at Kearly Stadium in Houghton, Michigan, on Saturday is set for 2 p.m. Eastern Time locally and 1 p.m. Central Time.

Upper Iowa is seeking its first ranked win since last season against Michigan Tech when the Huskies were ranked No. 24. UIU is 1-1 in the all-time series, losing 34-21 in 2023 and winning 21-14 in Michigan Tech's 2025 homecoming game. 

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 Flo Sports. Michigan Tech has access for fans to listen to the game for free via Mix 93 FM. Fans can also refer to the links attached to this story for all live options. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Peacocks battled Missouri Southern and the heat in a 21-19 loss at Fred G. Hughes Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5. The Peacocks were outgained 356-289 to come up just short in the loss in Joplin, Missouri.

After an interception by sophomore Christian Lassiter, the Peacocks had an errant toss on a reverse on the very next play to give the ball back to the Lions. MSSU took advantage with a six-play, 53-yard drive to take a 14-13 lead. A few drives later, the Lions busted the Peacock coverage with an 80-yard touchdown for the eight-point lead.

The Peacocks responded with an 11-play touchdown drive, with quarterback Zamar Wise accounting for 48 of the 75 yards gained on the ground. Jayden Gordon capped off the drive with a one-yard score with 4:26 left. After a delay-of-game penalty, Wise's pass in the end zone fell incomplete on the two-point conversion. The Peacock defense was unable to get a stop, allowing two Lion first downs to run out the clock. 

Wise finished the game 12-of-20 for 163 yards and a touchdown. He added a team-high 72 rushing yards on 16 carries on the ground. Ronald Wilson Jr. had 64 yards receiving with 55 on a screen-play touchdown. LJ Nyenow Jr. had two catches for 52 yards.

Defensively, Jalen Hodo led the Peacocks in tackles with seven, including two for loss. Demontay Mack had four tackles, two for loss and a forced fumble. Michael Mulherin had six tackles while Dominic Saluibi and V'Jay Garrard each had five tackles. 

AROUND THE GLVC
It's been a tough nonconference slate for the GLVC. After going winless in games on Sept. 5, the conference went 1-5 this past weekend while UIU was on bye. The GLVC is 1-12 over the past two weeks and is a combined 5-15 as a league so far this season. 

Preseason top 10 UIndy has had a bit of a losing skid against ranked opponents. The Greyhounds fell to No. 9 Findlay (Ohio) (2-0), 30-10, and lost this past weekend to No. 24 Davenport (Mich.) (3-0), 19-12. UIndy is still receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches' Poll with 18 this week.

Truman State (Mo.) (0-3) has yet to win a game after receiving votes in the AFCA Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Bulldogs have lost to Washburn (Mo.) (1-1-1), No. 24 Davenport and fell in overtime this past weekend to No. 15 Northeastern State (Okla.) (3-0). 

GLVC play starts this week for the eight other teams in the conference. UIndy travels to McKendree (Ill.) (0-2); Lincoln (Mo.) (1-1) goes to Illinois to play Quincy (Ill.) (0-2); Missouri S&T (0-2) takes on Truman State; and William Jewell (Mo.) (1-0)  plays Southwest Baptist (Mo.) (1-2) in a night game.

STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Wise leads the Peacocks in both passing and rushing. He is 23-of-44 for 323 yards and three touchdowns through the air, with 33 carries for 191 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. His 95.5 rushing yards per game currently ranks third in the conference. 

Nyenow Jr. is the receiving leader for the Peacocks with eight catches for 143 yards. He's averaging the fourth-most yards in the GLVC. Wilson Jr. is the team's second-leading receiver with three catches for 64 yards. Tight end Logan Rosauer has grabbed three catches for 45 yards. 

On defense, Mulherin leads the Peacocks with 14 tackles (five solo). Hodo has the most solo tackles with seven while tallying 12 total tackles. He also has a team-high three tackles-for-loss with a sack. Daniel Robinson has added nine tackles.

Defensive back Dominic Salibi leads the team in pass breakups with four while adding an interception. Brycen Hendrix has seven solo tackles, a pass breakup and two tackles-for-loss. Mack has recorded eight tackles (four solo) with two tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble.

The Peacocks are tied for the third-highest point average in the GLVC at 24.5 with the fourth-highest offensive average at 336 yards. UIU's defense is second in the GLVC in yards allowed per game, giving up 285.5.

ABOUT THE HUSKIES
Michigan Tech enters this week tied at No. 25 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll with Northwood (Mich.) (2-0). The Huskies were No. 20 last week before falling to Emporia State (Kan.) (3-0), 34-20. MTU has wins over Bemidji State (Minn.) (1-2), 31-29, and Midwestern State (Texas) (1-1), 48-27. 

At quarterback, sophomore Elliott Larner has been the starter all three games. He is 36-of-72 for 468 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He is also the leading rusher for the Huskies, totaling 238 yards and four touchdowns on 45 carries. 

Alex Bueno also returns for his junior campaign and is listed as the starting quarterback on the Michigan Tech two-deep. Bueno threw for 1,571 yards and 13 touchdowns last season while rushing for 418 yards and four touchdowns. 

Senior running back Jake Rueff has had a solid start to the season with 219 yards and two touchdowns. Elliott Larner is averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and Rueff is averaging 4.8 yards per carry. 

2025 CSC First Team Academic All-American® wide receiver Nic Nora is back with 10 catches for 224 yards and a touchdown. Nora was MTU's leading receiver last season with 45 catches for 605 yards and five touchdowns. 

Abram Larner, Elliott Larner's twin brother, has been the top touchdown target for the Huskies, totaling 13 catches for 191 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Bryce Kurncz has added six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown.

On defense, senior linebacker Chase Koch leads the team with 31 tackles (19 solo), four tackles-for-loss, a sack and two interceptions. Koch is 16th in the nation in solo tackles per game and 33rd in the nation in total tackles. 

Senior defensive back Dakota Blackwell and junior defensive back Jackson Zachary each have 14 tackles and a tackle-for-loss. Junior Jamison Stamps is adding four tackles, an interception and a team-high four pass breakups. Linebacker Joey Donahue is the team's sack leader with two, while adding an interception. The Husky defense has forced five turnovers this season.

The Peacocks spoiled Michigan Tech's homecoming last season with a 21-14 victory. UIU scored all 21 points in the second quarter, all on Darryl Overstreet Jr. passing touchdowns that capped off 60+ yard drives. 

The Peacock defense was stout, only allowing 89 passing yards with four pass breakups and two sacks. Overstreet Jr. finished the game 26-of-35 with 205 passing yards. The Peacocks were 10-of-17 (58.8%) on third downs and 2-of-2 (100%) on fourth downs, while the Huskies finished the game 5-of-13 (38.5%) on third downs and 1-of-3 (33.3%) on fourth downs. 

Bueno finished 11-of-22 with 89 passing yards while adding 45 yards on the ground. Rueff totaled 81 rushing yards on 18 carries. Nora led the team in receiving with three catches for 34 yards. 

Dan Mettlach is in his fourth season with Michigan Tech, being the 17th head coach in the program's history. He was a former quarterback for the program from 2001-04 and was named the 2004 GLIAC Player of the Year. He has a 21-14 record entering this weekend at Michigan Tech and led the Huskies to back-to-back 7-4 seasons over the last two years.