List of Northern Iowa Panthers football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Northern Iowa Panthers football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).[1] The Panthers fielded their first team in 1895 with no head coach designated. The first head coach was Fred Wolff and currently is Mark Farley.

There was no football team fielded during the 1906 and 1907 seasons because it was deemed "...too severe to be played at the institution."[2] Northern Iowa did not play football during the 1943 and 1944 seasons because of World War II.

Seasons

Legend

  † National Champions[3]
  ‡ Conference Champions[4]
  ^ Bowl game berth[5]
  * Playoff berth[6]

Season Coach Conference Season results Bowl/Playoff result Final ranking
Conference finish Wins Losses Ties[7] NCAA/TSN Poll[8] Coaches Poll[9]
Iowa State Normal School Normals
1895 No coach Independent — 1 2 0 —
1896 Independent — 4 3 0 —
1897 Fred Wolff Independent — 5 1 0 —
1898 Kalita E. Leighton Independent — 4 0 1 —
1899 George Sweetland Independent — 1 3 2 —
1900 Fred A. Williams Independent — 3 4 1 —
1901 George B. Affleck Independent — 5 3 2 —
1902 Charles Pell Independent — 1 6 1 —
1903 Independent — 4 3 1 —
1904 Independent — 5 3 1 —
1905 Independent — 5 3 2 —
1906 Northern Iowa did not play football during the 1906 and 1907 seasons because of the Normal Athletic Board
1907
1908 Clayton B. Simmons Independent — 5 0 0 —
1909 Independent — 6 0 0 —
Iowa State Teachers College Tutors/Panthers
1910 James Owen Perrine Independent — 1 4 1 —
1911 Pat Pasini Independent — 3 2 1 —
1912 Independent — 5 2 1 —
1913 Allen P. Berkstresser Independent — 2 3 1 —
1914 Independent — 2 5 1 —
1915 Independent — 3 3 0 —
1916 Independent — 1 7 0 —
1917 James Owen Perrine Independent — 2 3 0 —
1918 Russell Glaesner Independent — 1 3 0 —
1919 Ivan Doseff Independent — 2 4 1 —
1920 Independent — 4 2 1 —
1921 Leland L. Mendenhall Independent — 5 1 1 —
1922 Independent — 5 2 0 —
1923 IIAC 3 3 1 —
1924 IIAC 2 5 0 —
1925 Paul F. Bender IIAC 5 1 2 —
1926 IIAC 5 3 0 —
1927‡ IIAC 1st 7 0 1 —
1928‡ IIAC ?1st 5 1 3 —
1929 IIAC 3 4 0 —
1930 Lawrence W. Whitford IIAC 2 5 1 —
1931 IIAC 3 5 0 —
1932 IIAC 5 3 1 —
1933 John Baker IIAC 3 6 0 —
1934 IIAC 3 3 2 —
1935 Thomas Johnson NCC 4 2 2 —
1936 Clyde Starbeck NCC 6th 5 2 2 —
1937 NCC T-3rd 2 4 3 —
1938 NCC 7th 3 5 0 —
1939 NCC 4th 5 3 1 —
1940‡ NCC 1st 8 1 0 —
1941‡ NCC 1st 5 3 0 —
1942‡ NCC 1st 6 1 0 —
1943 Northern Iowa did not play football during the 1943 and 1944 seasons because of World War II
1944
1945 NCC —[10] 3 3 0 —
1946‡ NCC 1st 4 1 2 —
1947‡ NCC T-1st♦ 5 3 1 —
1948‡ NCC 1st 7 3 0 —
1949‡ NCC T-1st♦ 5 2 0 —
1950 NCC T-2nd 4 4 0 —
1951 NCC 3rd 3 4 0 —
1952‡ NCC 1st 6 2 0 —
1953 NCC 2nd 6 3 0 —
1954 NCC T-3rd 3 5 0 —
1955 NCC 2nd 8 1 0 —
1956 NCC 7th 2 5 1 —
1957 NCC 3rd 5 3 0 —
1958 Bill Hammer NCC 7th 4 5 0 —
1959 NCC T-4th 6 3 0 —
1960‡^ Stan Sheriff NCC T-1st♦ 9 1 0 Lost Mineral Water Bowl vs. Hillsdale College, 17-6
State College of Iowa Panthers
1961‡ NCC T-1st♦ 7 2 0 —
1962‡ NCC T-1st♦ 7 1 1 —
1963 NCC T-2nd 5 3 1 —
1964‡^ NCC T-1st♦ 9 2 0 Won Pecan Bowl vs. Lamar Tech, 19-17
1965 NCC 3rd 4 5 0 —
1966 NCC 3rd 4 5 0 —
1967 NCC 2nd 7 3 0 —
1968 NCC T-3rd 5 5 0 —
Northern Iowa Panthers
1969 NCC 2nd 5 5 0 —
1970 NCC T-6th 2 8 0 —
1971 NCC T-2nd 4 5 0 —
1972 NCC T-4th 4 6 0 —
1973 NCC 7th 5 5 0 —
1974 NCC T-5th 5 4 1 —
1975* NCC 2nd 9 3 0 Quarterfinals Division II playoffs
1976 NCC 3rd 8 3 0 —
1977 NCC T-2nd 6 5 0 —
1978 AMCU 6th 2 9 0 —
1979 AMCU 2nd 6 5 0 —
1980 AMCU 3rd 7 4 0 —
1981‡ AMCU T-1st♦ 5 6 0 —
1982‡ AMCU T-1st♦ 4 6 1 —
1983 Darrell Mudra AMCU 3rd 6 5 0 —
1984‡ AMCU T-1st♦ 9 2 0 — 18
1985‡* GFC 1st 11 2 0 Semifinals Division I-AA playoffs 4
1986 GFC T-2nd 7 3 1 —
1987‡* GFC 1st 10 4 0 Semifinals Division I-AA playoffs 4
1988 Earle Bruce GFC 4th 5 6 0 —
1989 Terry Allen GFC T-2nd 8 3 0 — 20
1990‡* GFC T–1st♦ 8 4 0 First Round Division I-AA playoffs 11
1991‡* GFC 1st 11 2 0 Quarterfinals Division I-AA playoffs 4
1992‡* GFC 1st 12 2 0 Semifinals Division I-AA playoffs 3
1993‡* GFC 1st 8 4 0 First Round Division I-AA playoffs 13
1994‡* GFC 1st 8 4 0 First Round Division I-AA playoffs 11
1995‡* GFC T–1st♦ 8 5 0 Quarterfinals Division I-AA playoffs 18
1996‡* GFC 1st 12 2 — Semifinals Division I-AA playoffs 3
1997 Mike Dunbar GFC 2nd 7 4 — —
1998 GFC T–3rd 7 4 — — 25
1999 GFC 3rd 8 3 — — 15
2000 GFC 4th 7 4 — — 19
2001‡* Mark Farley GFC 1st 11 3 — Semifinals Division I-AA playoffs 4
2002 GFC T-6th 5 6 — —
2003‡* GFC T–1st♦ 10 3 — Quarterfinals Division I-AA playoffs 5
2004 GFC 3rd 7 4 — — 25
2005‡* GFC T–1st♦ 11 4 — Finals Division I-AA playoffs 2
2006 GFC T–2nd 7 4 — — 17
2007‡* GFC 1st 12 1 — Quarterfinals Division I FCS playoffs 4 5
2008‡* MVFC T–1st♦ 12 3 — Semifinals Division I FCS playoffs 4 4
2009 MVFC T–3rd 7 4 — — 18 18
2010‡* MVFC 1st 7 5 — First Round Division I FCS playoffs 19 18
2011‡* MVFC T–1st♦ 10 3 — Quarterfinals Division I FCS playoffs 6 5
2012 MVFC T–6th 5 6 — — RV[11] —[11]
2013 MVFC T–7th 7 5 — — RV[12] RV[13]
2014* MVFC 3rd 9 5 — Second Round Division I FCS playoffs
2015* MVFC T–3rd 9 5 — Quarterfinals Division I FCS playoffs 8 6
2016 MVFC T–4th 5 6 — — RV[14] —[15]
Total 632 390 47 (only includes regular season games)
1 1 — (only includes bowl games; 2 appearances)
22 19 — (only includes playoff games; 19 appearances)
655 410 47 (all games)
♦ Denotes a tie for first place and conference co-champion

Bowl results

Season Date Bowl Opponent Result Site Attendance
1960 November 26 Mineral Water Bowl Hillsdale College L 17-6 Excelsior Springs, Missouri
1964 December 12 Pecan Bowl Lamar Tech W 19-17 Abilene, Texas

Playoff results

Any playoff appearance prior to 1978 was in the NCAA Division II playoffs. All subsequent appearances were in Division I-AA, now known as Football Championship Subdivision. When Division I-AA was formed for football in 1978, the playoffs included just four teams, doubling to eight teams in its fourth season of 1981. In 1982 the I-AA playoffs were expanded to 12 teams, with each of the top four seeds receiving a first-round bye and a home game in the quarterfinals. In its ninth season of 1986, the I-AA playoffs were expanded again, to the present 16-team format, requiring four post-season victories to win the title. In April 2008 the NCAA announced that the playoff field will again expand to include 20 teams beginning in 2010.[16] The playoffs expanded to 24 teams starting in 2013.

Season Date Round UNI Seed Opponent Result Site Attendance
1975 November 29 First - Western Kentucky L 14-12 Cedar Falls, Iowa 2,500
1985 December 7 Quarterfinals 4 Eastern Washington W 17-14 Cedar Falls, Iowa 6,220
1985 December 14 Semifinals 4 Georgia Southern L 40-33 Cedar Falls, Iowa 12,300
1987 November 28 First 3 Youngstown State W 31-28 Cedar Falls, Iowa 3,887
1987 December 5 Quarterfinals 3 Arkansas State W 49-28 Cedar Falls, Iowa 6,100
1987 December 12 Semifinals 3 Northeast Louisiana L 44-41 OT Monroe, Louisiana 14,443
1990 December 12 First 11 Boise State L 20-3 Boise, Idaho 11,691
1991 November 30 First 3 Weber State W 38-21 Cedar Falls, Iowa 8,723
1991 December 7 Quarterfinals 3 Marshall L 41-13 Huntington, West Virginia 16,889
1992 November 28 First 3 Eastern Washington W 17-14 Cedar Falls, Iowa 13,149
1992 December 5 Quarterfinals 3 McNeese State W 29-7 Cedar Falls, Iowa 13,375
1992 December 12 Semifinals 3 Youngstown State L 19-7 Cedar Falls, Iowa 14,682
1993 November 27 First 13 Boston L 27-21 2OT Boston, Massachusetts 6,882
1994 November 28 First 11 Montana L 23-20 Missoula, Montana 7,958
1995 November 25 First 16 Murray State W 35-34 Murray, Kentucky 7,633
1995 December 3 Quarterfinals 16 Marshall L 41-24 Huntington, West Virginia 14,472
1996 November 30 First 3 Eastern Illinois W 41-24 Cedar Falls, Iowa 10,402
1996 December 7 Quarterfinals 3 William & Mary W 38-35 Cedar Falls, Iowa 10,796
1996 December 14 Semifinals 3 Marshall L 31-14 Huntington, West Virginia 14,414
2001 December 1 First - Eastern Illinois W 49-43 Charleston, Illinois 6,824
2001 December 8 Quarterfinals - Maine W 56-28 Cedar Falls, Iowa 9,525
2001 December 15 Semifinals - Montana L 38-0 Missoula, Montana 18,848
2003 November 29 First - Montana State W 35-14 Cedar Falls, Iowa 10,165
2003 December 2 Quarterfinals - Delaware L 37-7 Newark, Delaware 11,881
2005 November 26 First - Eastern Washington W 41-38 Cedar Falls, Iowa 7,746
2005 December 2 Quarterfinals - New Hampshire W 24-21 Durham, New Hampshire 8,448
2005 December 9 Semifinals - Texas State W 40-37 OT San Marcos, Texas 15,712
2005 December 16 Championship - Appalachian State L 21-16 Chattanooga, Tennessee 20,236
2007 November 24 First 1 New Hampshire W 38-35 Cedar Falls, Iowa 16,015
2007 December 1 Quarterfinals 1 Delaware L 39-27 Cedar Falls, Iowa 15,803
2008 November 29 First 3 Maine W 45-0 Cedar Falls, Iowa 8,477
2008 December 6 Quarterfinals 3 New Hampshire W 36-34 Cedar Falls, Iowa 9,055
2008 December 13 Semifinals 3 Richmond L 21-20 Cedar Falls, Iowa 12,062
2010 November 27 First - Lehigh L 14-7 Cedar Falls, Iowa 5,990
2011 December 3 Second 5 Wofford W 28-21 Cedar Falls, Iowa 6,915
2011 December 9 Quarterfinals 5 Montana L 48-10 Missoula, Montana 23,049
2014 November 29 First - Stephen F. Austin W 44-10 Cedar Falls, Iowa 10,307
2014 December 6 Second - Illinois State L 41-21 Normal, Illinois 5,575
2015 November 28 First - Eastern Illinois W 53-17 Cedar Falls, Iowa 7,062
2015 December 3 Second - Portland State W 29-17 Portland, Oregon 8,022
2015 December 12 Quarterfinals - North Dakota State L 23-13 Fargo, North Dakota 18,041

Notes

  1. ^ The Division I-A, I-AA and I-AAA designations were confusing and as a result, misapplied by the public, boosters and media when referring not only to their local football programs but also to other sports such as basketball. The Division I Board of Directors, composed of Division I presidents and chancellors voted on the change in August 2006. The Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) includes those programs that compete in an effort to participate in the postseason bowl system. The NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) includes those programs that compete in an effort to participate in the NCAA championship postseason structure (one of the 88 NCAA national championships). NCAA.org[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Are You Ready for Some UNI Football!" (Press release). University of Northern Iowa. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
  3. ^ Northern Iowa competes in the Football Championship Subdivision of Division I.
  4. ^ The Gateway Football Conference became the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2008.
  5. ^ The yellow color is used only when Northern Iowa reaches a bowl but does not hold a share in the conference title. In any case that Northern Iowa has a share of the conference championship, the green color is used.
  6. ^ The blue color is used only when Northern Iowa receives a playoff berth but does not hold a share in the conference title. In any case that Northern Iowa has a share of the conference championship, the green color is used.
  7. ^ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible.
  8. ^ Since the 1978 split in divisions, the NCAA, or more recently, The Sports Network Archived 2011-05-03 at the Wayback Machine Poll has been the major poll at the FCS level.
  9. ^ The FCS Coaches Poll Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine was introduced in 2007. Therefore, polls for prior seasons do not exist.
  10. ^ There was no North Central Conference play because of World War II in 1945.
  11. ^ a b "Football Earns No. 20 Ranking in Final Polls". Flaggstaff, Arizona: Northern Arizona University. 7 January 2013. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  12. ^ "The Sports Network FCS Top 25 College Football Poll". The Sports Network. January 6, 2014. Archived from the original on April 3, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  13. ^ "Rankings". Archived from the original on August 20, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  14. ^ "STATS FCS Poll". STATS FCS Football. January 9, 2017. Archived from the original on February 9, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  15. ^ "James Madison (14-1) Unanimous No. 1 After Championship Run". Southern Conference. Archived from the original on January 10, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  16. ^ The Sports Network (April 25, 2008). "NCAA approves playoff expansion to 20 teams for 2010". Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.

References