Breaking down the UNI Panthers

[bsaltyman]

With the start of the college football season quickly approaching, does anyone have a good idea of what to expect from ISU's week 1 opponent?

They are coming off of a strange season due to Covid where they had to play in the spring. In the spring they went 3-4, but all of their losses were close games against teams that made the FCS playoffs. I'm not sure how having a spring season would affect their prep for the upcoming season as compared to any normal year. It looks like they are ranked #21 in the FCS, which is not as good as they have been recently. I see that they were picked to finish 5th in the Missouri Valley, behind SDSU, NDSU, North Dakota, and Southern Illinois.

This article from the CR Gazette makes me think that their offense will have a hard time keeping up with Iowa State. It sounds like their running game has lacked production recently, and it points out that Will McElvain has been inconsistent at QB (but some of that was due to Covid). Apparently they have brought in a couple of QB transfers (Theo Day from Michigan State and Matt Morrissey from a junior college) to have some competition at the position. I do remember from two years ago that McElvain played well against us and was fairly elusive.

Anyways, if anyone has any more insight about what to expect from the Panthers I would welcome the discussion. It seems like Mark Farley usually has them motivated and playing fundamentally sound. I expect them to put up a fight, but I sure hope that it's not another 3 OT game this year.

 

[RustShack]

Iowa State is going to break them down mentally and physically.

 

[clonefreek]

God for once can we just blow out a team were supposed to blow out week one.

 

[CyCrazy]

If we don't **** house them I will not be a happy camper.

 

[JM4CY]

Not that it means much for this game, from what I hear from UNI people, they are not the feisty panther team we usually play. They have some personnel issues that are going to cause problems, especially on Offense.

 

[dualthreat]

UNI will put a tough, physical, well coached team on the field. They will play hard for four quarters.
I think for once we severely out-talent them. Make no mistake if our guys overlook them this could be a close game. I don’t think we will so I predict we get after them early and often. Probably something like 28-7 at half and 45-17 final.

 

[Lyon309Cy]

I just hope we look sharp and put them away early. I'd love to see the second and third teamers get most of the second half. Avoid injuries to the starters and get valuable experience for the young guys.

 

[usedcarguy]

IMO, playing this spring is really going to hurt them this fall. That's 5 months they didn't have to heal after the season, even if it was a shorter season. They lost some talent off the O-line that isn't going to be easy to replace.

 

[khardbored]

No slow starts, please!!!

 

[demoncore1031]

They have a good secondary and one solid LB that I know of. Their o-line is good, and one of their tackles could end up being a high draft pick. They have some speed at WR. But they can't match the talent ISU has.

Clones 31
Panthers 17

 

[madguy30]

UNI will put a tough, physical, well coached team on the field. They will play hard for four quarters.
I think for once we severely out-talent them. Make no mistake if our guys overlook them this could be a close game. I don’t think we will so I predict we get after them early and often. Probably something like 28-7 at half and 45-17 final.

I thought the last time ISU clearly outmatched them physically. The overall speed and size differences were pretty clear.

But UNI was well prepped and ISU kept messing around and the result was what you get.

ISU needs to be the hammer from the start on this one.

 

[JM4CY]

They have a good secondary and one solid LB that I know of. Their o-line is good, and one of their tackles could end up being a high draft pick. They have some speed at WR. But they can't match the talent ISU has.

Clones 31
Panthers 17

I think it’s closer to this than a blow out. But I don’t think it’s going to be a thing where the game outcome will ever be in question. Then the fire manning crowd will get it going before the ToE game.

 

[8bitnes]

I think it’s closer to this than a blow out. But I don’t think it’s going to be a thing where the game outcome will ever be in question. Then the fire manning crowd will get it going before the ToE game.

No way. This year's team is comprised of most of the same guys from two years ago. I'd take the cyclones by 4 TDs

 

[Frak]

I think it’s closer to this than a blow out. But I don’t think it’s going to be a thing where the game outcome will ever be in question. Then the fire manning crowd will get it going before the ToE game.

If they mess around and let this one be close, Manning will deserve all the criticism he gets.

 

[keepngoal]

45+
to less than 16.

Blow out.

 

[Selmak The Tok'Ra]

It would be interesting to see whether or not UNI and those other FCS teams are still worn out from having a spring season.


I also wonder if Campbell isn't gonna try to pull a ball control game and try to dominate TOP like 45-15 or something crazy in a similar manner to what we pulled off in the Fiesta Bowl. I think we might have seen a proto-version of an attempt at that in the 2019 UNI game but I don't think we really had the Oline for that at that time and Breece hadn't broke out yet so those were probably two reasons that game was the nightmare it ended up being.


Campbell also doesn't seem to be too keen to really run up the score super high on teams but 2019 was the year we blasted ULM but ULM could have just been really really bad. I want us to put 70+ on teams like UNI and UNLV and Kansas this year because I totally think we could.

 

[bsaltyman]

It would be interesting to see whether or not UNI and those other FCS teams are still worn out from having a spring season.


I also wonder if Campbell isn't gonna try to pull a ball control game and try to dominate TOP like 45-15 or something crazy in a similar manner to what we pulled off in the Fiesta Bowl. I think we might have seen a proto-version of an attempt at that in the 2019 UNI game but I don't think we really had the Oline for that at that time and Breece hadn't broke out yet so those were probably two reasons that game was the nightmare it ended up being.

As far as potential fatigue from the spring season goes, my guess is that it will more likely catch up to them later on in the season more than it will in week 1. I just hope that it doesn’t lead to increased injuries like it did in the NBA.

 

[EnkAMania]

Panthers offensive line was so bad, I don’t see how they can fix that in a couple of months.

 

[Selmak The Tok'Ra]

Panthers offensive line was so bad, I don’t see how they can fix that in a couple of months.

Bah Gawd that's Will McDonald's music!

 

[1UNI2ISU]

I'll put together a full breakdown on UNI at some point this week for everybody.

The difference between this game being 31-14 or 42-6 lies solely in whether UNI is anywhere near competent offensively. The UNI defense is legit, as always, but fewer scholarships means less depth (obviously) and they can't be on the field for 40 minutes.

UNI is really, really good in the front 6/7 including the Valley DPOY at DT, two All American linebackers (though one will be limited after shoulder surgery) and lots of experience at DE. If Iowa State can consistently run the ball, I'd be really encouraged for what the season can be.

This won't be 2019 but it's not a total blowout either. Two and a half competitive quarters and a nice tune-up for Iowa State.