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I-AA West: UNI-fied Panthers
Kent Schmidt, I-AA.org West Columnist
With Texas State losing last week in the semi-finals, my West region was shutout of the championship game. However, there is one team west of the Mississippi River that I can sort of call mine. That team is the University of Northern Iowa Panthers out of the Gateway Conference.
While some have called Montana State’s Bobcats the Cardiac Cats, I think this term might be more suited for these Cats from Cedar Falls, Iowa. After all, UNI has put together a run of improbable wins not just in the playoffs but towards the end of the season where the team needed to win just to get into the postseason.
I will admit that I am one that did not think UNI would still be playing right now.
After UNI’s opening round victory, UNI Head Coach Farley said, “I’ve said all along that this is a special football team.”
After hearing this statement in UNI’s pressroom, I thought to myself, “Yeah, right coach. You get top ranked New Hampshire next week on the road and likely another road game after that if somehow you win there. There is no way UNI is going to make it to Chattanooga.”
Well, the Panthers proved my thinking wrong and now are going to their first ever championship game in football where they will meet another first timer to the I-AA title game in Appalachian State.
remainder of column:
Kent Schmidt, I-AA.org West Columnist
With Texas State losing last week in the semi-finals, my West region was shutout of the championship game. However, there is one team west of the Mississippi River that I can sort of call mine. That team is the University of Northern Iowa Panthers out of the Gateway Conference.
While some have called Montana State’s Bobcats the Cardiac Cats, I think this term might be more suited for these Cats from Cedar Falls, Iowa. After all, UNI has put together a run of improbable wins not just in the playoffs but towards the end of the season where the team needed to win just to get into the postseason.
I will admit that I am one that did not think UNI would still be playing right now.
After UNI’s opening round victory, UNI Head Coach Farley said, “I’ve said all along that this is a special football team.”
After hearing this statement in UNI’s pressroom, I thought to myself, “Yeah, right coach. You get top ranked New Hampshire next week on the road and likely another road game after that if somehow you win there. There is no way UNI is going to make it to Chattanooga.”
Well, the Panthers proved my thinking wrong and now are going to their first ever championship game in football where they will meet another first timer to the I-AA title game in Appalachian State.
remainder of column:
