Panthers must continue to run the ball effectively in their first away game

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa plays its first road game Saturday at St. Thomas — its fourth all-time meeting against the Tommies.

St. Thomas (0-1), which was picked second in the Pioneer Football League’s preseason poll, is in its fourth season in the FCS after being involuntarily removed from the Division-III Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference due to “athletic competitive parity.”

The Tommies finished the 2023 season 8-3 overall and 7-1 in the PFL, but stumbled in their season opener with a 34-13 loss to Division-II Sioux Falls, breaking an NCAA record of 31 home wins.

St. Thomas offensive lineman Alec Rasmussen and running back Hope Adebayo were both selected to the All-PFL team in preseason play. However, they struggled with their run game in Week 1, allowing just 22 yards on 16 attempts.

Here are three keys to victory for the Panthers (1-0).

1. Run it again

UNI’s plan to rely heavily on the run game last week against Valparaiso paid off, as the team topped 300 yards rushing for the first time since the 2016 season.

Given the Panthers’ talent at their offensive line and running back positions, there’s little reason not to bring the same game plan to St. Thomas this week.

Add to that the fact that the Tommies allowed 204 yards rushing last week against Sioux Falls and it’s safe to say UNI got off to a flying start on Saturday in St. Paul.

2. Speed ​​vs. Size

While St. Thomas is similar to Valparaiso in terms of PFL membership (no scholarship), it differs in the talent the club typically has on its roster.

The Tommies’ roster has regularly been among the PFL’s most talented players since joining in 2022, which also means they are bigger than their counterparts.

While UNI’s small defensive line was able to dominate the Beacons, the challenge against St. Thomas will be greater and should provide an early indication of whether the defensive line is fast enough to overcome the Tommies’ size.

3. ‘Air Raid’ Progression

The game against Valparaiso required little of the dynamic passing concepts found within UNI’s “Air Raid” scheme, but it will be important to see progress from the passing game and quarterback Aidan Dunne against St. Thomas.

The Panthers have a significantly stronger schedule after this week, so finding more plays that Dunne and the offense are comfortable with and allowing the starting quarterback to be aggressive in his first year will likely pay off in the coming week.

UNI at St. Thomas (September 7, 2024)

Kick-off time: 1:00 PM (CT)

Live stream: Midco Sports Plus ($9.99/month)

TV: No

Radio: 93.5 The Mix (App available), Panther Sports Radio Network (via TuneIn)

Prediction: UNI 38, St. Thomas 17