2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football team

2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football
Gateway co-champion
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 2[1]
Record11–4 (5–2 Gateway)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Salmon (5th season)
Home stadiumUNI-Dome
2005 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 +^   5 2     11 4  
No. 7 Southern Illinois +^   5 2     9 4  
No. 14 Youngstown State +   5 2     8 3  
No. 22 Illinois State   4 3     7 4  
Western Kentucky   4 3     6 5  
Western Illinois   3 4     5 6  
Missouri State   2 5     4 6  
Indiana State   0 7     0 11  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 2005 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 11–4 with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, sharing the Gateway title with Southern Illinois and Youngstown State. Northern Iowa advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Panthers defeated Eastern Washington in the first round, New Hampshire in the quarterfinals, and Texas State in the seminfinals before losing to Appalachian State in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game. The team played home games at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 17:05 pmDrake*No. 12KFXA, KDSMW 52–1710,385
September 107:05 pmMinnesota Duluth*No. 12
  • UNI-Dome
  • Cedar Falls, IA
W 49–148,893
September 172:30 pmat No. 22 (I-A) Iowa*No. 9ESPN PlusL 21–4570,585
October 11:05 pmat Western IllinoisNo. 8W 41–2414,603[2]
October 82:00 pmat Missouri StateNo. 7L 21–2410,778[3]
October 154:05 pmIndiana StatedaggerNo. 14
  • UNI-Dome
  • Cedar Falls, IA
W 31–1012,449
October 221:30 pmat Illinois StateNo. 13L 3–3812,626[4]
October 293:05 pmNo. 11 Youngstown StateNo. 21
  • UNI-Dome
  • Cedar Falls, IA
KFXA, KDSM, FCSW 21–711,242
November 54:05 pmat No. 6 Western KentuckyNo. 17FSNMW 23–20 2OT12,364
November 125:05 pmNo. 4 Southern IllinoisNo. 14
  • UNI-Dome
  • Cedar Falls, IA
W 25–2415,536[5]
November 195:05 pmNorthern Arizona*No. 10
  • UNI-Dome
  • Cedar Falls, IA
W 41–178,142
November 267:05 pmNo. 15 Eastern Washington*No. 7
W 41–387,746
December 310:00 amat No. 1 New Hampshire*No. 7
ESPNGPW 24–218,448
December 97:05 pmat No. 4 Texas State*No. 7
ESPN2W 40–37 OT15,712[6]
December 167:00 pmvs. No. 5 Appalachian State*No. 7ESPN2L 16–2120,236

[7][8]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
Week
PollPre123456789101112Final
The Sports Network12[9]129108714132117141072[1]

Personnel

Coaching staff

Name Position Year at
Northern Iowa
Alma mater (year)
Mark Farley Head coach 5th Northern Iowa (1987)

Roster

2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 8 Nick Nelson Fr
OT 77 Chad Rinehart So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

References

  1. ^ a b "Sports Network's Final 2005 FCS College Football Poll". Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  2. ^ Ecker, Jim (October 2, 2005). "UNI's Sanders too much for W. Illinois". The Gazette. p. 16C. Retrieved January 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Northern Iowa's rally falls short in conference loss". The Des Moines Register. October 9, 2005. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Newhoff, Doug (October 23, 2005). "True colors". The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. p. C2. Retrieved November 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Newhoff, Doug (November 13, 2005). "Unbelieva-ball!". The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. p. C1. Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "UNI captures OT thriller". The Muscatine Journal. December 10, 2005. Retrieved March 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Northern Iowa Panthers Schedule 2005". ESPN. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  8. ^ "2005 Football Schedule". University of Northern Iowa. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  9. ^ "UNI Ranked No. 12 in Sports Network Poll". University of Northern Iowa Department of Athletics. August 8, 2005. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved November 27, 2010.