WHEN: Saturday, Noon

WHERE: Colorado Springs, Colo.

TV: Mountain West Network

RADIO: Panther Sports Radio Network

LINE: Air Force-15

Week one of the 2022 college football season is officially upon us, which means football will soon
be returning to the UNI campus. But before the Panthers take the field in the UNI-Dome on Sept. 17, they will first hit the road for two games to open up the season. First up is a non-conference roadtrip to Colorado Springs, Colo. to match up against the Air Force Falcons out of the Mountain West Conference. The game is scheduled for a noon kickoff on Sept. 3 and can be viewed on Altitude Sports Network and the MW Conference Network.

UNI is coming off of a 6-6 year in which they were selected for an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs, only to fall in the first round on the road against Eastern Washington. Despite their record, last year’s Panther squad was able to compete at a high level in the brutally competitive Missouri Valley Football Conference, defeating three top-25 opponents during the year. Their matchup with Air Force will surely be a unique challenge, as the Falcons are well-known for their offensive attack known as the “flexbone offense.” This style of football typically uses two to three men in the backfield and incorporates a very run-heavy, triple-option attack. Expect Air Force to run the ball, run it again and run it some more against the Panther defense.

Air Force recorded their fourth 10-win season under head coach Troy Calhoun a year ago, and all
three of their losses last season came by seven points or less. They capped off the strong season with a 31-28 victory over Louisville in the First Responder Bowl. This is a highly-talented squad on both sides of the ball that will likely be a handful for the Panthers in the opening week. Quarterback Hazziq Daniels is returning under center after rushing for 736 yards and 11 touchdowns for last year’s Falcon team. He’s not the only running threat on this team however, as fullback Brad Roberts led the way last season with 1,357 and 13 touchdowns, averaging about 100 yards and one touchdown per game a season ago. The Falcons have a deep array of rushing options behind these two as well, as their run-heavy offense demands depth at the running back and fullback positions.

Don’t expect Air Force to throw the ball a lot in this game however. They rarely throw the ball and when they do, it usually comes on a third-down situation. Daniels only completed half of his passes last year, and the team’s leading receiver Brandon Lewis only caught 21 passes in the 2021 season (Lewis has since graduated). They will likely try to keep the Panther defense honest by throwing every now and then, but for the most part this is a run-dominated offense.

On the offensive side of the ball for the Panthers, expect much of the same style of moving the
ball that UNI coach Mark Farley is accustomed to. This typically involves a mixture of ground-and-pound running and short passes, with the occasional deep ball to try to catch the defense off guard. Returning under center for UNI will be last year’s MVFC Newcomer of the Year Theo Day, as well as running backs Dom Williams and Vance McShane.

One potential silver lining in being matched up with Air Force in week one is that the Panthers
have had a longer amount of preparation for facing the flexbone offense. Had this game been in the middle of the schedule there would only have been one week of preparation – but since it comes during the first week UNI has had more time to practice against the unique offensive style of Air Force leading up to the season.

UNI football has earned a reputation for playing well against FBS opponents like Iowa and Iowa
State, so expect a close bout against Air Force. This game will surely be hard fought on both sides of the ball and is expected to be a quality FBS vs. FCS week one matchup.