Northern Iowa enters 2012 seeking a third-consecutive Missouri Valley Football Conference title. The Panthers have claimed at least a share of the league championship in four of the last five seasons.

The Panthers finished the 2011 season ranked No. 12 among FCS teams in scoring defense, allowing 19.0 points per game.

UNI is 2-10 against FBS opponents under head coach Mark Farley, but three of those losses have come by a single point (at Iowa State, 2007; at Iowa, 2009; at Iowa State, 2011).

Base Offense: Multiple
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4

• The Panthers will see a familiar face calling plays in 11th-year offensive coordinator Bill Salmon, but the face in the huddle will be new. Redshirt freshman quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen will make his first career start against the Badgers on Saturday. He replaces dual-threat QB Tirrell Rennie, who threw for 1,802 yards and 14 touchdowns last season while also leading the Panthers in rushing with 885 yards and nine TDs.

• On the ground, the Panthers enjoy a 1-2 punch in running backs Carlos Anderson and David Johnson. As a freshman, Johnson was UNI's second-leading rusher with 822 yards on 179 carries to go along with nine rushing touchdowns. He also was the team's second-leading receiver with 33 catches for 422 yards and three TDs. Anderson rushed for 410 yards last year, but really does damage as a returner. In 2010, Anderson averaged 27.2 yards per return and ran back two kicks for touchdowns.

• Blocking for the Panthers is an experienced offensive line that includes an all-upperclassmen left side. Each of the Panthers' starters are in at least their third season, with seniors anchoring at center (Brian Palangi, 6-5, 310) and left tackle (Tim Sauer, 6-8, 302).

Panthers to Watch  #1 | Carlos Anderson  Running Back  Senior | 5-8 | 172  #7 | David Johnson  Running Back  Sophomore | 6-3 | 214 2011: 77 Att, 410 Yds, 5.3 Avg 2011: 1244 All-Purpose Yds, 12 TD

Base Defense: 4-3
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/6

• The Panthers have a few holes to fill on defense after losing six starters from last year's team that ranked No. 12 nationally in scoring defense by allowing just 19.0 points per game. Four of UNI's top six tacklers from last season have moved on, but the Panthers have an experienced linebacking corps to help shore up the front seven.

• The back end is where the strength of UNI's defense lies. A year after leading the Missouri Valley Football Conference in pass defense, the Panthers return four seniors that make up an experienced secondary. The duo of cornerback Varmah Sonie and strong safety Garrett Scott combined for seven interceptions and 16 pass breakups last year, while Scott added 105 total tackles to rank third on the team.

Panthers to Watch  #4 | Varmah Sonie  Cornerback  Senior | 5-9 | 166  #15 | Garrett Scott  Strong Safety  Senior | 6-0 | 201 2011: 70 Tkl, 3.5 TFL, 3 INT, 7 PBU 2011: 105 Tkl, 3.5 TFL, 4 INT, 9 PBU

12th Season  •  Northern Iowa, 1987  •  99-40 at UNI
Mark Farley enters his 12th year at the helm of the UNI program looking to extend the run of success his alma mater has enjoyed under his leadership. The Missouri Valley Football Conference’s all-time wins leader, Farley has guided UNI to a 60-20 league record and a mark of 99-40 overall.

In 11 seasons, he has guided the Panthers to seven conference titles and seven NCAA FCS playoff berths, including three national semifinal appearances and a trip to the national title game in 2005. His teams have won at least 10 games in six of his 11 seasons.

Farley has guided UNI to MVFC titles in four of the last five seasons, including back-to-back crowns in 2010 and 2011.

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