1985 Northern Iowa Panthers football team

{{Short description|American college football season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox college sports team season

| sport = football

| year = 1985

| team = Northern Iowa Panthers

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference

| short_conf = GCAC

| record = 11–2

| conf_record = 5–0

| head_coach = Darrell Mudra

| hc_year = 3rd

| off_coach =

| oc_year =

| off_scheme =

| def_coach = Dennis Remmert

| dc_year = 15th

| def_scheme =

| captain =

| stadium = UNI-Dome

| champion = GCAC champion

| bowl = NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal

| bowl_result = L 33–40 vs. Georgia Southern

}}

{{1985 Gateway Football Conference standings}}

The 1985 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa as a member of the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (GCAC) during the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by third-year head coach Darrell Mudra, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 11–2 with a mark of 5–0 in conference play, winning the GCAC title.{{cite web |author= |title=Missouri Valley Football Conference Records |url=http://www.mvc.org/football/records.pdf |publisher=Missouri Valley Football Conference |page=25 |access-date=September 30, 2022 }} Northern Iowa advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first-round bye, the Panthers defeated Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals before losing to the evenutal national champion, Georgia Southern in the semifinals.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1985

| rankdivision = NCAA Division I-AA

| poll = NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee

| timezone = Central

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 7

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Drake

| site_stadium = Drake Stadium

| site_cityst = Des Moines, IA

| score = 9–24

| attend = 14,718

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-reserve-lifts-drake-past/160084618/|work=Quad-City Times|title=Reserve lifts Drake past Northern Iowa|date=September 8, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 14

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Kansas State

| site_stadium = KSU Stadium

| site_cityst = Manhattan, KS

| score = 10–6

| attend = 17,550

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-northern-iowa-tags/160090140/|work=The Kansas City Star|title=Northern Iowa tags K-State with 10–6 embarrassment|date=September 15, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 21

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Southwest Missouri State

| site_stadium = Briggs Stadium

| site_cityst = Springfield, MO

| score = 38–17

| attend = 7,750

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-uni-clobbers-sw-missouri/160090218/|work=The Cedar Rapids Gazette|title=UNI clobbers SW Missouri|date=September 22, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 28

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Delaware State

| opprank = 8

| site_stadium = UNI-Dome

| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA

| score = 37–17

| attend = 12,100

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-boyd-carries-pan/143853046/|work=The Des Moines Register|title=Boyd carries Panthers past Delaware State|date=September 29, 1985|accessdate=March 21, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 5

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 14

| opponent = Western Illinois

| site_stadium = Hanson Field

| site_cityst = Macomb, IL

| score = 48–14

| attend = 5,438

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal/18762646/|work=The Sioux City Journal|title=Northern Iowa posts 48–14 win|date=October 6, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 12

| w/l = w

| rank = 12

| opponent = Indiana State

| site_stadium = UNI-Dome

| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA

| score = 24–7

| attend = 13,852

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/southern-illinoisan-northern-iowa-rips-i/160089064/|work=Southern Illinoisan|title=Northern Iowa rips Indiana State, 24–7|date=October 13, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 26

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 7

| opponent = Youngstown State

| site_stadium = UNI-Dome

| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA

| score = 50–26

| attend = 14,330

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-nonpareil-panthers-roll-to-lop/160090360/|work=The Daily Nonpareil|title=Panthers roll to lopsided victory|date=October 27, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 2

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = T–5

| opponent = Illinois State

| site_stadium = Hancock Stadium

| site_cityst = Normal, IL

| score = 15–3

| attend = 4,847

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-uni-knocks-off-illinois-stat/160087663/|work=The Crdar Rapids Gazette|title=UNI knocks off Illinois State|date=November 3, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 9

| w/l = w

| rank = 5

| opponent = Eastern Illinois

| site_stadium = UNI-Dome

| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA

| score = 21–20

| attend = 10,875

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-title-already-as/160090454/|work=The Des Moines Register|title=Title already assured, UNI survives late scare|date=November 10, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 16

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 5

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1985|team=Northwest Missouri State Bearcats|title=Northwest Missouri State}}

| site_stadium = UNI-Dome

| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA

| score = 49–0

| attend = 12,107

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-nonpareil-uni-blasts-nmsu-49/160090531/|work=The Daily Nonpareil|title=UNI blasts NMSU, 49–0|date=November 17, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 23

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 4

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1985|team=Northeast Missouri State Bulldogs|title=Northeast Missouri State}}

| site_stadium = UNI-Dome

| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA

| score = 41–24

| attend = 12,107

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-panthers-rip-ne-missouri/160090588/|work=Quad-City Times|title=Panthers rip NE Missouri|date=November 24, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 7

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 4

| opponent = Eastern Washington

| opprank = 11

| site_stadium = UNI-Dome

| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA

| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal

| score = 17–14

| attend = 6,220

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-panthers-gain-se/159541813/|newspaper=The Des Moines Register|title=Panthers gain semifinal round|date=December 8, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 14

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| rank = 4

| opponent = Georgia Southern

| opprank = 9

| site_stadium = UNI-Dome

| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA

| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal

| score = 33–40

| attend = 12,300

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph-southern-wins-moves/160090695/|work=The Macon Telegraph & News|title=Southern wins, moves into final with Furman|date=December 15, 1985|accessdate=December 1, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

}}

{{cite web |url=https://unipanthers.com/sports/football/schedule/1985 |title=1985 Football Schedule |work=University of Northern Iowa Athletics}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{Northern Iowa Panthers football navbox}}

{{Missouri Valley Football Conference champions}}

Northern Iowa

Category:Northern Iowa Panthers football seasons

Category:Missouri Valley Football Conference champion seasons

Northern Iowa Panthers football

{{collegefootball-1985-season-stub}}

{{Iowa-sport-stub}}