Better Know A Panther » Brats & Beer

Posted on September 29, 2006

The next opponent on Iowa State’s football schedule is the Panthers of the University of Northern Iowa. Some of you might not know much about UNI, so today I thought I’d give a brief tutorial on this fine and august institution.

The school was founded as the Iowa State Normal School in 1876, but due to complaints about false advertising the name was changed to the Iowa State Teachers College in 1906. Now known as UNI, it is home to about 12,000 students, most of whom are there to become teachers or to meet soon-to-become teachers. It boasts such famous alumni as US Senator Charles Grassley, Entertainment Tonight co-host Mark Steines, and two-time NFL MVP quarterback Kurt Warner.

The school also boats a 16,000-seat domed stadium called the UNI-Dome. The facility was built with a fabric roof that is held in place by air pressure, so you have to fight a 40 MPH wind just to enter the building. The UNI-Dome is home to the Division I-AA Panthers, who are 2-1 on the season with victories over Drake and South Dakota State. The last time UNI was able to defeat Iowa State in football, OJ was being chased around the freeways of Los Angeles, the TV show Friends had just premiered, and Forest Gump was king at the box office.

The Cyclones, by the way, are 2-2 on the season and looking to snap their two game losing streak before resuming Big 12 play against #19 Nebraska next week. Go Clones!

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