UNI not looking for moral victory Saturday

The University of Northern Iowa travels to Ames on Saturday looking for the same thing the Cyclones desire in this college football opener.

A win.

"It's different, but I think the same," UNI Coach Mark Farley said Monday, noting ISU needs the win in its quest to return to a bowl game and the Panthers need a win for FCS playoff consideration.

There is no such thing as a moral victory or a "good loss" for the Panthers, he said.

"Everybody thinks that," Farley said. "The (FCS playoff committee) flat out said a loss is a loss.

"I don't think it matters to anyone how good you lose ... that's why you're playing to win."

Farley and his seventh-ranked Panthers will attempt to do just that Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

"We're going to put our best foot forward," he said.

This is the 27th time the Panthers and Cyclones have met, a series ISU leads, 19-4-3. Farley is 1-5 against Iowa State, owning a 24-13 win in 2007.

It can be done, but ...

"It's a huge challenge," he said.

The Panthers return 10 of their top tacklers after leading the Missouri Valley Football Conference in sacks and rushing defense and have speedy offensive weapons in quarterback Tirrell Rennie, running back/returner Carlos Anderson and receiver Jarred Herring.

A two-time junior college All-American at Ellsworth, Rennie averaged 217 yards per game as a UNI rookie in 2010. He rushed for 1,291 yards and 15 touchdowns and passed 1,543 yards and eight TDs.

Farley is anxious to see the progress Rennie and the entire team has made since last year's opening-round playoff loss to Lehigh.

"It gets to be a point and time where you just want to play, find out where you're at," he said. "I think we know where we're at.

"It just feels good because it's football season."