Belief vs. hope a fine line for UNI against Iowa, Iowa State

CEDAR FALLS - The line between belief and hope is a thin one in sports.

The difference between hoping your team can win and believing they can is often blurred - that's especially true when it's the season opener and the team, fans and media have spent months analyzing, predicting and practicing.

For the Northern Iowa football team, hope versus belief when playing Iowa State and Iowa oscillates back and forth with the talent on the squad and their experience at Jack Trice Stadium and Kinnick Stadium. And even if the Panthers players and coaches wouldn't admit it, the UNI fans certainly have more belief than hope when they make the trip to Ames than Iowa City.

Wins in 2013 and 2007 - with a very-near-win in 2011 - will do that.

'I get it. There might be some of that just because (of the past),” UNI Coach Mark Farley said of more belief than hope. 'But with this particular group, it's about what they've experienced. Not that many of them played in Ames last time. They know what they've experienced, not what the past has. The record books are one thing. You can't play to what the record book says.

'I get (that sentiment) and there's some agreement to it, but it's hard to gauge for this particular team.”

The record books say UNI has much more success against their in-state counterparts in cardinal and gold than black and gold.

The Panthers are 5-20-3 all-time against the Cyclones, with two wins under Farley and four of the five coming after 1992. UNI is 1-16 all-time against Iowa, with the only win coming in 1898 in Cedar Falls.

Perhaps that fixation on confidence against certain opponents is simply for fans and pundits. When asked earlier this week, UNI coaches and players stuck by the often-used 'one game at a time” refrain when asked about the differing mentalities. And while it would seem the effect has to take hold in some way - as Farley admitted - maybe the records against the two FBS schools in this state has been more about Iowa having a better team more often when they play UNI than has Iowa State.

If there's more belief than hope in Ames than Iowa City, the players, at least, aren't admitting it.

'I don't think we look at it that way. We always take it one game at a time and one place at a time. Even though it's Jack Trice or Kinnick, it's no different to us. We're going to come out and play our football,” said cornerback Deiondre Hall. 'We know we can beat anybody. It's all about trusting it. You can never underestimate your opponent. It could be a smaller team or just as big as that Iowa State team.”

Maybe it's something in atmospheres.

Farley has said on multiple occasions Kinnick Stadium has a more businesslike atmosphere, where Jack Trice Stadium is more laid-back and fun-loving. It's hard, then, for him to compare the two feelings because what they face when his team goes to the two different places is so different - both in environment and style of play.

'I think we've got the same confidence going to Kinnick as we do to Ames,” Farley said. 'Just the outcome hasn't been quite the same. I don't think there's a difference. I think it's about the same distance by bus. It's just two different atmospheres. Ames is a fun place to play - their fan base has a different personality than the Iowa fan base.”

Whatever it is, the Panthers have had the Cyclones' number more often and more recently - though they've certainly come close on a few occasions against the Hawkeyes.

As they prepare for a 'more in-rhythm” Iowa State under second-year offensive coordinator Mark Mangino, a healthy quarterback in Sam Richardson, a retooled defense and by all accounts a standout receiving corps, UNI knows the task in 2015 will be much tougher than 2013 or even 2011 (a 20-19 loss on a desperation touchdown pass from Steele Jantz).

Iowa State has carried a 'not three years in a row” mantra throughout fall camp, alluding to avoiding a third straight loss to an FCS opponent after losing to North Dakota State last season. Whether or not the Panthers believe they can win or hope, they have to be ready for a Cyclones team who believes a loss won't happen again.

'I expect them to come out swinging,” Hall said. 'I'm sure it's a must-win for them. We got our win two years ago and I know they're going to want that one back. It's going to be a fight for sure.

'I'm up for the challenge, more than ever.”

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