Mark Farley after Idaho State: Offense needs to be better, but a nice win off the bye week. Dargan Southard, msouthard@gannett.com
CEDAR FALLS, Ia. — For the first time since 2014, Northern Iowa tackled the challenge of having four non-conference games before its always-grueling MVFC slate. It was a bold move, given the preseason questions UNI needed to answer. But the Panthers embraced it head-on the way they usually do.
The decision yielded mixed results. There’s been a near-stunner, an emphatic showing, a sleep-walking win and a road dud.