CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The UNI football team closed the home portion of the 2026 regular season against the No. 5-ranked SDSU Jackrabbits on Saturday, November 7. The Jackrabbits showed why they are ranked fifth in the nation, leading from kickoff to final whistle, handing UNI its first loss in the UNI-Dome of 2026.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Jackrabbits were the first on the board with three scores, including a 50-yard field goal. The kick was sandwiched by a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown by SDSU to put the Panthers in a 0-17 hole early in the contest.
With 4:43 to go in the first half and three timeouts remaining, the Cats drove 75 yards in 12 plays to find the end zone for the first time in the matchup. A 13-yard reception on fourth down by Briggs Hughston and a 31-yard reception by Taj Hughes on third-and-11 set the Cats up in the red zone, leading to a five-yard run by Xavier Terrell for the score. After a PAT by Blake Pankratzthe Cats trailed 7-17. SDSU ran the clock out on the half, taking a 10-point lead into the halftime break.
Out of the break, the Cats drove into SDSU territory and got to the doorstep of the red zone, but could not convert on a fourth-and-two, turning the ball over on downs. Three straight touchdown drives from South Dakota State put the Jackrabbits up 31 points before Briggs Hughston came down with a touchdown grab, his first of the season. The one arm snag came in the back of the end zone with a two-point conversion catch by Tay Norman to cut into the SDSU lead.
The Jacks scored the final points of the game on a 42-yard field goal, their second over 40 yards in the contest, to claim a 41-15 victory over the Panthers on senior day.
Jaxon Dailey finished with 177 yards and a touchdown on 23 completions. Taj Hughes caught five of the passes for 54 yards, leading the WR room. Christian Collins carried the ball for 27 yards on seven attempts. On defense, Calvin Jaworski led UNI with nine total tackles, including six solo.
UP NEXT
The Panthers hit the road for the penultimate contest of the regular season in South Dakota. UNI takes on the South Dakota Coyotes inside the DakotaDome on November 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT, with coverage available on ESPN+. JW Cox and the Hall of Famer Scott ” Petey” Peterson will be live on the air on 93.5 The Mix and the Panther Sports Radio Network.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI falls to 4-5 on the season and 3-3 in Valley play, losing its first home game of the season, finishing the regular-season 4-1 inside the Dome.
- Briggs Hughston caught his first touchdown of the season in the fourth quarter.
UNI football action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Football), X (@UNIFootball) and on Instagram (@unipantherfootball). The full 2026 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
Source: unipanthers.com
