8 things to know about Northern Iowa ahead of 2026 matchup

GRAND FORKS — The UND football team will face its biggest FCS test of the 2026 season when the No. 4 Fighting Hawks face Northern Iowa on Saturday in Cedar Falls at the UNI-Dome. Here are eight things to know about the Panthers. 1. UNI returning to health The Panthers are coming off a bye week and hoping to have a few extra players back in the lineup from injuries as a result. UNI wide receiver JC Roque Jr. is expected back in the lineup after receiving preseason all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors as a punt returner. He had 10 catches for 73 yards against UND last season. He finished the year with 56 grabs for 595 yards and seven touchdowns. We saw him moving around last week, and he should be in there maybe in a limited capacity, UNI coach Todd Stepsis said. 2. Stepsis compliments Kaminski Stepsis said he remembers watching UND quarterback Jerry Kaminski during warmups last season. He throws a tight spiral, Stepsis said. Kaminski