CEDAR FALLS, Ia. — The FCS selection committee released the first of its two top-10 playoff rankings Thursday night, setting the stage for what should be an exciting final three weeks of the regular season. While many conference races are tight as teams jockey for the automatic bids, those on the at-large bubble have just a handful of opportunities remaining to cement their case for the postseason.
That’s where Northern Iowa (4-4, 3-2 MVFC) finds itself heading into Saturday’s huge home showdown versus No. 5 South Dakota (7-1, 4-1). After missing the postseason last year for the first time since 2013, the Panthers certainly don’t want back-to-back whiffs.