Peacocks Seek First Win Over Winona State [Audio]

The Upper Iowa football team makes its shortest road trip of the season seeking a program first on Saturday (Oct. 17, 2015).

The Peacocks (4-2 NSIC, 1-1 South) head to Winona State (3-3 NSIC, 1-1 South) in search of a victory against the Warriors, something that hasn't happened in the previous 11 meetings between the two teams. Though the series began in 1968, it didn't become a yearly rivalry until 2006. The last nine years, Winona State has outscored Upper Iowa by a margin of 430-168.

While history is on the side of the Warriors, Upper Iowa heads to Minnesota with plenty of confidence following last week's 52-20 Homecoming victory over Concordia-St. Paul. The win was only the second for the Peacocks against the Golden Bears in 10 all-time meetings.

Saturday's game features a battle of the top two passing offenses in the Northern Sun Conference (NSIC). Winona State leads the league, averaging 323.8 yards per game. Right behind the Warriors are the Peacocks, who average 311.2 yards per game.

Upper Iowa and Winona State have similar statistics in several offensive categories, and the numbers indicate it will be a tight, mistake-free game. The Peacocks have been called for only 37 penalties this season, the sixth lowest total in the NSIC and 46th best average in NCAA Division II. The Warriors have been even cleaner, committing only 33 penalties for the second lowest mark in league play and and 29th best total in the country.

The edge for Upper Iowa is the team's defense, which has ruled the roost. The Peacocks have the second-best passing defense in the league, giving up just 189.2 yards per game. Comparatively, Winona State ranks 10th at 230.3 per game.

Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winona, Minnesota.

Upper Iowa football can be heard throughout the 2015 season on AM-950 KOEL with play-by-play announcer Joe Stasi, who's entering his 13th season as the "Voice of the Peacocks." For the fourth consecutive year, Stasi will be joined on the broadcast by Zach Carlyle, a recent graduate (2015) of Upper Iowa. The pre-game show is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.

For more insight on Saturday's game, click on the audio below. Upper Iowa football play-by-play announcer Joe Stasi previews the game with KOEL Sports Director Elwin Huffman.