The Northern State football team will look to get back on the winning tract Saturday when Upper Iowa comes to Swisher Field for 1 p.m. kickoff with the Wolves.

Setting the Stage
The Peacocks come into Saturday leading the NSIC in total offense at 509 yards per game. UIU is also tied for fourth in the league with Northern, scoring 33 points per game in 2013. The Upper Iowa defense is no slouch either, allowing just 18.5 points per game, which is third-best in the NSIC. The Peacocks are also second in the league defensively in yards allowed per game with 234.

Tom Shea is the head man at Upper Iowa and is in his fifth season with the Peacocks. While at UIU, Shea has an 11-35 record.

Scouting the Peacocks
Junior quarterback Cole Jaeschke leads the Upper Iowa offense. Jaeschke was named the NSIC's Offensive Player of the Week following the Peacocks' week one win over Minnesota, Crookston. Jaeschke ranks 10^th (1^st in NSIC) nationally in passing touchdowns with seven, 11^th in yards per completion at 17.2, 18^th (1^st) in passing yards with 652 and 20^th (1^st) in passing yards per game at a 326 mark.

Wide receiver Keaton Hosch was at First Team All-NSIC South selection a season ago. Hosch holds three records at UIU and last season he caught 60 passes for 1,094 yards and 12 touchdowns. Senior linebacker Ethan Douglas leads the Peacock defense. Douglas was a second team all-conference performer in 2012. Douglas recorded 107 tackles in 10 games last season and his 10.7 tackles per game ranked 16th nationally and 2nd in the league.

Upper Iowa is coming off a 37-19 loss last weekend in Fayette against No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.

Wolves Notes
The Wolves have won five-straight home games and eight of their last nine at Swisher Field. Since starting the Dosch era 0-4 at home, NSU has compiled a 10-3 record on home soil since then.

Northern is one of four teams in the league with a 100 percent red zone efficiency, but have also had more red zone attempts then those other squads. Quarterback Jared Jacobson tied his career-high last weekend with four passing touchdowns against USF. His five total touchdowns against the Cougars is tied for the most in the conference this season.

The Wolves' pass defense leads the NSIC and is 7th in the nation in defensive pass efficiency with a mark of 80 in 2013. NSU is allowing just a 38 percent completion percentage, 157 yards passing per game and two passing touchdowns in 2013.

Game Day Promotions
The Wolves Club tailgate begins at 11 in the morning Saturday and will be sponsored by Jimmy John's. The NSU Honors Program is also selling "Beat Upper Iowa" t-shirts for $10 at the Student Center and prior to the game.