2001 Northern Iowa Panthers football team

2001 Northern Iowa Panthers football
Gateway champion
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 4
Record11–3 (6–1 Gateway)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Salmon (1st season)
Home stadiumUNI-Dome
2001 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Northern Iowa $^   6 1     11 3  
No. 12 Western Kentucky ^   5 2     8 4  
No. 15 Youngstown State   5 2     8 3  
Western Illinois   4 3     5 5  
Southwest Missouri State   3 4     6 5  
Indiana State   2 5     3 8  
Illinois State   2 5     2 9  
Southern Illinois   1 6     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2001 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 11–3 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the Gateway title. Northern Iowa advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Panthers beat Eastern Illinois in the first round and Maine in the quarterfinals, before falling to eventual national champion Montana in the semifinals. Northern Iowa played home games at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.