2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football team

2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football
Gateway co-champion
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 2
Record11–4 (5–2 Gateway)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Salmon (5th season)
Home stadiumUNI-Dome
2005 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Northern Iowa +^   5 2     11 4  
No. 7 Southern Illinois +^   5 2     9 4  
No. 14 Youngstown State +   5 2     8 3  
No. 22 Illinois State   4 3     7 4  
Western Kentucky   4 3     6 5  
Western Illinois   3 4     5 6  
Missouri State   2 5     4 6  
Indiana State   0 7     0 11  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 2005 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 11–4 with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, sharing the Gateway title with Southern Illinois and Youngstown State. Northern Iowa advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Panthers defeated Eastern Washington in the first round, New Hampshire in the quarterfinals, and Texas State in the seminfinals before losing to Appalachian State in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game. The team played home games at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.