By contrast, NDSU's offense ranks second in scoring (34.6 ppg) and total offense (447.0).

So the challenge is there. UNI must get production from its offense to knock off the three-time national champions, who have won an FCS-record 33 consecutive games.

"We'll have to get better," said Farley. "I don't think I'm telling you anything you guys don't know. We're gonna have to be better. We're playing against a good defense and, you know, we have to find a way. ... We've got to find a way to score points."

Farley also pointed out that UNI did pick up the pace in all three phases of the game to get past Illinois State with its second-half rush. He expressed pleasure with what the players and his coaching staff did to improve the Panthers to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the MVFC.

At the same time, Farley stopped short of saying UNI is playing its best football of the year as the Panthers aim for their biggest game of the 2014 season.

"We played good on Saturday," he said. "It's that consistency thing that we need to continue to do and we need to find a way to carry that into this week. That'll be our focus.