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 they beat Eastern Illinois in the first round and Maine in the quarterfinals, before falling to eventual national champion Montana in the semifinals.