The Wisconsin Badgers will open the 2012 football season at home against the Northern Iowa Panthers, UNI announced today.

Wisconsin will host UNI at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Saturday, September 1, 2012. The game will be the first ever between the two schools.

Northern Iowa is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Panthers finished 7-5 in 2010 and won the conference championship.

UNI is the third non-conference game on the 2012 Football Schedule for the Badgers. After opening the season against Northern Iowa, Wisconsin travels to face the Oregon State Beavers on Sept. 8. UW also hosts the UTEP Miners at home on Sept. 22. The Badgers need one more game to complete their schedule.

Wisconsin kicks off 2012 Big Ten play on September 29 at Nebraska. The rest of the Badgers conference schedule includes Illinois (10/06), at Purdue (10/13), Minnesota (10/20), Michigan State (10/27), at Indiana (11/10), Ohio State (11/17) and at Penn State (11/24).