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 11âÂÂ4 with a mark of 5âÂÂ2 in conference play, sharing the Gateway title with Southern Illinois and . 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.