The 2008 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 12âÂÂ3 with a mark of 7âÂÂ1 in conference play, sharing the MVFC title with South Dakota State. Northern Iowa was awarded the third seed in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where the Panthers defeated Maine in the first round and New Hampshire in the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual national champion, Richmond, in the semifinals. The team played home games at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.