Panthers Come Up Short Against Leathernecks

Saturday, October 7

UNI-Dome

4 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

2-3 , 1-1

Western Illinois (Homecoming)

4-1 , 1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Western Illinois

UNI

Photo by: Mike Dunlop

Panthers Come Up Short Against Leathernecks

10/7/2017 8:43:00 PM | Football

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Despite a valiant effort on Homecoming, No. 21 Northern Iowa (2-3, 1-1MVFC) was unable to hold off No. 18 Western Illinois (4-1, 1-1) as the Panthers fell, 38-29.

WIU was led by Sean McGuire, who threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns. Jaelon Acklin was his favorite target on the night, catching seven passes for 158 yards and two score.

UNI's Eli Dunne turned in another big passing day, throwing for 342 yards and four touchdowns. With the performance, Dunne is the first Panther quarterback to throw for at least 23 completions, 259 yards and a touchdown in each of his first five games to start a season.

Elias Nissen scored three times for the Panthers – to continue his hot streak at tight end – while Daurice Fountain caught a career-high nine passes for 103 yards.

On the defensive side, senior Jared Farley led the Panthers with a career-high 14 tackles while junior Rickey Neal recorded two key sacks to go along with his seven total tackles.

WIU jumped out to a 5-0 lead following a field goal and safety in the first quarter. UNI finally broke through late in the second quarter, after Dunne floated a pass to Nissen for a 30-yard touchdown. An alert Nissen would put UNI up 14-5 before halftime, after pouncing on a Panther fumble in the end zone.

Trailing 14-5 in the third quarter, the Leathernecks turned a Panther interception into seven points after a Steve McShane's one-yard score. McGuire threw back-to-back touchdowns to give the Leathernecks a 25-14 lead late in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter would see a combined 35 points scored between the two teams, with the Panthers scoring twice to claw their way out of the 25-14 deficit and take a 25-22 lead. The two UNI scores would be on 18 and 16-yard passes from Dunne that found Nissen and Aaron Graham.

With only 1:12 remaining in the game, WIU would march down the field and earn a go-ahead score with six seconds left as McGuire and Acklin hooked up again – this time from 20 yards out. WIU's Michael Bishoff scooped up a Panther fumble on the ensuing kickoff, bringing the final score to 38-29 in favor of the Leathernecks.

UP NEXT
The Panthers hit the road for South Dakota State next week, as UNI faces the Jackrabbits in Brookings on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.

TICKETS
Fans can purchase season and single-game tickets to UNI football home games through UNITIX. Call 319-273-4849 or visit www.UNITIX.uni.edu.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the UNI football program, follow the Panthers on Twitter at "@UNIFootball" and on Facebook at "UNI Football."

ADDITIONAL NOTES

After earning 103 yards receiving, Daurice Fountain has crossed the century mark five times at UNI.
Fountain has earned three-consecutive 100-yard receiving games for the first time in his career.
With nine receptions on Saturday, the senior wide receiver has caught 106 passes for his career at UNI
Elias Nissen has earned four touchdown receptions in the last two games, he had zero before last week's game at Southern Illinois.
Eli Dunne has four multi-touchdown games this season and seven for his career.
Dunne is the first Panther quarterback to throw at least 23 completions, 259 yards and one touchdown in each of his first five games.
The 342 passing yards for Dunne was a season high.
Dunne also tied his career high for touchdown passes after throwing four, he has earned both four-score games at home this season.
Jared Farley earned a career-high 14 tackles against WIU.
Rickey Neal earned his first two sacks of the season.
Attendance for Saturday's game was 12,642.