University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Youngstown State
Panthers Pound Penguins, 21-7
10/29/2005 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 29, 2005
Cedar Falls, IA--As Eric Sanders goes, so go the Panthers. With the previously injured signal caller back under center against Youngstown State, the University of Northern Iowa football team played with a fire that was absent without him and routed the 11th ranked Penguins 21-7.
Though this was Sanders' big return, senior David Horne stole the spotlight, rushing for a season-high 142 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. The Panthers pounded the Penguin front seven for 280 total rushing yards.
UNI and YSU traded fruitless drives for the first 13 minutes of the opening quarter. The Panthers broke the stalemate with their third possession, a seven-play 65-yard march highlighted by a 26-yard end-around by Jason Breeland and a one-yard touchdown dive by Horne. Brian Wingert's kick brought the score to 7-0 with the Panther defense holding it there to end the quarter.
The Penguins struck back mid-way through the second quarter with a 12-play 83-yard drive topped off by a 10-yard touchdown hookup from Tom Zetts to Derrick Bush.
After a Sanders interception put the ball back in the Penguins' hands, the Panthers stuffed YSU on fourth and one to take over on downs. Horne took it from there, carrying three times for 60 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown scamper to put the score at 14-7. The UNI defense held, and the half ended with the Panthers up 14-7.
The third quarter was a defensive struggle from the get-go, with both teams combining for just 124 total yards of offense and zero points.
The Panthers opened the fourth quarter on the Penguin 37-yard line. UNI spent seven plays, including a two-yard touchdown lunge by Horne to bring the score to 21-7.
The Panther defense played tough from then on, keeping the Penguins out of the end zone to preserve the 21-7 victory.
Though his performance was less than stellar on paper, Sanders brought fire and stability to a UNI team needing a win to stay in the Gateway title hunt, a fact head coach Mark Farley endorses with vigor.
"Just with his (Sanders) presence, we had the feeling we could control the flow of the game," Farley said. "He brought stability to this team today in a gutsy performance."
Horne did most of the heavy lifting for the UNI offense, rushing for a team season-high 142 yards and adding three touchdowns. The rushing attack was hardly limited to just number five, as freshman Corey Lewis pounded his way to 82 yards on just 11 carries, averaging out to 7.1 yards per carry.
"We set our mind on getting back to UNI football and running the ball today," Farley added. "Horne played a top-notch game."
The defense came up big on two fourth down plays, stuffing the Penguins on both and handing the ball back to the Panther offense.
"They were the game," Farley said of the fourth down plays. "In that situation, the offense has the advantage, but it's gutt check time on fourth and one and our guys stepped up."
Darin Heideman and Brett Koebcke were ballhawks all afternoon, combining for 15.5 tackles in the win.
The Panthers travel to Western Kentucky to face the Hilltoppers next week. Kickoff is at 4:07 p.m.
