University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
9-0 , 5-0
Missouri State
5-5 , 2-4
UNI Secures 13th Gateway Football Title With 38-17 Win at Missouri State
11/3/2007 8:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 3, 2007
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The No. 1-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team clinched at least a share of its 13th Gateway Football Conference championship with a 38-17 win over the Missouri State Bears. The win also guarantees the Panthers a spot in the 2007 FCS playoffs with the Gateway's automatic bid.
The Panthers' used strong performances from senior linebacker Brannon Carter (fumble recovery, interception), junior wide receiver Johnny Gray (135 receiving yards), senior quarterback Eric Sanders (199 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing touchdown) and junior running back Corey Lewis (167 rushing yards) on the way to their Gateway-record sixth road win of the season. UNI improved to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the Gateway. The Panthers also moved to 6-0 on the road this year.
UNI's defense also made a stand in the second half as it limited Missouri State to only 11 yards of total offense in the final 30 minutes of the game.
The game began with a couple of miscues as UNI's Carter recovered a Missouri State fumble as the Bears were driving. But the Bears repaid the Panthers on the ensuing drive. Missouri State's Chris Farrar caught a fumble by junior Johnny Gray and ran it back 50 yards for touchdown at the 10:05 mark of the first quarter.
UNI knotted the game at 7-7 on a 43-yard touchdown pass from senior Johnny Gray. Redshirt freshman Billy Hallgren tacked on the extra point with 5:50 remaining in the first quarter.
The Panthers took their first lead of the day on a 45-yard field goal from Hallgren at the 14:05 mark of the second quarter. For Hallgren it was his fifth field goal this season of 40 yards or longer. The Panthers got into scoring position on a 35-yard hook up from Sanders to Gray.
Missouri State's Nathan Stokes tied the game back up at 10-10 with a 39-yard field goal with 8:42 remaining in the second quarter. Stokes' three-pointer capped an 11-play 56-yard drive that took 5:15 off the clock.
The Panthers' answered back with a quick seven-play 68-yard march down the field that consumed 2:45 off the clock. Junior running back Corey Lewis found the end zone from 14 yards out to finish off the drive and give UNI a 17-10 lead with 5:51 left in the second quarter.
The Bears refused to go away quietly and tied the game again at 17-17 on a four-yard quarterback keeper from Cody Kirby with only 32 seconds left in the first half. MSU's 11-play, 78-yard drive took 5:13 off the clock before Kirby found the end zone.
UNI used three quick passes to set up a final field goal attempt before the half, but Hallgren failed to capitalize on a 31-yard kick at the halftime gun as the kick sailed wide right. The squad went into intermission deadlocked at 17-17.
The Panthers took the opening drive of the second half and turned it into a touchdown. Sanders found redshirt freshman Schuylar Oordt wide open in the right flat and Oordt walked into the end zone for his first collegiate touchdown at the 9:58 mark of the third quarter. The drive took 12 plays and covered 77 yards, while taking 4:57 off the clock. Hallgren added the extra point to put UNI back on top, 24-17.
On the ensuing drive, Carter intercepted his fifth pass of the season and returned it 17 yards to the MSU 14-yard. MSU was flagged for a face mask penalty on the interception return to move the ball to the 7-yard line. UNI was able to punch it for six points on a bootleg run by Sanders on 4th-and-goal from the MSU 1-yard line. Sanders' run put UNI ahead, 31-17, with 7:29 left in the third quarter.
UNI tacked on its fifth touchdown of the day at the 11:47 mark on a three-yard touchdown run by senior running Darian Williams, which capped a 7-play, 64-yard drive and gave UNI a 38-17 advantage in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers will return home next Saturday to take on the Indiana State Sycamores at 5:05 p.m. in the UNI-Dome.
NOTES: Junior running back Brannon Carter became the first UNI linebacker in the last 25 years to intercept five passes in a season since head coach Mark Farley intercepted five passes in 1984 ... UNI will close the regular season with home games against Indiana State (Nov. 10) and Southern Utah (Nov. 17) - both of those teams entered Saturday having yet to win a game in the 2007 season.
Team Stats
UNI 0, MOST 7
MOST - Farrar,Chris 50 yd fumble recovery (Stokes,Nathan kick)
UNI 7, MOST 7
UNI - Gray, Johnny 43 yd pass from Sanders, Eric (Hallgren, Billy kick) 1 plays, 43 yards, TOP 0:08
UNI 10, MOST 7
UNI - Hallgren, Billy 45 yd field goal 6 plays, 53 yards, TOP 1:43
UNI 10, MOST 10
MOST - Stokes,Nathan 39 yd field goal 11 plays, 56 yards, TOP 5:17
UNI 17, MOST 10
UNI - Lewis, Corey 14 yd run (Hallgren, Billy kick), 7 plays, 68 yards, TOP 2:45
UNI 17, MOST 17
MOST - Kirby,Cody 4 yd run (Stokes,Nathan kick), 11 plays, 78 yards, TOP 5:13
UNI 24, MOST 17
UNI - Oordt, Schuylar 4 yd pass from Sanders, Eric (Hallgren, Billy kick) 12 plays, 77 yards, TOP 4:57
UNI 31, MOST 17
UNI - Sanders, Eric 1 yd run (Hallgren, Billy kick), 4 plays, 7 yards, TOP 2:04
UNI 38, MOST 17
UNI - Williams,Darian 3 yd run (Hallgren, Billy kick), 7 plays, 64 yards, TOP 3:13