University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
6-3 , 5-1
Indiana State
5-4 , 3-3
Panthers Stay in First Place with 30-20 Win at Indiana State
11/6/2010 8:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 6, 2010
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The University of Northern Iowa football team held on to first place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference standings with a 30-20 win at Indiana State Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. UNI kicked a field goal to end the first half to break a 13-13 tie and led the rest of the way.
The Panthers (6-3, 5-1 MVFC) had two 100-yard rushers for the third time this season, with Tirrell Rennie tallying 187 yards on the ground and Carlos Anderson running for 139 yards. Rennie surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season, becoming the 20th Panther and first quarterback to do so.
Rennie was also 9-of-14 for 163 yards passing to help UNI finish with a season-high 503 total offensive yards.
Jamar Thompson and L.J. Fort each notched 10 tackles for UNI. The Panthers finished with five sacks, led by two from Will Eilert.
Darrius Gates led ISU (5-4, 3-3 MFVC) with 61 yards rushing. Ronnie Fouch was 17-of-36 for 200 yards passing. ISU finished with 321 offensive yards.
The Sycamores had a short field on their first possession after Darrius Gates took the opening kickoff to the ISU 45. Nine plays later, Gates ran two yards for a touchdown to give ISU an early 7-0 lead.
UNI answered on their ensuing possession. Facing second and six from the UNI 32, Rennie hit Josh Collins with a 45-yard pass that took the Panthers to the Sycamore 23. Anderson had rushes of nine and 12 yards to give the Panthers first and goal at the two. Rennie ran up the middle for a two-yard touchdown, and Billy Hallgren's PAT tied the game at 7-7 with 8:05 left in the first.
The Panthers forced a Sycamore punt, and Rennie hit Oordt with a 44-yard pass on the ensuing drive to give UNI first and goal at the eight. UNI was able to move the ball down to the two, but could not punch it in, settling for a 20-yard field goal from Hallgren to go in front 10-7.
Conley intercepted Fouch on ISU's next drive, giving the Panthers the ball in Indiana State territory. The UNI offense stalled, but Hallgren hit a 33-yard field goal to extend UNI's lead to 13-7 with 9:28 left in the first half.
UNI was driving on its next possession, but facing third and goal from the two, Rennie threw and interception in the endzone to give the ball to ISU at the Panther 20. The Sycamores used seven plays to drive for the touchdown, scored on a six-yard run from Gates. Henry Obi blocked the PAT, keeping the score tied with 49 seconds left in the half.
UNI was able to bring the ball down to the ISU 22 yard-line with one tick left on the clock. Hallgren came in for a 40-yard field goal that gave UNI a 16-13 edge at the break.
The Panthers took the opening drive of the second half 80 yards for a touchdown, capped by a three-yard run from Matt Strathman. The score stretched UNI's lead to 23-13 with 9:32 left in the third quarter.
The UNI defense forced a three and out on ISU's next possession, and Jamar Thompson partially blocked the Sycamore punt. Alex Jones recovered it behind the line of scrimmage, however, and he was able to advance the ball to the UNI 32. The Panther defense forced fourth and short, and Gates was able to convert down to the 21 to keep the ISU drive alive. A sack by Will Eilert and two incompletions brought up fourth and 14 at the UNI 25. The Sycamores went for it, and Fouch found Justin Hilton in the back corner of the endzone for a touchdown to cut the ISU deficit to 23-20 with 5:02 left in the third.
Indiana State drove down to the UNI 23 in the middle of the fourth quarter. ISU elected to go for it, and the Panther defense forced an incomplete pass to take over on downs with 7:24 to play.
The Panthers drove 77 yards, 72 of them on the ground, and Rennie scored on a five-yard run to give UNI a 30-20 advantage with 1:39 to play.
The UNI defense held the Sycamores to keep that as the final score.
UNI returns to action on Saturday when the Panthers host Missouri State at 6 p.m. in the UNI-Dome.
Team Stats
UNI 0, INS 7
INS - Gates, Darrius 2 yd run (Little, Cory kick), 9 plays, 55 yards, TOP 3:39
UNI 7, INS 7
UNI - Rennie, Tirrell 2 yd run (Hallgren, Billy kick), 8 plays, 85 yards, TOP 3:16
UNI 10, INS 7
UNI - Hallgren, Billy 20 yd field goal 8 plays, 73 yards, TOP 3:48
UNI 13, INS 7
UNI - Hallgren, Billy 33 yd field goal 9 plays, 32 yards, TOP 4:37
UNI 13, INS 13
INS - Gates, Darrius 6 yd run (Little, Cory kickblocked), 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:36
UNI 16, INS 13
UNI - Hallgren, Billy 40 yd field goal 7 plays, 47 yards, TOP 0:42
UNI 23, INS 13
UNI - Strathman, Matt 3 yd run (Hallgren, Billy kick), 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 5:28
UNI 23, INS 20
INS - Hilton, Justin 25 yd pass from Fouch, Ronnie (Little, Cory kick) 12 plays, 71 yards, TOP 4:25
UNI 30, INS 20
UNI - Rennie, Tirrell 5 yd run (Hallgren, Billy kick), 12 plays, 77 yards, TOP 5:45
