UNI Battles Top-25 Foe SDSU, Falls 31-28

Saturday, October 18

Cedar Falls, Iowa (UNI-Dome)

4:00 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

3-4 , 1-2

South Dakota State University

5-2 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

South Dakota State

UNI

UNI Battles Top-25 Foe SDSU, Falls 31-28

10/18/2014 1:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

By: UNI Athletics Communications

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa football team battled to the last play against top-25 foe South Dakota State, but fell to the Jackrabbits 31-28. UNI is now 3-4 overall and 1-2 in MVFC play.

UNI trailed by 14 points with 8:58 left in the fourth quarter before senior David Johnson scored his second rushing touchdown of the game with 4:59 left to play to make the score 28-21. The Panthers went for an onside kick on the next play with Deiondre' Hall picking up a huge recovery for UNI and giving the Panthers possession back.

The Panthers went three-and-out on their next offensive drive, but Ray Mitchell picked up his third career pick-six with 3:45 on the clock to tie the score 28-28. Mitchell's return for 58 yards pushed the senior into fourth all-time at UNI in interception return yards.

South Dakota State took the lead again with 1:47 left to play when Justin Syrovatka knocked in a 44-yard field goal to give them a 31-28 lead. The score ended a 1:42 drive for six plays and 44 yards for the win.

David Johnson led the Panthers in rushing yards with nine carries and 78 yards with two touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards per carry. He also finished with 43 yards through the air with Charles Brown and Chad Owens also adding 43 yards a piece receiving.

On the defensive side of the ball, Brett McMakin turned in another top performance with a career-high 14 tackles, adding on one sack. Xavier Williams finished with 10 tackles and one sack while Jake Farley grabbed eight tackles and his first interception of the season. Jared Farley and Hall also added in their interceptions to the UNI defensive statistic line.

The Jackrabbits were able to strike first off an eight-yard passing touchdown from Zach Lujan to Jake Wieneke to put SDSU up 7-0 with 7:42 left to play in the first quarter. The drive burned 7:18 off the clock for 17 plays and 84 yards.

UNI answered in the second quarter after Owens' 27-yard punt return set up another big play from the Panthers. Johnson scored his second rushing touchdown of the season, breaking free for 50 yards into the end zone to tie the score 7-7 with 10:54 on the clock.

The Panther offense continued to roll in the second quarter when Barkley Hill scored his first touchdown in the Purple and Old Gold with 40 seconds left in the half. Sawyer Kollmorgen found Hill in the end zone for a two-yard pass to put UNI up 14-7. The drive lasted 1:36 for four plays and 37 yards.

South Dakota State opened second half scoring with 8:18 left in the third quarter, tying the score 14-14. Zach Zenner rushed into the end zone for a one-yard rushing touchdown, ending a 5:13, 10 play and 55 yard drive.

The Jackrabbits added to its score line late in the third quarter when Dallas Brown returned an interception for 30 yards into the end zone, putting SDSU up 21-14.

They were then able to extend their lead with 8:58 on the clock in the fourth quarter after another long drive ending with a one-yard rushing touchdown from Zenner to put them up 28-14. The drive took 6:06 off the clock for 13 plays and 84 yards.

Johnson cut the SDSU lead to seven points with 4:59 left in the game when he rushed into the end zone for a two-yard rush. The drive brushed 3:59 off the clock for 13 plays and 74 yards.

Mitchell's interception brought the game to another tie, but SDSU's 44-yard field goal with 1:47 left in the game proved to be the deciding factor and sealed the win for the Jackrabbits.

UNI will return to action when they hit the road to take on the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Saturday, Oct. 25. The game is set to kick off at 1 p.m. in Macomb, Ill.

Post-Game Notes vs. South Dakota State

- Captains against South Dakota State: #17 Sawyer Kollmorgen, #46 Jake Farley, #44 Mac O'Brien, #98 Xavier Williams

- True freshman Jared Farley notched a couple of firsts today against South Dakota State, grabbing his first-career start and coming away with his first collegiate interception in the second quarter.

- Barkley Hill scored his first touchdown in the Purple and Old Gold today when Sawyer Kollmorgen found him open for a two-yard receiving touchdown. The score gave UNI their first lead of the game, making it 14-7 late in the second quarter.

- Brett McMakin notched a career-high 14 tackles against South Dakota State. The sophomore finished with eight solo tackles and six assisted along with a sack for a loss of eight yards.

- Ray Mitchell picked up his third-career pick-six as a Panther, returning an interception late in the fourth quarter for 58-yards and a touchdown. He is now fourth all-time at UNI in interception return yards with 237.

- David Johnson moved up to third all-time at UNI in career rushing yards with his 78 against South Dakota State. He now has 3,776 total career rushing yards. He also moved up to third all-time in career rushing touchdowns after his two tonight, making his total 36.