Panthers Top Lumberjacks, 44-10

Saturday, November 29

Cedar Falls, Iowa (UNI-Dome)

7:00 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

9-4 , 6-2

Stephen F. Austin

8-5 , 5-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Stephen F. Austin

UNI

Panthers Top Lumberjacks, 44-10

11/29/2014 1:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

By: UNI Athletics Communications

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa football team was dominant today in the first round of the Division I FCS Playoffs, defeating the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 44-10. UNI improved its overall record to 9-4, while Stephen F. Austin ended its season at 8-5 overall.

David Johnson led the Panthers with 23 carries for 152 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. He also added two catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. Brion Carnes finished with 205 passing yards and a touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, Deiondre' Hall finished with a career-high 11 tackles along with his fourth interception of the season. Jake Farley added 11 tackles and two quarterback hurries while Isaac Ales finished with six tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

The Panthers jumped out to a quick start when Johnson took the first hand off of the game to the end zone for a 73-yard touchdown. The drive only took 12 seconds to make it 7-0.

Michael Schmadeke followed Johnson's touchdown with two field goals to put UNI up 13-0 in the first five minutes of the game. He knocked in a 30-yard field goal at the 12:30 mark followed by a 36-yarder after Ales stripped the ball from SFA quarterback Zach Coque to put UNI in scoring position.

Schmadeke scored his third field goal of the game with 6:49 left in the first quarter when he knocked it in from 34 yards out, tying the school record for field goals made in a season at 27. The play ended a 1:56 drive which took five plays and covered 56 yards to put UNI up 16-0.

Records continued to fall for the Panthers when Johnson scored his second rushing touchdown the game, setting a new school record for career rushing touchdowns at 47. His one-yard rushing score ended an 11-play, 71 yard drive that took 3:32 off the clock to give UNI a 23-0 lead.

Stephen F. Austin was able to jump on the scoreboard with 7:02 left to play in the second quarter after Gus Johnson found the end zone on a 32-yard run. The drive burned 1:43 off the clock that took four plays and covered 50 yards.

UNI had a quick response with Johnson scoring on a 70-yard pass from Carnes on UNI's next offensive drive. The season-long tying catch ended a 50-second drive on two plays and 70 yards.

Carnes scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season with 10:25 left in the game when he scored from 22 yards out. The drive ended a five-play, 61-yard drive that lasted 2:16.

Stephen F. Austin was able to get in its last points of the game at the 6:47 mark in the fourth quarter, as placekicker Mason Juhl knocked in a 31-yard field goal to make the score 44-10. The drive took 3:38 off the clock for 11 plays and 46 yards.

The Lumberjack field goal would be the last score of the game after UNI ran down the remaining minutes in the game for the 44-10 victory.

UNI will return to action in the second round of the Division I FCS Playoffs on Sat., Dec. 6 when they take on the Illinois State Redbirds in Normal, Ill.. The game is set to kick at 1 p.m. (CT).

Fans looking for ticket information can contact the Illinois State ticket office at 309-438-8000 or visit www.GoRedbirds.com.

Post-Game Notes vs. Stephen F. Austin

- Captains against Stephen F. Austin: #98 Xavier Williams, #66 Jack Rummells, #46 Jake Farley and #44 Mac O'Brien.

- Junior placekicker Michael Schmadeke broke the school record for total points scored in a season with his three field goals and four PATs against Stephen F. Austin. He now has 129 total points this season, passing the former record holder Carl Boyd, who scored 116 in 1985.

- Michael Schmadeke tied the school record for field goals in a season against the Lumberjacks, knocking in three attempts for a season total of 27. Brian Mitchell holds the current record of 27 from the 1990 season.

- David Johnson broke the school record for career rushing touchdowns with his three against Stephen F. Austin. He now has 48. The former record holder was Jeff Stovall who had 46 from 1993-96.

- David Johnson broke the school record in career points with his four touchdowns against Stephen F. Austin. He now has 378 total points, passing Billy Hallgren who had 364 points from 2007-10.

- David Johnson's 70-yard receiving touchdown in the second quarter was his second longest receiving touchdown of his career. Earlier this season, Johnson caught a 70-yard touchdown pass from Sawyer Kollmorgen against Iowa. His career-long reception came on an 8-yard pass score vs. Iowa State in 2011.

- Deiondre' Hall finished the game with a career-high 11 tackles against Stephen F. Austin. He also grabbed the game's lone interception, his fourth of the season.

- UNI's 44-10 win is the largest margin of victory in the Panthers' playoff history. The second largest was a 56-28 win over Maine in a quarterfinal game on Dec. 8, 2001.

- UNI improved to 16-5 in home FCS playoff games. UNI is 12-5 in its playoff openers. UNI has won a playoff game in nine of its last 10 playoff appearances.