Panthers Cage Hawks, 46-7

Saturday, November 25

UNI-Dome

4 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

8-4 , 6-2

Monmouth

9-3 , 4-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Monmouth

UNI

Photo by: Mike Dunlop

Panthers Cage Hawks, 46-7

11/25/2017 8:42:00 PM | Football

Box Score

FINAL STATS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa. – Visiting Monmouth (9-3) was no match for Northern Iowa (8-4) on Saturday, as the No. 20/21 Panthers blew past the No. 23 Hawks to win their first round FCS Playoff game in dominating fashion, 46-7.

With the victory, UNI advances to the second round of the FCS Playoffs as the Panthers travel to No. 5 South Dakota State on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. CT.

Junior Eli Dunne shredded the Hawk defense after completing 18-of-26 passes for 260 yards and four touchdowns. Senior Daurice Fountain was Dunne's favorite target, as he caught 10 passes for 139 yards and two scores. Senior J'Veyon Browning led UNI on the ground as the running back earned a career-high 136 yards rushing.

UNI racked up a season-high 246 rushing yards, while throwing for 274 yards through the air. The Panther offense scored on their first nine possessions as UNI rolled up MU early and often.

The Panther defense earned four interceptions on Saturday, while holding the Hawks to 202 total yards for the game and not allowing a point until 8:00 minutes left in the game. MU could only manage 61 rushing yards against UNI's stout defense.

Leading the way for UNI was sophomore Nikholi Jaghai, who snagged two interceptions and recorded three tackles following his third-straight start at safety. Freshman Xavior Williams and senior Elijah Campbell each picked off MU's Kenji Bahar once to cap the nightmarish day for the Hawk quarterback.

The Panthers began the blowout after Jaghai picked off MU's Bahar for the first time on the night to set up a seven-play, 47-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 16-yard throw from Dunne to Isaiah Weston. Jared Farley turned in a spectacular one-handed grab for the next touchdown, as Dunne floated it to the linebacker to put UNI up 14-0 to close out the first quarter.

Dunne and Fountain hooked up twice (on scores of 17 and 14 yards) in the second quarter, while Sam Drysdale added two field goals to put UNI up 33-0 going into the break.

With an insurmountable lead, the Panthers held their foot on the gas as UNI scored 13 more points to add to its lead. Drysdale and Austin Errthum each kicked a field goal, while Colton Howell scampered in for a 17-yard score in mop up duty. The Panthers would allow just one touchdown late, with the Hawks finding the end zone to bring the final margin to 46-7.

UP NEXT
UNI advances to the second round of the FCS Playoffs, with the Panthers traveling to Brookings, S.D., on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. CT. The matchup will be the second this season for the two squads, as UNI took the Oct. 14 contest 38-18 in Brookings.

TICKETS
Fans can purchase second round FCS Playoff ticket through the South Dakota State ticket office or online at JackrabbitTickets.com. For more information, visit here.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the UNI football program, follow the Panthers on Twitter at "@UNIFootball" and on Facebook at "UNI Panther Football."

ADDITIONAL NOTES

UNI is 24-20 al-time in postseason action and 23-18 in the FCS Playoffs.
The Panthers are 18-5 at the UNI-Dome in postseason play, having won their last three contests.
UNI finished the season 5-1 at home, the Panthers are now 208-55-1 all-time at the UNI-Dome.
The seven points allowed by the UNI defense is the lowest playoff total for an opponent since McNeese State scored seven on Dec. 5, 1992.
The Panthers have earned 20 interceptions this season, with the bulk of those (13) coming in the last five games.
Opposing quarterbacks have thrown seven multi-interceptions games against the Panthers, with UNI earning five-straight contests with at least two picks.
The last time UNI had at least four interceptions in a game was on Sept. 8, 2012 against Central State (Ohio).
UNI's nine red zone trip scores are the most in over a decade.
Head coach Mark Farley earned his 10th undefeated November with the Panthers.
Coach Farley is now 53-9 all-time for the month of November.
For his career, Daurice Fountain is fourth all-time in catches (147), sixth all-time in receiving touchdowns (22) and ninth all-time receiving yards (2,049).
Fountain is tied for fifth all-time in single-season receiving touchdowns, with 11 for 2017.
Eli Dunne's four touchdown throws moved him into 10th all-time for career passing touchdowns, while his 11 touchdowns through the air this season is tied for fifth-most in a single season.
After Jared Farley's three tackles today, he is now tied for eighth all-time at UNI for career tackles (303).
Senior J'Veyon Browning logged his first-career 100-yard performance on the ground.
Sophomore Nikholi Jaghai earned two more interceptions on Saturday, to give him three for his career. Before last week's pick, Jaghai had zero for his career.
Freshman Xavior Williams has recorded an interception in four-straight games.
Attendance for Saturday's game was 4,095.