Panthers Overpower Salukis To Win MVFC Opener

Saturday, September 30

Carbondale, Ill.

6 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

2-2 , 1-0

Southern Illinois

2-2 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Northern Iowa

Southern Illinois

Panthers Overpower Salukis To Win MVFC Opener

9/30/2017 9:43:00 PM | Football

Box Score

FINAL STATS

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Northern Iowa made itself at home on Saturday night, as the Panthers downed Southern Illinois, 24-17, on the road to open the Missouri Valley Football Conference slate with a win.

With the victory, No. 20 UNI improved to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the MVFC, while SIU dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the MFVC.

Eli Dunne led the Panthers in Carbondale, after throwing for 266 yards and three scores. Senior Daurice Fountain was Dunne's favorite target on the night, the 6-foot-1 receiver caught seven passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.

The Panther defense did their part as well after holding the Salukis below their season average for yards per game, while also forcing three key turnovers down the stretch. Senior Jared Farley led UNI with nine tackles.

UNI struck first to begin Saturday's scoring, following a methodical, 12-play drive that resulted in a 45-yard field goal from Sam Drysdale. The Panthers extended the lead early in the second quarter after Fountain made a SportsCenter Top 10-worthy grab in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard score.

After a SIU drive stalled at the UNI 14, the Salukis had to settle for three points with 4:24 remaining in the opening half. The Panthers only needed two minutes to follow up the Saluki field goal with a touchdown, after Dunne capped a five-play, 80-yard drive by hitting Elias Nissen for a four-yard score.

SIU trimmed the UNI lead late in the third quarter after Sam Straub floated it to Darrell James for a 29-yard touchdown. The Panthers would again respond to a Saluki score with one of their own after Trevor Allen juked his way to the end zone following an 11-yard pass from Dunne.

A fumble near midfield by the Panthers in the fourth quarter gave SIU a golden opportunity, before the Salukis cashed in the turnover for seven points after Straub found Jacob Varble for a five-yard touchdown.

Three SIU scoring opportunities were halted by turnovers late in the fourth quarter after the Panthers earned a fumble and two interceptions. Korby Sander forced a fumble before Suni Lane picked up the grounder early in the fourth quarter for the first turnover. The two picks came after Jake Hartford snagged a tipped pass, while Malcolm Washington picked off a throw to put the final nail in the coffin with under a minute remaining.

UP NEXT
The Panthers return home next Saturday as UNI hosts Western Illinois for Homecoming at 4 p.m. CT.

TICKETS
Fans can purchase season and single-game tickets to UNI football home games through UNITIX. Call 319-273-4849 or visit www.UNITIX.uni.edu.

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

ADDITIONAL NOTES

The Panthers have now won back-to-back games in Carbondale for the first time since winning in 1992, 1994 and 1996.
Overall, UNI has won the last four meetings in the series.
The four-game streak is the second longest for the Panthers in the series (Six-straight - 1992-97)
Head coach Mark Farley is now 15-4 at UNI when coming off a bye week.
UNI has now forced a turnover in 13-straight games.
After earning 106 yards receiving, Daurice Fountain has crossed the century mark four times at UNI.
Fountain has earned back-to-back 100-yard receiving games for the first time in his career.
Fountain also has 15 career touchdown receptions at UNI
The touchdown for Elias Nissen was his career first at UNI.
Eli Dunne has three multi-touchdown games this season and six for his career.
Jake Hartford and Suni Lane each earned their first career turnovers at UNI.
Malcolm Washington has earned an interception in back-to-back games.
Trevor Allen has earned a receiving touchdown in back-to-back games,
Attendance for Saturday's game at Southern Illinois was 9,112.