Panthers Advance: UNI Tops Lamar 16-13

Saturday, November 24

Cedar Falls, Iowa (UNI-Dome)

4 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

7-5 , 5-3

Lamar University

7-5 , 6-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Lamar University

Northern Iowa

Panthers Advance: UNI Tops Lamar 16-13

11/24/2018 10:06:00 PM | Football

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The UNI football team overcame a 10-point deficit with big plays on defense and a strong running game to hold off Lamar University 16-13 Saturday. The win propels UNI to the second round of the FCS playoffs where the Panthers face the sixth-seeded UC Davis Aggies on the road in Davis, California.

The game was hard-fought from the opening kickoff. UL scored on just the second play from scrimmage. Quarterback Darrel Colbert found Kirkland Banks in the flat and he found the edge and ran 73 yards for the touchdown.

Deion McShane took the ensuing kickoff 61 yards back to the Lamar 37-yard line to set up a 21-yard field goal for Austin Errthum, his first of the day.

On the next possession, Lamar picked up four consecutive third down conversions on the back of Colbert, a dual threat from the pocket. He capped the drive with a 25-yard pass to Case Robinson giving Lamar a 13-3 lead with 7:29 to play in the first quarter. It would be LU's last points.

The Panthers added a 44-field goal with 8:16 to play in the second quarter and tied the game on a beautiful 32-yard pass on a double move from Eli Dunne to Jalen Rima. The game went to the half tied at 13.

On the first Lamar drive of the second half, the Cardinals powered to the 17-yard line of UNI, but Bryce Douglas forced a fumble that was recovered by Korby Sander.

Another opportunity by the Cardinals was squandered with a missed 42-yard field goal with 2:42 in the third quarter.

The Panthers took the lead with a 35-yard field goal by Errthum with 13:09 to play in the game to put the UNI up 16-13.

The Panther defense held Lamar out of the end zone for the remainder of the game. On the ensuing possession after the Panther field goal, Lamar drove to the 19-yard line, but again the UNI defense forced a fumble. Christian Jegen knocked the ball loose and again Korby Sander was there to grab the recovery.

The Cardinals had one final chance with 2:50 to play another field goal, this one from 36 yards out, again went wide right.

The Panthers held on for the final few minutes to earn the win.

Lamar closes the season with a 7-5 record, winning six of their last seven games.

The run game was big for the Panthers. Marcus Weymiller ran for 128 yards on 29 carries and Trevor Allen notched 112 yards on 18 rushes. It was Allen's first game since Western Illinois.

Eli Dunne was 8-21 for 107 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Jaylen James had a team-high four catches for 55 yards.

On the defense, UNI racked up five sacks, including two by Elerson G. Smith. Isaiah Nimmers earned the lone interception of the game for UNI and the Panthers forced and recovered three fumbles. Duncan Ferch led the way with 10 tackles.

UP NEXT…
The Panthers travel to California to face UC Davis in the second round. The Aggies are the six seed in the FCS bracket and are 9-2 on the year with a win over FBS opponent San Jose State. It is the first trip to the FCS playoffs for UC Davis and the first meeting of the two programs. The Aggies joined Division I from DII in the 2004 season. They have been in the Big Sky Conference since 2012 and shared the conference title with Eastern Washington and Weber State.

NOTES
-Austin Errthum has become automatic. The senior is 21-24 on the season and hasn't missed a field goal since the Western Illinois game.
-Errthum went 12 consecutive kickoffs that ended in touchbacks before today's final kickoff.
- The Panthers ran for the second-highest rushing total of the season with 239 yards. The high was 265 yards against Indiana State.
- It is the first time that two players ran for over 100 yards since the game against Southern Illinois on Nov. 28, 2015.
- The win was coach Mark Farley's 149th Career victory. He will pass the sesquicentennial mark with his next win.
- Over his 18 seasons at UNI, head coach Mark Farley has amassed a 56-10 mark in November. Farley has gone undefeated during November 10 times (2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017) while having a losing record once during the month (2002).
- Marcus Weymiller's 128 yards rushing puts him at 922 yards rushing on the season and 1,897 career rushing yards. He has 1,055 yards of total offense on the season.