Panther Football Rolls Past Southern Utah 34-14

Saturday, September 7

Cedar Falls, Iowa

4 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

1-1

Southern Utah

0-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Southern Utah

UNI

Photo by: Carla Wehmeyer

Panther Football Rolls Past Southern Utah 34-14

9/7/2019 10:04:00 PM | Football

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Will McElvain went 17-25 for 262 yards and three TDs while two receivers notched 100-yard games and the Panther defense held Southern Utah without a score through nearly three quarters to lead the 11th-ranked Panthers to a 34-14 win over Southern Utah Saturday at the UNI-Dome in the 2019 home opener. The win give head coach Mark Farley his 150th career win and makes him the 10th coach ever with 150 FCS wins.

The Panther offense sputtered in the first two drives before McElvain found Deion McShane for a 56-yard highlight-reel touchdown. McShane caught the slightly underthrown ball and rolled over the defender before landing on his feet and finishing through into the end zone to put UNI up 7-0 with 2:10 left in the first quarter.

On the next UNI drive, McElvain found Isaiah Weston streaking down the line and, like McShane, broke a tackle and found the end zone to give UNI a 14-0 lead with 12:02 to play in the second corner.

Freshman kicker Matthew Cook continued on his hot start. He hit a 45-yard field goal with 7:54 remaining in the half to extend the lead to 17-0.
The Panthers finished the scoring in the first half with McElvain's third touchdown pass of the game to his third receiver when he found Jaylin James streaking across the middle in the end zone to put UNI up 24-0 with 2:34 remaining in the second quarter.

The Panthers extended the lead to 34-0 after another Cook field goal early in the third quarter and true freshman Nick McCabe's one-yard run after an SUU special teams snafu gave UNI the ball on the one-yard line.
The Thunderbirds found the end zone with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter and again with less than a minute remaining in the fourth. Both on short keepers from quarterback Chris Helbig to reach the 34-14 final.

McElvain went 14-20 for 234 and all three TDs in the first half. McShane ended the game with 110 yards on eight receptions and a touchdown, but only had one catch after halftime.

Weston joined McShane past the century mark with 105 yards and a TD on five catches.

On the ground, Trevor Allen carried the ball 17 times for 86 yards. McElvain added to the run game with eight carries for 23 yards. McCabe carried the ball six times for 12 yards and a score in his collegiate debut.

The Panther defense held SUU to just 227 yards on the day. Helbig was 16-31 for 126 yards through the air. True freshman Omar Brown picked off the SUU. The Panther defense sacked Helbig three times. Jared Brinkman earned 1.5 sacks, Elerson Smith notched 1.0 and Seth Thomas added .5. UNI recorded 10 Tackles for loss for 75 negative yards.

The win moves the Panthers to 1-1 on the year while SUU falls to 0-2 on the season. UNI will now go into the bye week with an opportunity to improve before another home game on Sept. 21 against Idaho State.

Tickets are available for upcoming UNI football games are available at UNIPanthers.com/Tickets.

NOTES

Deion McShane notched five of the first six receptions of the game for UNI. He finished with eight receptions and now has 15 receptions through two games this season.
Will McElvain passed to four different receivers in the first half (Deion McShane, Isaiah Weston, Jaylin James, Tristan Bohr)
Isaiah Weston had his first touchdown catch of the season after returning from last year's injury.
Touchdown Receptions to three different receivers in the first half (Deion McShane, Isaiah Weston, Jaylin James)
Four different rushers in the first half (Nick McCabe, Trevor Allen, Alphonso Soko, Deion McShane)
Erik Sorenson first career start at center with Mason Neisen out with hand injury
True freshman Nick McCabe sees his first action midway through the second quarter.
Will McElvain passed his previous single game passing yards from Iowa State (228) in the first half with 234 yards
The Panthers have given up a combined three points in the first half of the first two games.
In the second quarter, the Panthers held the Southern Utah offense to -4 yards.
Trevor Allen rushed the ball six consecutive times to start the third quarter.
Omar Brown tallied his first career interception.
True freshman Nick McCabe scored his first career touchdown. (3:22 left of the third quarter)
Two receivers for over 100 yards (Isaiah Weston and Deion McShane)
Through three quarters, Southern Utah had 111 yards.
Mark Farley is the 10^th coach in history with 150 FCS wins.

CAREER HIGHS

Will McElvain

Long pass: 56, (Prev 26 at Aug. 31, 2019)
Pass TDS: 3, (Prev 1 at ISU Aug. 31, 2019)
Pass yards: 262, (Prev 228 at ISU Aug. 31, 2019)

Deion McShane

Long reception: 56, (Prev 43 at UC Davis Dec. 1, 2018)
Receptions: 8, (Prev 7 vs Hampton Sept. 22, 2018)

Isaiah Weston

Receiving yards: 105, (Prev 72 Iowa State Sept. 2, 2017)
Receptions: 5, (Prev 4 Iowa State Sept. 2, 2017)
Surpasses his all-time single-game receiving yards first game back from injury (1^st half)

Omar Brown