Saturday, March 6
Cedar Falls, Iowa
4 p.m.
University of Northern Iowa
2-1 , 1-2
20
vs
10
Illinois State
0-2 , 0-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Illinois St.
0
10
0
0
10
UNI
10
0
0
10
20
UNI Defense Too Much for Illinois State
3/6/2021 11:24:00 PM | Football
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Tyler Hoosman and Will McElvain ran for touchdowns and Matthew Cook added two field goals while the Panther defense put up a dominating performance to lead third-ranked UNI to a 20-10 win over No. 15 Illinois State Saturday at the UNI-Dome.
The Panthers allowed Illinois State just nine first downs, 185 yards of total offense and just three points on the offense in the win. Illinois State quarterback threw for just 69 yards and led Illinois State with 60 yards rushing on 14 carries while facing constant pressure. He was sacked three times, giving up a fumble on the last one that led directly to UNI's final score.
The game started with a bang Quan Hampton returned the opening kickoff 65 yards to the Illinois State 35. The return set up a 6-play drive that culminated in an 11-yard touchdown run for McElvain.
After an Illinois State three-and-out, the Panthers drove 50 yards on eight plays to set up a 43-yard Cook field goal to give UNI a 10-0 lead.
Illinois State hit a field goal of their own early in the second quarter to cut the lead to 10-3 and tied the game later in the quarter when ISU's Kenton Wilhoit intercepted a McElvain pass and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 10-10 at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Panthers took the lead for good on a 44-yard Cook field goal with 13:03 to play.
The Panthers forced a fumble late in the fourth and Jared Brinkman recovered to give UNI the ball on the Illinois State 24. Four plays later Hoosman ran 13 yards for the score and the 20-10 lead.
The Redbirds couldn't muster a response and the Panthers closed out the 10-point win.
UNI notched 114 yards on the ground and 148 yards through the air. Hoosman again led the rushing attack with 63 yards on 15 carries. McElvain was 14-33 passing with an interception. Hampton led the receiving with five catches for 40 yards. Logan Wolf made his return from injury and caught three passes for 28 yards. Tysen Kershaw grabbed two catches for 39 yards.
Hampton returned two kickoffs for 94 yards and Cook's two made field goals are his fifth and sixth of the year. He is 6-7 on the season.
The Panthers move to 2-1 on the year and into a four-way tie for second in the MVFC. North Dakota remains unbeaten at 3-0 so far this spring.
UP NEXT
UNI travels to Southern Illinois next Saturday to play the Salukis. SIU is 2-1 on the year and part of the group tied for second among Valley teams. They lost their opener to North Dakota but won their last two, including a 38-14 stomping of North Dakota State which ended the Nation's longest winning streak.
NOTES
- Logan Wolf saw his first action of the season after missing the first two games recovering from an injury. He caught three passes for 28 yards.
- Quan Hampton has become UNI's go-to playmaker. His kick return on the opening kick led to UNI's touchdown and he leads the Panthers with 179 yards on 17 receptions so far this season.
- The UNI defense held its second consecutive opponent without an offensive touchdown. It is the first time since outscoring Hampton and Indiana State by a combined 77-0 in 2019.
- The Panthers have now won three consecutive games against the Redbirds for the first time since 2006-08 and haven't lost to Illinois State at home since 2012.
- UNI remains 100% in the red zone on the season. The Panthers have made eight trips and scored six touchdowns and made a pair of field goals.
- Illinois State didn't make it into the red zone for the entire game.
The Panthers allowed Illinois State just nine first downs, 185 yards of total offense and just three points on the offense in the win. Illinois State quarterback threw for just 69 yards and led Illinois State with 60 yards rushing on 14 carries while facing constant pressure. He was sacked three times, giving up a fumble on the last one that led directly to UNI's final score.
The game started with a bang Quan Hampton returned the opening kickoff 65 yards to the Illinois State 35. The return set up a 6-play drive that culminated in an 11-yard touchdown run for McElvain.
After an Illinois State three-and-out, the Panthers drove 50 yards on eight plays to set up a 43-yard Cook field goal to give UNI a 10-0 lead.
Illinois State hit a field goal of their own early in the second quarter to cut the lead to 10-3 and tied the game later in the quarter when ISU's Kenton Wilhoit intercepted a McElvain pass and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 10-10 at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Panthers took the lead for good on a 44-yard Cook field goal with 13:03 to play.
The Panthers forced a fumble late in the fourth and Jared Brinkman recovered to give UNI the ball on the Illinois State 24. Four plays later Hoosman ran 13 yards for the score and the 20-10 lead.
The Redbirds couldn't muster a response and the Panthers closed out the 10-point win.
UNI notched 114 yards on the ground and 148 yards through the air. Hoosman again led the rushing attack with 63 yards on 15 carries. McElvain was 14-33 passing with an interception. Hampton led the receiving with five catches for 40 yards. Logan Wolf made his return from injury and caught three passes for 28 yards. Tysen Kershaw grabbed two catches for 39 yards.
Hampton returned two kickoffs for 94 yards and Cook's two made field goals are his fifth and sixth of the year. He is 6-7 on the season.
The Panthers move to 2-1 on the year and into a four-way tie for second in the MVFC. North Dakota remains unbeaten at 3-0 so far this spring.
UP NEXT
UNI travels to Southern Illinois next Saturday to play the Salukis. SIU is 2-1 on the year and part of the group tied for second among Valley teams. They lost their opener to North Dakota but won their last two, including a 38-14 stomping of North Dakota State which ended the Nation's longest winning streak.
NOTES
- Logan Wolf saw his first action of the season after missing the first two games recovering from an injury. He caught three passes for 28 yards.
- Quan Hampton has become UNI's go-to playmaker. His kick return on the opening kick led to UNI's touchdown and he leads the Panthers with 179 yards on 17 receptions so far this season.
- The UNI defense held its second consecutive opponent without an offensive touchdown. It is the first time since outscoring Hampton and Indiana State by a combined 77-0 in 2019.
- The Panthers have now won three consecutive games against the Redbirds for the first time since 2006-08 and haven't lost to Illinois State at home since 2012.
- UNI remains 100% in the red zone on the season. The Panthers have made eight trips and scored six touchdowns and made a pair of field goals.
- Illinois State didn't make it into the red zone for the entire game.
Team Stats
ILS
UNI
Total Yards
183
239
Pass Yards
69
148
Rushing Yards
114
91
Penalty Yards
33
30
1st Downs
9
16
3rd Downs
5
4
4th Downs
1
0
TOP
30:23
29:37
1st Quarter
ILS 0, UNI 7
UNI - McElvain,Will 11 yd run (Cook,Matthew kick), 6 plays, 35 yards, TOP 3:13
ILS 0, UNI 10
UNI - Cook,Matthew 43 yd field goal 8 plays, 50 yards, TOP 3:21
2nd Quarter
ILS 3, UNI 10
ILS - Bresnahan,Aidan 43 yd field goal 14 plays, 49 yards, TOP 7:36
ILS 10, UNI 10
ILS - Wilhoit,Kenton 29 yd interception (Bresnahan,Aidan kick)
4th Quarter
ILS 10, UNI 13
UNI - Cook,Matthew 44 yd field goal 7 plays, 59 yards, TOP 2:41
ILS 10, UNI 20
UNI - Hoosman,Tyler 13 yd run (Cook,Matthew kick), 4 plays, 24 yards, TOP 2:03
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
14
TD
0
YDS
148
INT
1
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
PK
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballQB
/ Football
WR
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