Hawkeyes Hold Off Panthers 17-16

A pair of blocked kicks by Iowa with one second and no time left on the clock sealed the 17-16 win for the Hawkeyes.
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa had a chance to upset the No.22 Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd of 70,585 fans at Kinnick Stadium, but a pair of blocked kicks by Iowa with one second and no time left on the clock sealed the 17-16 win for the Hawkeyes.

The Panthers built a 13-3 advantage early in the third quarter and appeared poised to knock off the Hawkeyes in their home stadium.

"This football team today represented this program better than any team has ever represented this program," head coach Mark Farley said. "We asked them to play with class and poise and they did everything we asked of them. The expectation of every UNI football game we line up in is that we can compete and win any game we step on the field. I hope the state of Iowa realizes now that we've got a pretty good football program."

Iowa put the first points on the board on their first possession of the game, scoring off a 29-yard field goal by Daniel Murray.

The Panthers capitalized on a Hawkeye miscue by putting three points on the board on a 39-yard field goal from Billy Hallgren. Defensive lineman Wes Lane forced Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi to fumble and senior defensive tackle Chuck Kinney recovered on the Hawkeyes 28-yard line to set up the score and tie the game at 3-3.

The Panthers forced a Hawkeye punt on the following possession and starting on their own nine-yard line, the Panthers drove 91 yards in 15 plays, capitalizing on a 14-yard touchdown strike from Grace to Ryan Mahaffey to give the Panthers a 10-3 lead at the halftime break.

After trading fumbles to start the second half, UNI started on their own 33-yard line after Boothby forced his second Iowa fumble of the day. A 50-yard pass play from Pat Grace to Herring on the next play set UNI up on the Hawkeye 17-yard line. Billy Hallgren turned the Hawkeye miscue into three points, splitting the uprights from 34 yards out and extending the Panther lead to 13-3.

On the ensuing possession the Hawkeyes drove 70 yards to close the gap at 13-10 off an 11-yard touchdown run by Adam Robinson.

It looked as if the Hawkeyes could knot the score late in the third quarter, but a missed field goal by Iowa kicker Daniel Murray gave UNI the ball back at their own 31-yard line.

The Panthers were unable to capitalize, however as the Iowa defense forced the Panthers to a three-and-out.

Iowa then took their first lead since early in the first quarter at the 13:18 mark of the fourth quarter when Stanzi found Tony Moeaki in the corner of the endzone from six yards out. Murray added the extra point and the Hawkeyes went up 17-13.

The Panther defense held a threatening Hawkeye team at the UNI 31-yard line, stuffing Iowa's Adam Robinson on a fourth and two. UNI then drove 46 yards to the Hawkeye 29-yard line, setting up a 39-yard field goal for Hallgren to pull the Panthers within 17-16. The Panthers marched down the field mainly through the air with pass plays of 18, 14 and 16 yards.

On the following possession the Panther defense forced a three-and-out on the Hawkeyes, giving the Panthers the ball with 2:14 left in the game. Starting on their own eight-yard line, the Panthers drove to the Iowa 24-yard line to set up a 40-yard field goal for Hallgren. The Panthers first attempt at the field goal was blocked by Iowa's Broderick Binns and Christian Ballard, but the because the ball failed to cross the neutral zone and UNI's Mahaffey came up with the loose ball with one second left on the clock, UNI got a second attempt at the field goal.

The Panthers second attempt from 41 yards was also blocked, this time by Jeremiha Hunter, to give the Iowa the win, 17-16.

NOTES:
Senior quarterback Pat Grace finished the day with a career-high 270 yards going 23-37 through the air, including a 50-yard strike to Jarred Herring. Herring finished with 100 yards off six catches.

Redshirt freshman Carlos Anderson chewed up 75 yards on the ground in just his first start of his career.

Junior Jamar Thompson led the defensive effort with a team-high 13 tackles. Senior linebacker Elijah Hodge tallied 11 stops in his Panther debut.

UNI recorded four quarterback sacks, including 2 ½ from senior Wes Lane.

Nine true freshmen or redshirt freshmen saw their first action for the Panthers on Saturday. Those Panthers seeing their first game action included: Carlos Anderson, Varmah Sonie, Timmy Johnson, Andre Martin Jr., Garrett Scott, Terrell McBride, Will Jackson, Tim Sauer Jr., Kyle Bernard.