CEDAR CITY, Utah ? Nov. 22.?
Pat Grace led a balanced attack as #4 Northern Iowa battled a stubborn Southern Utah squad for a 34-24 win in Cedar City on
Saturday.?
The Panthers rushed for 208 yards and added 88 yards
passing, while Cody Stone led the Thunderbird attack with 260 yards passing,
with Kenny Apilli adding 71 yards on 21 carries.?
Turnovers made the difference.? Cody Stone's first pass of the game was tipped, and
intercepted by Sean McMoore, and returned to the Thunderbird 4 yard line. ?Corey Lewis punched it in for the score
to put UNI up 7-0.
The Thunderbirds answered back with a Steve Pulver 27-yard
field goal.? Kyle Bowen stood in
for an injured Stone to lead SUU on a nine play, 80-yard drive, capped by a
4-yard touchdown pass to Joel Johnson.?
The Thunderbirds moved ahead 10-7?the first time UNI had trailed in a
game since Nicholls State on October 2nd.
The Panthers added a Grace to Corey Lewis touchdown pass,
and a Billy Hallgren field goal, while SUU's Stone connected with Tysson Poots
for a 15-yard touchdown pass to knot the score at 17 at halftime.
UNI seized second half momentum when they ground out a nine
play, 80 yard, opening drive.?
Then, linebacker Jamar Thompson wrestled the ball away from SUU's Apilli
on the Thunderbird's opening drive, and returned the fumble 32 yards for a
touchdown. Hallgren added a 36-yard field goal to give the Panthers a 34-17
lead.
In the fourth quarter, Stone and Poots would again connect
to make the score 34-24, but UNI was able to hold off SUU for the 34-24 win.
First-year coach Ed Lamb noted, “We needed to get some breaks to beat this
team.? As it turned out, we ended
up giving some away.”
Northern Iowa improved to 10-2 (7-1 Gateway), while SUU and
Ed Lamb finished the season 4-7 (1-3 Great West).??
