Panthers fall to 2-4 with 23-21 loss
Northern Iowa’s Edwin Dearman (21) wraps around the legs of Illinois State University’s Wenkers Wright as Spencer Cuvelier (41) looks to make the tackle on Saturday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
CEDAR FALLS — A leaky defense spoiled Northern Iowa’s homecoming Saturday at the UNI-Dome as Illinois State edged out the Panthers, 23-21.
Despite struggles throughout the game, the Panthers defense mustered a late stand that forced the Redbirds’ second three-and-out of the game and gave UNI (2-4, 1-2 MVFC) the ball back at its own 19 with 1:10 to play.
A 28-yard Theo Day completion to Dom Williams quickly moved UNI to midfield, but three plays after a fourth-and-1 conversion at Illinois State’s 43, Day was sacked by Zeke Vandenburgh and, with no timeouts available, the clock ran out as 11 Panthers scrambled in hopes of one more snap.
“I just told (the team), you’ve got to get smart now,” UNI coach Mark Farley said. “Everybody else will try to find knives and forks to throw at you — that’s when you’ve really got to be smart. When you take a look at what is the way to improve and there’s multiple things on defense, multiple things on offense, multiple things (with) play-calling.”
The Panthers initially got new life when Ian Wagner’s 29-yard field goal missed wide left with 5:26 remaining. As the Panthers did on their final drive, they reached Redbirds territory quickly in just six plays, but a quarterback hit on third-and-8 forced an incompletion and Day’s pass for Sam Schnee on fourth-and-8 at the Redbirds 39 was just past his outstretched hands.
Struggles on defense to get off the field on third and fourth downs plagued the Panthers for the second consecutive week.
After allowing 11 combined third- and fourth-down conversions in last week’s win against Indiana State, UNI allowed Illinois State to convert 15 third and fourth downs.
“It’s the scramble quarterback that’s gotten away, it’s not getting to the quarterback, but give them credit they had a nice little plan to get the ball out quickly and dump it around,” Farley said. “There’s a way to fix it, but at the same time I’m (thinking how) they got three points in the second half. That’s enough to win the game.”
Those conversions paved the way for two touchdowns and 20 first half points from the Redbirds. Meanwhile, UNI’s offense was in part limited again by the defense’s inability to get off the field, getting only eight possessions after having just seven a week ago.
Day finished 14 of 23 for 212 yards and one touchdown and was sacked four times. Vance McShane ran for a game-high 90 yards on 13 carries and Schnee had a game-high 75 yards receiving on five receptions.
Spencer Cuvelier led all tacklers with 14 and was joined in double figures by Korby Sander, who collected 10.
“Win out. That’s our plan. Win every game,” McShane said. “No excuses. Keep going. Do what we can to win every game and get to the playoffs.”
UNI hosts Utah Tech (1-4, 0-2) next Saturday at 4 p.m.
