Courtesy: UNI Athletics Communications –
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa football team improved its record to 2-0 today in front of 15,960 fans, defeating the Drake Bulldogs, 45-14.
Sawyer Kollmorgen finished the game 11-14 for 121 yards and two touchdowns. David Johnson notched another 100+ yard rushing game, finishing with 143 yards and a touchdown. In the air attack, Kevin Vereen Jr. finished with 87 yards, five receptions and his first career touchdown.
Drake’s Andy Rice fumbled the ball with 12:29 left in the first quarter, putting the Panthers on the board after Jake Farley returned the fumble for a 20-yard touchdown return. Tyler Sievertsen knocked in the PAT to give UNI a 7-0 lead.
The Bulldogs were able to hold UNI to a field goal with 5:00 left in the first quarter. Sievertsen knocked a 23-yarder through the uprights to put the Panthers up 10-0.
UNI quickly regained the ball after forcing Drake to a three-and-out. Drake punter Cam Bohnert fumbled the ball on the snap and sophomore Tim Kilfoy recovered the fumble to give the Panthers the ball on Drake’s 28-yard-line.
Phil Wright scored his first touchdown of the season with 1:37 left in the quarter when Kollmorgen found him in the end zone for an 8-yard reception, giving UNI a 17-0 lead. The drive took 1:42 off the clock for five plays and 28 yards.
With 12:09 left in the half, Kevin Vereen Jr. linked up with Kollmorgen for a 36-yard reception to put the Panthers in the red zone. Seconds later, the two were in sync again, giving Vereen his first touchdown of the season on a 17-yard pass, making the score 24-0.
Brion Carnes scored the Panthers’ fourth touchdown of the half with 7:28 left in the second quarter on a one-yard rush to give UNI a 31-0 lead. The drive took 2:07 off the clock for five plays and 44 yards to give the junior his first touchdown as a Panther.
Kollmorgen finished the half 6-9 for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson notched 78 yards on the ground and Vereen led the Panthers in the air with 53-yards and a touchdown.
Drake scored its first points of the game with 11:44 left in the third quarter off a screen pass from Rice to Gary Scott for a seven-yard reception. The drive took 3:16 off the clock using seven plays and covering 65 yards, making the score 31-7.
Johnson scored his fifth touchdown of the season with 11:32 left in the quarter after putting the moves on the Drake defense, breaking free for a 65-yard rushing touchdown. The 65-yard rush broke the 100-rushing yard mark for the junior, with the drive taking just 12 seconds off the clock for one play to give UNI a 38-7 lead.
Drake jumped on the scoreboard again with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter when Mike Ratelle intercepted a pass from Carnes, returning it for a 37-yard touchdown. The third quarter ended with the Panthers on top, 38-14.
In his first appearance for the Panthers, Tyvis Smith scored his first career touchdown on a 30-yard rush with 3:52 left in the game to put the Panthers up 45-14. The drive took up eight plays and 50 yards, burning 4:27 off the clock.
Smith’s touchdown would be the last score of the game, giving UNI a 45-14 win over the Bulldogs.
