CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The No. 5 University of Northern Iowa football team defeated No. 9 McNeese State in a top-10 battle in the UNI-Dome, 41-6.
Sophomore Sawyer Kollmorgen finished 16-of-27 passing for a season-high 288 yards and three touchdowns. David Johnson came away with 108 receiving yards and 86 rushing yards on the ground for 194 all-purpose yards. Kevin Vereen also had a standout receiving day with 109 receiving yards on four receptions.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Panthers limited McNeese to only six total points – 43.5 points below its season average coming into the contest. Senior linebacker Jordan Gacke tallied a game-high 10 tackles. Isaac Ales posted a pair of sacks and the Panthers recovered three fumbles in the triumph.
Johnson found his way into the end zone with 3:48 left in the first quarter when Kollmorgen found him open for a 32-yard scoring reception to give UNI a 7-0 lead. Wide receiver Phil Wright provided a key block on the touchdown. The scoring drive went 43 yards in four plays and consumed 1:53 off the clock.
After the Panthers executed a fake field goal, redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Black threw a lob pass to Sam Rohr for an acrobatic catch to put UNI in the red zone. Quarterback Brion Carnes scored on the next play on a 15-yard run to put UNI up 14-0 with 14:21 left in the second quarter.
Kollmorgen found Vereen for a 39-yard pass and catch combo in the second quarter, putting UNI in scoring territory again. After three plays, Tyler Sievertsen knocked in a 23-yard field goal to give UNI a 17-0 lead with 8:06 on the clock. The drive took 4:25 off the clock that went 69 yards in 10 plays.
Chad Owens opened the second half with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Kollmorgen for his second touchdown of the season, putting UNI up 24-0. The Panthers opening drive of the third quarter went 73 yards in four plays and took 1:53 off the clock.
McNeese State jumped on the scoreboard with 8:52 left in the third quarter when Marcus Wiltz notched a six-yard touchdown catch from Cody Stroud. The Cowboys’ two-point conversion failed and the Panthers lead stood at 24-6.
With less than 7:00 on the clock in the third quarter, a high snap got away from McNeese’s Stroud giving Sam Tim his first fumble recovery of the season to put UNI on the two-yard line. Kollmorgen notched his first rushing touchdown of the season two plays later from a yard out to give UNI a 31-6 lead with 6:20 on the third quarter clock.
Johnson scored his second touchdown of the game with 12:47 left in the fourth quarter when he broke free in the end zone for a five-yard scoring pass from Kollmorgen to give UNI a 38-6 lead.
Sievertsen’s second field goal of the game with 5:23 left in the game would be the last points scored in the game, giving UNI a 41-6 win over the No. 9-ranked Cowboys.
