HONOLULU, Hawai’i – The University of Northern Iowa football team fell to the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors, 27-24 in the Aloha Stadium late Saturday night.
UNI scored a late fourth quarter touchdown after Darrian Miller found the end zone off an 11-yard pass from Sawyer Kollmorgen to cut the Hawai’i lead to 27-24, but the Panthers were unable to close the gap and fell to the Rainbow Warriors.
Kollmorgen finished 19-40-0 for 265 yards and two touchdowns. David Johnson led the Panthers through the air with 73 yards off five receptions, adding 46 yards on the ground. Max Busher led the team with nine tackles while Jake Farley and Ronelle McNeil both grabbed eight.
The Panthers forced Hawai’i to a three-and-out on their first offensive drive thanks to a big sack from Isaac Ales and McNeil, but the Panthers mishandled the first snap of their drive, resulting in a Hawai’i touchdown. Beau Yap was able to recover the fumble and find the end zone to put Hawai’i up 7-0 with 10:19 left in the first quarter.
UNI evened the score with 6:38 left to play in the quarter after true freshman Billy Williams connected off a 58-yard pass from Kollmorgen to set up UNI’s scoring drive. Michael Schmadeke knocked in the extra point to make it 7-7 with the drive burning 3:35 off the clock for seven plays and 80 yards.
Hawai’i took a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter after Tyler Hadden was able to convert on a 36-yard field goal. The Rainbow Warriors took 2:03 off the clock for eight plays and 72 yards.
The Rainbow Warriors struck again with a 15-yard receiving touchdown with 6:37 left to play in the first half. Quarterback Ikaika Woolsey linked up with Harold Moleni in the end zone for the 15-yard gain, taking 1:01 off the clock for four plays and 80 yards.
To end the first half, Schmadeke was able to knock in a career-high 41-yard field goal after Brett LeMaster set the Panthers up with two big first downs with less than 20 seconds to play. The drive lasted 27 seconds for six plays and 29 yards, making the score 17-10.
The teams battled defensively early in the third quarter, with both teams held scoreless until there was less than a minute left on the clock. Hawaii’s Steve Lakalaka rushed into the end zone for a 30-yard gain and a touchdown with 37 seconds left in the quarter to give Hawai’i a 24-10 lead.
The Panthers answered with a touchdown of their own with 13:16 left to play in the fourth quarter. Kollmorgen found Kevin Vereen Jr. in the end zone for a nine-yard receiving touchdown and Vereen Jr.’s second of the season. The drive broke 2:13 off the clock for seven plays and 78 yards to cut the UH lead to 24-17.
Hawai’i was then able to connect on its second field goal of the game after Hadden hit a 37-yarder to give the Rainbow Warriors a 27-17 lead with 3:19 left to play in the game. The drive took 2:34 off the clock for four plays and zero yards.
Darrian Miller’s late quarter touchdown was his first in a Panther uniform. The junior grabbed an 11-yard reception to cut the Hawai’i lead to 27-24.
UNI will return to action when they come home to the UNI-Dome to take on the Northern Colorado Bears on Sept. 20 for Homecoming. The game is set to kick off at 4 p.m.
