CARBONDALE, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa football team routed the Southern Illinois Salukis 40-21 Saturday, improving to 7-4 overall and 5-2 in league play.
Brion Carnes finished the game 18-28-1 for 169 yards and two touchdowns. David Johnson led the Panthers on the ground with 19 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, Jake Farley led both teams with 15 tackles. Brett McMakin came away with 10 tackles, including a sack and two tackles for loss. The Panthers also finished the game with three interceptions for 64 return yards.
UNI jumped on the board first when Carnes converted on a 3-and-7 situation for the Panthers with 3:39 left in the first quarter. Carnes found Braden Lehman in the end zone for a leaping catch to give UNI a 7-0 lead, ending a 3:58 drive for 10 plays and 67 yards.
The Panther defense continued to step up when needed after Max Busher came away with a key interception, returning it to the one-yard-line to set up UNI’s next score. Johnson punched the ball through for the one-yard rushing touchdown to put UNI up 14-0 with 8:35 left in the second quarter.
Late in the second quarter, UNI’s defense showed up again when Tim Kilfoy grabbed his second pick-six of the season, returning the ball seven yards for the score. The turnover gave UNI a 21-0 lead with 2:25 left to play in the first half.
UNI’s special teams came up big for the Panthers in the third quarter after the Salukis fumbled a snap off a punt in their own end zone. Tate Omli was able to recover the ball for a touchdown to put UNI up 27-0 with 7:12 on the clock.
Southern Illinois was able to make it a 20-point game with 4:05 left in the third quarter when Ryan West found leading SIU tight end MyCole Pruitt open for a 6-yard receiving touchdown. The drive took 3:01 off the clock for nine plays and 61 yards to make the score 27-7.
Johnson added to UNI’s score line with 47 seconds on the clock in the third quarter when he broke free for a 30-yard rush down the middle for his second touchdown of the game, giving UNI a 33-7 lead. The drive burned 3:18 off the clock for eight plays and 75 yards.
UNI notched its third interception of the game when Deiondre’ Hall picked off a pass from West early in the fourth quarter, returning it to the SIU 32-yard-line. Carnes followed it up with an immaculate pass to Brett LeMaster in the end zone for his second passing touchdown of the game, making the score 40-7.
Pruitt snuck into the end zone for the second time in the game with 9:18 left in the game after Mark Iannotti found him open for a 17-yard passing touchdown. The score ended a 1:42 drive for six plays and 32 yards to make the score 40-14.
Southern Illinois punched in a late fourth quarter touchdown to make the score 40-21 after Iannotti rushed it in for a yard. The touchdown ended a 6:01 drive for 16 plays and 80 yards with 1:04 left in the game.
The Panthers were then able to recover the onside kick from the Salukis and run the clock out to secure its 40-21 win. UNI will return to action Saturday, Nov. 22 for Senior Night in the UNI-Dome against Missouri State.
