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Aug. 30, 2007

Final Stats

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Opening night at the UNI-Dome was anything but a walk-through for the University of Northern Iowa football team. Minnesota State put together an impressive second quarter and hung tough in the first half before UNI piled up points late and eventually ran away with a 41-14 victory. 

The Panther offense put up 503 yards of total offense, including 304 through the air. Senior quarterback Eric Sanders (Oelwein, Iowa/Oelwein) finished the game 24-31 for 295 yards and a touchdown. Junior receiver Victor Williams (Clewiston, Fla./Clewiston) led the receiving corps with 97 yards on seven receptions. Junior Corey Lewis (St. Paul, Neb./St. Paul) led a rushing attack that piled up 199 yards with 79 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

"Our offense dominated tonight and our defense was very good," UNI head coach Mark Farley said.

The Panthers came out of the gates quickly with a seven-play 57-yard opening drive that culminated with a four-yard touchdown strike from Sanders to Darian Williams (East Moline, Ill./United Township). Kicker Billy Hallgren's (Coal Valley, Ill./Moline) extra point put UNI up 7-0.

After a quick three-and-out by MSU, Hallgren made good on a 33-yard boot to give UNI a 10-0 advantage as the first quarter came to a close.

"Hallgren did a great job kicking tonight," UNI head coach Mark Farley said. "I thought he had great hangtime on the kickoffs and he came through in the placekicking game."

A missed UNI field goal attempt and two failed Maverick drives gave the Panthers the ball at their own 38. Sanders found Johnny Gray (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach) at the MSU eight for a 54-yard gain on first down. Lewis shouldered the load from there, carrying twice and scoring on a three-yard trot to give UNI a 17-0 advantage after the extra point.

MSU returner Kelvin Rodgers fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own one-yard line and sprinted 99 yards for MSU's first score of the game. The Maverick's came alive following the return, stopping the Panther offense in its tracks and passing through the Panther defense. After a pair of failed drives by both squads, MSU took the ball on its own 21 and went on a 10-play 71-yard march to paydirt; finally scoring on a four-yard rush by Tory Chappell. The score cut the UNI lead to three late in the second quarter, but this was as close as the Mavericks would get to the Panthers.

"Rodgers is a very good player and we let them break into the game a little on his kickoff return," Farley said. "I thought our special teams did a good job adjusting to the longer kickoffs this year."

UNI ended the half with a field goal to put the score at 20-14 at intermission. A tense third quarter raced by with neither team scoring and the Panthers entered the fourth quarter with just a six-point cushion.

Williams scored on a four-yard plunge early in the fourth quarter, and Lewis added another touchdown on a 19-yard scamper five minutes later to give UNI a 34-14 advantage. After intercepting MSU quarterback Ben King's attempt, the Panthers embarked on a methodic 15-play 70-yard scoring drive that ate over eight minutes off the clock and sealed the 41-14 victory for UNI.

"It was good to get pushed early and show them that we're not giving in," Farley said. "Any win is a good win."

The Panthers move to 1-0 on the season while MSU falls to 1-1.

UNI meets in-state rival Iowa State in Ames, Iowa next Saturday. Kickoff is 6:05 p.m.