CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The No. 1-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team survived a scare from No. 20 Youngstown State on Saturday, but rallied late for a 14-13 win in a Gateway Conference thriller at the UNI-Dome. 

The Panthers were held scoreless for the first three quarters of action, but found the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter when senior quarterback Eric Sanders found receiver Johnny Gray over the middle for a 29-yard touchdown strike. That score cut Youngstown State's lead to 13-7 with 11:58 left in the fourth quarter.

Gray then helped put the Panthers up for good with 4:54 left to play. Gray found the end zone for the second time on a reverse from tailback Corey Lewis, streaking 18 yards, untouched to knot the score at 13.  Freshman kicker Billy Hallgren then delivered the extra point to put the Panthers on top, 14-13.

"That's a set play we have for Johnny," UNI head coach Mark Farley said. "We call it the Johnny Reverse."

UNI held Youngstown State to a three-and-out on the ensuing drive, but the Panthers were forced to punt with 1:36 left when the Penguins made a defensive stop of their own.

Linebacker Brannon Carter picked off a pass by YSU quarterback Tom Zetts on the ensuing Penguin possession to end things for UNI, which improved to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in Gateway play. 

Youngstown State controlled the game through the first 45 minutes of action. The Penguins ran 33 offensive plays before the Panthers had a chance to run 10. At halftime, YSU had racked up 249 offensive yards and owned a 13-0 lead. 

The damage could have been worse, however; but the Panthers held the Penguins to a Brian Palmer 37-yard field goal on a critical possession midway through the second quarter. 

"That was a critical hold," said Farley.  "We were on our heels at that point."

The 13-0 deficit was the largest faced by the Panthers this season, but the Panthers answered as Sanders helped direct the 11^th fourth-quarter comeback of his career.

"The way we were able to maintain poise was key to the game," Farley said. "You never saw us lose poise and confidence."

Sanders finished the game 16 of 20 passing for 170 yards with an interception and a touchdown.  Gray was Sanders' favorite target with 77 yards receiving and a touchdown on the night. UNI tailback Corey Lewis led the rushing attack with 66 yards on 23 attempts. As a team the Panthers rushed for 102 yards, the lowest rushing output of the season. 

"Our offense made plays when it needed to, but our defense created momentum," Farley said.

Defensively the Panthers were led by De'Veon Harris with 13 tackles and Brannon Carter, who tallied 10 and the interception that slammed the door on the YSU rally. The crowd, 16,528 strong, was the second largest crowd in Dome history and a deciding factor on the outcome according to Farley.

"The crowd really raised the tempo of our defensive players and helped the defense step up in a critical situation," Farley said.

Next Saturday, the Panthers travel to Springfield, Mo., for a showdown with the Missouri State Bears. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast state-wide in Iowa on the Mediacom Connections channel.