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Nov. 10, 2007

Final Stats |  Photo Gallery 

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Three different Panther running backs topped the century mark as the University of Northern Iowa football team rushed for a season-high 404 yards and rolled to a 68-14 victory over Indiana State. UNI's 68 points ranks as its highest Gateway Football Conference offensive output in its 23-year membership, and the third highest GFC total ever.

Panther tailbacks Darian Williams, Derrick Law and Taylor Brookins all topped the hundred-yard mark on the night with Williams totaling 115 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries to lead the attack. Law and Brookins each rushed 17 times with Law totaling 105 yards and a touchdown and Brookins netting 101 yards. Starter Corey Lewis carried 11 times for 61 yards and two touchdowns before being lifted halfway through the second quarter.

The Panthers passed just 14 times on the night compared to 58 rushing attempts. Senior quarterback Eric Sanders completed 9-11 attempts for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Patrick Grace finished the night 3-3 for 80 yards and a 53-yard touchdown to Montari Leonard.

Leonard topped one-hundred yards receiving on the night and scored twice. Junior Johnny Gray snagged two passes, including the first touchdown of the game.

Defensively, the Panthers held Indiana State to just six total first downs while stifling the Sycamore rushing attack to just 77 net yards. UNI held Indiana State to just 167 total offensive yards.  

The Panthers sprinted to a 19-0 lead in the first quarter after a pair of touchdowns, a Billy Hallgren field goal and a safety. Indiana State scored the opening touchdown of the second quarter, but the Panthers took over from there, scoring five touchdowns in nine minutes to take a 54-7 lead into the locker room. The running backs shouldered most of the load in the second quarter, scoring three of UNI's five touchdowns, but Gray stole the show with a logic-defying punt return that had 16,624 UNI-Dome faithful cheering both for the return and the replay.

"It was a fun play to watch," said UNI head coach Mark Farley. "It looked like he was having fun out there. It was one of those plays you just have to enjoy. That was Johnny at his best."

Indiana State scored its second touchdown after the Panthers had knocked nearly 10 minutes from the third-quarter clock. UNI scored twice more, a 53-yard bomb to Leonard and a four-yard quarterback keeper, to put the final score at 68-14.

The Panthers improve to 10-0 on the season, 6-0 in the Gateway. Indiana State falls to 0-11 overall, 0-6 in the Gateway.

The Panthers will honor 16 seniors prior to next Saturday's senior day matchup with Southern Utah. Kickoff is at 5:05 p.m.