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Nov. 17, 2007

Final Stats |  Photo Gallery 

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The No. 1-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team completed an undefeated run through the regular season Saturday, cruising past Southern Utah in a 48-10 win that secured the Panthers' first perfect campaign since 1960 and made UNI the first team in Gateway Conference history to finish the regular season with an unblemished record.

The Panthers ran their record to 11-0 with their fifth home win of the season, as a crowd of 15,724 crammed into the UNI-Dome to see the team's final tuneup before the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs begin next weekend. UNI will play its opening round game within the confines of the Dome against an opponent to be announced Sunday, when playoff pairings are revealed at 2:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

"This team vowed on Aug. 1 to set their sights on not taking anyone for granted," UNI head coach Farley said. "We've worked hard for this 11-0 season, and this 11-0 record came at the peak of the Gateway Conference."

UNI finished the regular season in style against the Thunderbirds (0-11), amassing 458 yards of total offense while holding Southern Utah to a single touchdown. The Panther defense allowed Southern Utah starting quarterback Cody Stone to throw for 259 yards, but hauled in five interceptions to limit the damage done by the Thunderbirds' passing attack.

The Panthers' defensive effort was even more successful in limiting Southern Utah's running game, as UNI held the Thunderbirds to just 64 rushing yards on 27 carries - an average of 2.4 yards per touch.

There were no issues for the Panthers when it came to moving the ball on the ground, however, as four different UNI players carried for touchdowns. In all, the Panthers racked up 206 yards on the ground, led by Derrick Law's 80 yards on 11 carries.

Tailbacks Darian Williams and Taylor Brookins each ran for a score, while receiver Johnny Gray also found the end zone and quarterback Pat Grace ran for a 22-yard touchdown of his own.

Starting quarterback Eric Sanders completed 15 of 21 passes for 206 yards and threw for a pair of touchdowns in his final regular season game at the UNI-Dome. In all, the Panthers honored 16 players on Senior Night.

The Panthers wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, with kicker Billy Hallgren driving home a 34-yard field goal on UNI's initial possession to give the Panthers an early 3-0 lead.

The Thunderbirds answered with a 26-yard kick from Steve Pulver to even the score, but the Panthers were just getting warmed up.

UNI found the end zone on its very next possession, as Sanders hooked up with Victor Williams for a 24-yard scoring strike that saw Victor Williams haul in the pass over a Thunderbird defender to give the Panthers the lead for good.

After Adam Roberts snagged his first of two interceptions to return possession to the Panthers, Hallgren added to UNI's lead with a 22-yard field goal just inside the second quarter.

A sack of Stone by Chuck Kinney forced the Thunderbirds to punt on their next drive, and Gray then followed with a 24-yard touchdown run on UNI's ensuing possession to make it 20-3 in favor of the Panthers.

Sanders connected with Victor Williams again on the Panthers' next drive, as Williams hauled in a 12-yard touchdown reception. The touchdown gave the Panthers a 27-3 edge at intermission, with UNI scoring on each of its five first-half possessions.

After Darian Williams found his way into the end zone from 1 yard out for UNI in the third quarter, Johnny Sanchez capped a 99-yard drive for the Thunderbirds with a 2-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

The score cut UNI's lead to 34-10, but Taylor Brookins answered with a 2-yard scoring run on the Panthers' next possession.  An interception by Ben Schmidt on the Thunderbirds' ensuing possession set the Panthers up to score again, and Grace capitalized with a 22-yard scamper down the far sideline to provide the final margin.

In all, the Panthers tallied four interceptions in the second half, as Roberts picked off his second pass of the night in the third quarter and Sean McMoore and Nick Nelson each tallied an interception in the game's final six minutes.

Along with their five interceptions, the Panthers' defensive unit tallied three sacks and 10 tackles-for-loss in the matchup.

The Panthers, who earned their 13th Gateway Conference title last week, became the first team in the 23-year history of the league to finish the regular season undefeated. The win also gave UNI its first unblemished regular season since the school's 1960 squad went 9-0 and advanced to the Mineral Water Bowl.

"It's a proud feeling," Farley said of finishing the regular season undefeated. "It's 11 great wins and it's great for the seniors."

UNI's 2007 senior class includes: WR Terrell Allen (Wellford, S.C.), CB Nick Alvarez (Pompano Beach, Fla.), OL Barret Anderson (Rochester, Minn.), LB Brannon Carter (St. Charles, Mo.), LB Araf Evans (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), OL Adam Falk (Lodi, Wis.), FB Josh Firstley (New Orleans, La.), OL Eric Hoffman (St. Cloud, Minn.), OL Brandon Keith (McAlester, Okla.), DL Jordan Lacy (Jefferson City, Mo.), WR Whitney Lewis (Oxnard, Calif.), DL Jeff McGaster (Seaside, Calif.), OL Chad Rinehart (Boone, Iowa), QB Eric Sanders (Oelwein, Iowa), DB Clifford Waters (Kirkwood, Mo.) and RB Darian Williams (East Moline, Ill.).