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Nov. 24, 2007

Final Stats

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Senior quarterback Eric Sanders found Montari Leonard for a 24-yard touchdown pass with just seven seconds left on the clock to lift the No. 1-seeded University of Northern Iowa football team to a 38-35 win over New Hampshire in the opening round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs on Saturday at the UNI-Dome.

The touchdown connection capped a Panther rally that saw the UNI offense cover 71 yards in the game's final 71 seconds to overcome a three-point edge held by the Wildcats and advance to the FCS quarterfinals, in which UNI will host Delaware on Saturday (Dec. 1) at the Dome.

The fate of UNI's season fell on the shoulders of its offensive unit after New Hampshire marched 75 yards for the go-ahead score. Chad Kackert's 15-yard touchdown run gave the Wildcats a 35-31 lead with 1:11 to play and set the stage for the Panthers' dramatic comeback.

Sanders found tailback Corey Lewis on the first play of the drive for a nine-yard gain and then connected with Whitney Lewis for an 18-yard pickup to give the Panthers a first down at the New Hampshire 44. 

After Sanders was forced to throw the ball away under pressure with 29 seconds left, the Wildcats were whistled for an offsides penalty to give the Panthers second-and-5 at the 39 yard line.  Sanders then found Whitney Lewis, who helped orchestrate a double hook-and-ladder that saw the ball go to Johnny Gray and then Corey Lewis as the Panthers picked up 15 yards and another first down.

With the clock ticking, Sanders took the snap and found Leonard open over the middle. His pass found Leonard's hands two yards deep in the end zone, but it took the freshman several steps - and juggles of the ball - to haul in what was the winning score.

"It was a wild game and a wild finish," said UNI head coach Mark Farley, who improved to 4-0 all-time in the first round of the playoffs. "Our offense executed our two-minute offense to perfection."

The drive completed an outstanding day for Sanders, who led his 12th career fourth-quarter or overtime comeback, as the senior signal caller went 27-for-36 through the air for 314 yards and the winning touchdown.  Leonard finished with four catches for 65 yards and the game-icing score.

"We had great play by Sanders and the entire offense to win the game," Farley said. "Credit the offensive line with carrying us through the game and credit Eric with putting us over the top in the end."

In a balanced effort for the UNI offense, the Panthers also racked up 256 rushing yards - with Corey Lewis shouldering most of the load. Lewis rushed 32 times for a career-high and UNI postseason-best 220 yards and three touchdowns.

Corey Lewis' first touchdown got the Panthers on the board with 9:52 left in the first, as UNI jumped ahead 7-0 on his 34-yard run down the far sideline.

"Corey Lewis had an awesome game with those huge runs," Farley said. "He kept finding ways to make big plays."

Chris Ward answered for the Wildcats, scoring from 1 yard out to even the score with 3:54 left in the opening period.

Gray put the Panthers back on top with a 15-yard touchdown run on a reverse that included a key block by Corey Lewis. That score came with 8:01 left in the first half as the Panthers marched 97 yards to regain the lead.

It didn't take the Wildcats long to tie things up again, however, as Kackert took UNI's ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown that knotted the score at 14 as the teams headed into the locker room at the half.

Corey Lewis put the Panthers back on top with a 36-yard breakaway with 11:14 to play in the third quarter, and kicker Billy Hallgren then added to UNI's lead with a 22-yard field goal.

The 24-14 advantage was far from safe, though, as New Hampshire drew within three points on a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ricky Santos to Scott Sicko with 1:35 to go in the third period.

Corey Lewis opened the final quarter with a 3-yard scoring run to give the Panthers some breathing room, but Santos and Sicko hooked up again - this time on a 16-yard touchdown pass - to cut UNI's lead to 31-28 with 10:44 to play.

The Panthers drove deep into New Hampshire territory as the clock ticked and were poised to end the game when a costly fumble gave the Wildcats new life. The teams traded fruitless drives and New Hampshire took control with 3:28 remaining, driving for its final touchdown and a 35-31 advantage.

In the end, the Wildcats fell just three points short of exacting revenge on the Panthers for the 24-21 win UNI claimed in the quarterfinals of the 2005 playoffs, when New Hampshire carried the No. 1 seed.

Santos, New Hampshire's quarterback, finished the night 26-of-35 for 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Panthers held last year's Walter Payton Award winner to just 32 yards rushing on 12 carries and sacked him three times. As a team, the Wildcats managed just 119 yards, while eight different Wildcat receivers hauled in at least one catch.

Sanders also hit eight different targets, with Gray leading the way with nine catches for 71 yards. Corey Lewis finished the night with 245 all-purpose yards.

The Wildcats, making their fourth-consecutive playoff appearance, saw their season end at 7-5 overall, while UNI improved to 12-0 on the season and is now 10-3 all-time in first-round playoff games. The Panthers' quarterfinal matchup with Delaware (9-3) will kick off at a time to be announced Sunday afternoon.