UNI wins tough battle over Southern Illinois

CEDAR FALLS - The result was predictable but the way it played out was a bit unexpected.

Defensive stands with an unlikely leader or two, a melted second half clock and an unorthodox play call all worked out in University of Northern Iowa's favor.

The second-ranked Panthers utilized each of those features to survive a tough test against Southern Illinois, gutting out a 17-10 Missouri Valley Football Conference victory Saturday in front of 15,265 fans at the UNI-Dome. It was the eighth time in the last nine games between the two teams to be decided by seven points or less.

“It was a great win,” UNI Coach Mark Farley said. “A tough win from the get-go. We knew they were a good football team.”

The Panthers' toughness late, especially their defense in the fourth, that secured the win.

After controlling the third quarter and building a 17-7 lead, UNI fumbled twice deep in its own territory. The Salukis had golden opportunities to cut into the Panthers' lead, but the defense stiffened allowing just two yards combined for the two series. 

“The difference in that football game was our defense stopping them on those two turnovers we had inside our red zone,” Farley said. “We only gave up three points the one time and then stopped them on the fourth down.

“Those are two huge series.”

The first resulted in Jac Maclachlan's 30-yard field goal, making it 17-10 with 10:08 remaining. The second opened with two rushes for no gain by former University of Iowa running back Jewell Hampton and two straight incompletions, returning the ball to the Panthers, who ran out the final 4:08 in the game. 

“They have a pretty good defense,” Southern Illinois Coach Dale Lennon said. “There's a reason why they're having success they're having right now.

“They have some great offensive players that are capable but they hang their hat on defense.”

The Panthers (6-1, 5-0 MVFC) received huge contributions from some surprising players. Strong safety Blake White played in his first full game, replacing starter Garrett Scott, who was injured early. White has been taking most of the repetitions in practice due to Scott being injured, and he performed admirably.

The entire week he was told to be prepared as if he was the starter. He played like a veteran, leading the Panthers with 12 tackles including 10 solo.

“That's not bad,” White said. “It puts a big smile on my face.”

He earned praise from Farley, who said White is an example of perseverance and effort. White was ready for the dogfight and enjoyed it.

“It was a battle out there,” White said. “I'm hurting, but it was fun.”

Senior defensive tackle Ben Boothby is no stranger to the Panthers defense, but this week's showing was certainly unique, even for the accomplishment lineman. Boothby tore his lateral meniscus in last week's 31-14 win at South Dakota State. He came in Sunday for medical tests, had surgery by Sunday night and labored to walk Monday. Boothby said things cleared up by Tuesday, regaining full range of motion by then and raring to go by Thursday.

“He is a one of a kind," Farley said. "He's the first I've seen to be able to come back four days after surgery and play like he did in the position that he plays.”

Boothby said never beating the Salukis and the atmosphere surrounding the UNI fans "blackout" by wearing black clothing to the game made him more determined to suit up Saturday.

"I really wanted to be a part of it," Boothby said. "I was willing to do whatever it took."

It took an impressive third quarter by the offense to help UNI snap a three-game losing streak to the Salukis.

The Panthers dominated the third quarter with long, time-consuming drives to control the pace of the game and grid down the clock. The Salukis (2-5, 1-4 MVFC) were limited to four offensive plays and a punt, having possession for just 2:49 in the third.

The Panthers opened with a 15-play, 44-yard drive that last 7 minutes, 37 seconds, resulting in Tyler Sievertsen's 48-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead. The field goal tied a career long for the former Cedar Rapids Kennedy prep.

A rare fake punt by the Panthers helped keep that drive alive and may have been the key in keeping momentum. Facing a 4th-and-6 from the Southern Illinois 40, punter Kyle Bernard tucked the ball and ran 10 yards for the conversion. He extended the drive that resulted in UNI's first lead.

They practice it, but it hasn't been used during Farley's tenure.

“The timing was right,” Farley said. “I think that is our first fake punt in 10 years. We didn't give it away to anybody.

“The timing was right, the players were right and the execution was very good.”

Lennon said it may have been the call of the game. It may have deflated the spirit of the Salukis defense.

“The fake punt was huge at the time,” Farley said. “I think with that kind of football team, we fake that punt, it kind of took a lot out of them, because really the offense was on the field for most of the third and fourth quarter.”

Quarterback Tirrell Rennie went to work again on the Panthers' second possession of the quarter, burning 4:34 off the clock on a nine-play, 56-yard drive. Rennie found the end zone on 3rd-and-goal from the 1 with nine seconds remaining in third. He took the snap for an option play, cutting through the middle of the line for the TD. UNI went up, 17-7, and grabbed the lead for good.

The offense had trouble with the Southern Illinois defensive scheme, blitzing 85-percent of the time according to Rennie. The Panthers adjusted at halftime for the scoring drives, and the final series that ended the game.

"That's experienced players being able to communicate what they see to the coaches at halftime," Farley said, "and then we can make small adjustments which turn out to be big differences on the field.”

Rennie finished the game 14 of 23 for 167 passing yards, including an impressive 18-yard touchdown pass to a diving Terrell Sinkfield after throwing off his back foot while back-peddling from a Saluki rusher, to tie it 7-7 in the second quarter. Rennie, troubled by turnovers last year, has not thrown an interception in his last 146 attempts.

David Johnson led the Panthers in rushing with 72 yards.

The Salukis opened the scoring in the second quarter, taking advantage of a short field. UNI had to punt from its own end zone, giving Southern Illinois the ball at the Panthers' 47. Salukis quarterback Kory Faulkner hit MyCole Pruitt for a 7-yard TD on 3rd-and-2, capping the seven-play and grabbing a 7-0 lead.

Hampton, who transferred after playing in two seasons and a red-shirt  year for the Hawkeyes, had 75 yards on 23 carries. He has 636 rushing yards with nine touchdowns in seven games for Southern Illinois.