The Panthers used 355 rushing yards and limited the Leathernecks to 163 total yards in the victory.
MACOMB, Ill. - The No. 1-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team used a ground attack that chewed up yards and time in a 42-3 victory at Western Illinois University on Saturday at Hanson Field in front of 15,330 fans.
UNI ran the ball 66 times for 355 yards and had two running backs rush for more than 100 yards (Corey Lewis - 166 yards, Darian Williams - 102 yards) for the first time in two years. The Panther defense also limited WIU running back Herb Donaldson to only 80 yards on 17 carries.
The Panthers took sole possession of first place in the Gateway Football Conference and stay perfect on the season (7-0) in the road triumph. The victory was the Panthers eighth in a row dating back to last season. UNI is 3-0 in Gateway play, while Western Illinois dropped to 2-1 in league play and 5-3 overall.
UNI scratched into the scoring column first on a 15-yard run by junior Corey Lewis at the 2:52 mark of the first quarter. Lewis' run capped a 10-play 74-yard drive that eclipsed 4:31 off the clock. Lewis began the drive with a 15-yard pass reception from senior quarterback Eric Sanders after Sanders eluded the Leathernecks' pass rush.
The Panthers forced a three-and-out on WIU's next possession. The second short punt by of the game by WIU's Chris Fuchs set up the Panthers on the short side of the field. However, Lewis was stripped of the ball on a 20-yard reception at the 22-yard line and WIU recovered to thwart the Panther drive.
Western took advantage of the Panther turnover with a 22-yard field goal by Taylor Rowan. The Leathernecks drove 73 yards on 14 plays but stalled at the five-yard line and had to settle for the three-pointer to pull within, 7-3 at the 8:48 mark of the second quarter.
UNI used a heavy dose of the running attack in driving 80 yards for its second touchdown of the game. Sanders found the end zone after scrambling around from five yards out to put UNI on top, 14-3, with 1:35 left in the second quarter. UNI ran the ball 12 times on the drive, while throwing only three passes.
The Panthers continued the ground assault in the third quarter with a 10-play 76-yard drive capped with a six-yard touchdown run by Lewis. UNI had nine rushing plays on the drive and only one pass play - a nine-yard completion to junior Johnny Gray. Lewis' second score of the game put UNI on top, 21-3.
UNI capped a 16-play 92-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Sanders to senior Whitney Lewis. The drive consumed 8:24 off the clock.
The Panthers controlled the entire third quarter and allowed the Leathernecks only three offensive players in the third stanza.
On WIU's next possession, senior safety Chris Parsons intercepted a Matt Barr pass and returned it 27 yards to the 10-yard line with 13:14. The Panthers struck quickly with their fifth touchdown on an 11-yard bootleg run by Sanders to make it 35-3 with 13:08 left in the fourth quarter.
WIU's Fuchs continued to struggle with his punting game as his fourth quarter punt traveled minus-1 yard and gave the Panthers the ball at the 31-yard line with 10:52 remaining in the game. UNI took full advantage of another short field and punched in its sixth touchdown of the game - a six-yard run by sophomore Derrick Law at the 9:42 mark of the fourth quarter. Law's score gave UNI a 42-3 advantage.
C. Lewis led the Panthers' rushing attack with 166 yards on a career-best 29 carries. Senior Darian Williams also joined Lewis in the 100-yard rushing club as he tallied 102 yards on 19 carries. Lewis and Sanders each scored twice on the ground for UNI. Sanders was 8-for-8 passing in the game for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Brannon Carter led the defensive charge with seven tackles (two solos), while Everette Pedescleaux recorded the teams' only sack of the day.
The Panthers will return home next Saturday to take on the Youngstown State Penguins at 3:05 p.m. in the UNI-Dome. Saturday will also mark Family Weekend on the UNI campus.
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