CEDAR FALLS --- All day long, Indiana State tried to steal Northern Iowa's game.
UNI refused to let go of what it needed the most in the UNI-Dome.
Weathering test after test, the Panthers Saturday beat the Sycamores, 23-9, before a homecoming crowd of 16,890, the third-largest in Dome history.
Now 3-0 in league play and 4-1 overall, UNI stands alone at the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference standings. Saturday's part of that climb was far from easy.
Normally a team that owns an edge in the ground game, the Panthers struggled to shut down Indiana State star Shakir Bell until he departed with a second-quarter injury. Yet, quarterback Ronnie Fouch kept leading drives into UNI territory.
When the Panthers owned the ball, they searched for rhythm and often seemed out of step. And, for the first time in 2011, the Panthers failed to score in the red zone when ISU stuffed David Johnson on a fourth-down run at the Sycamore 2-yard-line.
And yet ... the nation's second-ranked team won by two touchdowns. UNI prevailed because of some key plays, but also because of what it tapped emotionally and mentally at crunch time.
"We kept our poise tonight," said Panther head coach Mark Farley. "You go back and look at it, there were some ups and downs in that game, but our sideline was a very calm sideline as far as trying to execute and finding ways to make plays."
Farley added, "We overcame some things that happened to us on the field because we were poised and confident. It's how we played as a team that allowed us to win over a four-quarter period of time."
Indiana State put UNI's mettle to a severe stress test in the fourth quarter, when a 13-9 Panther lead appeared to be jeopardy of disappearing.
Things went wrong. Johnson couldn't get in the end zone on fourth down. A holding call erased L.J. Fort's interception runback for a touchdown. Then Indiana State drove to UNI's 28-yard line.
The Panthers knew what had to be done.
"Our defense was starting to get gassed," said Fort, who added, "We knew we had to get off the field and make a play."
So Fort, for the fifth time this year, forced a fumble. He stripped the football from Indiana State running back George Cheeseborough. Fellow linebacker James Conley recovered at the Panther 21. Just over seven minutes remained in the game.
"Bend, not break - that's what we did in the second half," said defensive tackle Ben Boothby, who finished with two sacks Saturday.
Then an offense that had sputtered broke the game open. Quarterback Tirrell Rennie retrieved an errant center snap and hit Terrell Sinkfield with a 36-yard touchdown pass that gave UNI a 20-9 lead with 4:13 left.
"That was a big change in the game for us," said Rennie after a 10-for-14 day through the air and 93 rushing yards. "We needed that cushion and our defense needed that cushion to put the game away."
Tyler Sievertsen's third and final field goal, a 21-yarder, set the final score. UNI had survived.
"Definitely, this shows what kind of team we are," said Boothby. "We really are a lot different, even though we have relatively the same guys back. Last year, we couldn't finish in the fourth quarter, but this year I think we definitely have a different mentality out there defensively, and as a team as a whole."
Indiana State's team was not quite whole after Bell left. He had 142 yards rushing on just 14 carries in the first half. But he suffered an apparent concussion after being hit by Varmah Sonie with 3:29 to go in the first half. Sonie drew a personal foul for the high tackle.
"No question, it factored in the game when he went out," said Farley of Bell.
Indiana State also missed an extra point and two short field goals.
"Anytime you play here, it's tough enough," said Sycamore head coach Trent Miles. "When you put the ball on the ground with a chance to go ahead in the fourth quarter and you miss seven points worth of kicks .... when you're playing the No. 2 team in the nation, you're not gonna win on the road."
UNI didn't have its "A" game, but Farley gave his team high marks for a victory.
"Our offense made a couple of mistakes and our defense made a couple of mistakes," said Farley. "But, without the effort and the total package, we're not successful. We're winning because of a great team effort."
UNI refused to let go of what it needed the most in the UNI-Dome.
Weathering test after test, the Panthers Saturday beat the Sycamores, 23-9, before a homecoming crowd of 16,890, the third-largest in Dome history.
Now 3-0 in league play and 4-1 overall, UNI stands alone at the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference standings. Saturday's part of that climb was far from easy.
Normally a team that owns an edge in the ground game, the Panthers struggled to shut down Indiana State star Shakir Bell until he departed with a second-quarter injury. Yet, quarterback Ronnie Fouch kept leading drives into UNI territory.
When the Panthers owned the ball, they searched for rhythm and often seemed out of step. And, for the first time in 2011, the Panthers failed to score in the red zone when ISU stuffed David Johnson on a fourth-down run at the Sycamore 2-yard-line.
And yet ... the nation's second-ranked team won by two touchdowns. UNI prevailed because of some key plays, but also because of what it tapped emotionally and mentally at crunch time.
"We kept our poise tonight," said Panther head coach Mark Farley. "You go back and look at it, there were some ups and downs in that game, but our sideline was a very calm sideline as far as trying to execute and finding ways to make plays."
Farley added, "We overcame some things that happened to us on the field because we were poised and confident. It's how we played as a team that allowed us to win over a four-quarter period of time."
Indiana State put UNI's mettle to a severe stress test in the fourth quarter, when a 13-9 Panther lead appeared to be jeopardy of disappearing.
Things went wrong. Johnson couldn't get in the end zone on fourth down. A holding call erased L.J. Fort's interception runback for a touchdown. Then Indiana State drove to UNI's 28-yard line.
The Panthers knew what had to be done.
"Our defense was starting to get gassed," said Fort, who added, "We knew we had to get off the field and make a play."
So Fort, for the fifth time this year, forced a fumble. He stripped the football from Indiana State running back George Cheeseborough. Fellow linebacker James Conley recovered at the Panther 21. Just over seven minutes remained in the game.
"Bend, not break - that's what we did in the second half," said defensive tackle Ben Boothby, who finished with two sacks Saturday.
Then an offense that had sputtered broke the game open. Quarterback Tirrell Rennie retrieved an errant center snap and hit Terrell Sinkfield with a 36-yard touchdown pass that gave UNI a 20-9 lead with 4:13 left.
"That was a big change in the game for us," said Rennie after a 10-for-14 day through the air and 93 rushing yards. "We needed that cushion and our defense needed that cushion to put the game away."
Tyler Sievertsen's third and final field goal, a 21-yarder, set the final score. UNI had survived.
"Definitely, this shows what kind of team we are," said Boothby. "We really are a lot different, even though we have relatively the same guys back. Last year, we couldn't finish in the fourth quarter, but this year I think we definitely have a different mentality out there defensively, and as a team as a whole."
Indiana State's team was not quite whole after Bell left. He had 142 yards rushing on just 14 carries in the first half. But he suffered an apparent concussion after being hit by Varmah Sonie with 3:29 to go in the first half. Sonie drew a personal foul for the high tackle.
"No question, it factored in the game when he went out," said Farley of Bell.
Indiana State also missed an extra point and two short field goals.
"Anytime you play here, it's tough enough," said Sycamore head coach Trent Miles. "When you put the ball on the ground with a chance to go ahead in the fourth quarter and you miss seven points worth of kicks .... when you're playing the No. 2 team in the nation, you're not gonna win on the road."
UNI didn't have its "A" game, but Farley gave his team high marks for a victory.
"Our offense made a couple of mistakes and our defense made a couple of mistakes," said Farley. "But, without the effort and the total package, we're not successful. We're winning because of a great team effort."