The Northern Iowa football team lost to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits by a score of 41-3 this past Saturday.
The Panther defense got off to a hot start defensively, forcing a Jackrabbit three-and-out to start the game.
Panthers quarterback Aidan Dunne got right to work on offense finding tight end Layne Pryor over the middle for a gain of 14. On the next play from scrimmage, running back Tye Edwards broke a big run on the left side for a big gain. On the next play, the Panthers turned it over, fumbling the ball back to the Jackrabbits.
The Jackrabbits offense used the momentum from the turnover and completed a pass for 15 yards. The Panther defense struggled to stop the run, allowing 23 yards on the ground in two plays. The Jackrabbit offense capped off the drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone to take an early 7-0 lead.
After both teams traded three-and-outs, the Panther offense went back to work. On the second play from scrimmage, Dunne looked for Pryor down the field but his pass was intercepted by the Jackrabbit defense.
The Jackrabbits continued to pound the run game, rushing for 28 yards to the 5-yard line. On third-and-goal from the 5-yard line, the Jackrabbits fired a pass to the right corner of the end zone that was too high for the intended receiver. The Panther’s defense held the Jackrabbits to a field goal, making the score 10-0 Jackrabbits early in the second quarter.
Facing a third down and eight, Dunne fired a pass to Pryor for a first down to keep the drive alive. A few plays later, Dunne found receiver JC Roque Jr. over the middle for a gain of 26 yards. Eventually, the Panther offense stalled on third and six and sent out the punting unit. Panthers punter Noah Pettinger’s punt attempt was blocked by the Jackrabbit’s Special Teams unit. They returned it 49 yards for a touchdown extending their lead to 17-0.
The Panther offense looked to respond, but the Jackrabbits defense stripped Dunne of the football and recovered it at the Panther’s 14-yard line. On the second play from scrimmage after the fumble, the Jackrabbits offense punched it in for a touchdown, extending their lead to 24-0.
Towards the end of the second quarter, the Panther offense found a spark. Dunne leaned on his senior wide receiver, Sergio Morancy, finding him on back-to-back passing plays for gains of 13 and 16 yards down to the Jackrabbits. Dunne continued to feed Morancy, finding him for a gain of 24 down to the Jackrabbit’s 25-yard line. The Panther offense couldn’t convert on third down and eight, forcing them to settle for a field goal. Kicker Caden Palmer split the uprights from 45 yards out, giving the Panthers their first points of the game. They still trailed 24-3 with 1:25 to go in the second quarter.
With just over a minute to go in the half, the Jackrabbit offense orchestrated a drive that put themselves in field goal range. They converted on a 41-yard field goal attempt extending their lead to 27-3 going into halftime.
To start the third quarter, Dunne looked to keep the drive moving on third down, but his pass was intercepted by the Jackrabbits defense. A few plays later from the Panther’s 9-yard line, the Jackrabbits struck again with a 7-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead to 34-3.
After a quick three and out from the Panthers, the Jackrabbit offense struck once again with a 66-yard rushing touchdown, extending their lead to 41-3.
Facing a big deficit, the Panthers gave red-shirt sophomore quarterback Matthew Schecklman an opportunity. On second and nine from the 37-yard line, Schecklman found Jaiden Ellis-Lahey for a first down and a gain of 14 yards. A few plays later, he found Ellis-Lahey once again for a gain of 10 yards down to the Jackrabbit’s 29-yard line. Facing fourth down and six, Schecklman found Morancy for a first down and a gain of seven yards. After taking a sack on third down, the Panthers punted it back to the Jackrabbits.
The Jackrabbits ran out the clock on offense in the fourth quarter, securing their victory with a score of 41-3.
The Panthers fall to 2-3 on the season. While it wasn’t an ideal result for Panther fans, they made history at the UNI-Dome. The recorded attendance versus South Dakota State was 12,611, the largest crowd at the Dome since 2017. The Panthers will travel to Vermillion on Saturday to take on the South Dakota Coyotes.
