Eddie Berlin ripped through the Redbird defense for 181 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 24 Northern Iowa to a 34-28 Gateway Conference victory over Illinois State in Division I-AA football action Saturday evening in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Illinois State, 1-3, dropped its conference opener and lost to the Panthers, 3-2 and 1-0, for its third-straight defeat this season, with previous losses to Northern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State.
UNI took the lead early in the first with a 29-yard pass from Panther quarterback Ryan Helming complete to Berlin. The Redbirds answered strong with a six-yard run from Willie Watts two minutes later, who finished the game with a team-high 158 rushing yards. Michael Gerrell of Northern Iowa gave the Panthers the lead on a one-yard run to end the first quarter, 14-6.
Walter James kept the Redbirds close in the second, after three rushes for 21 yards gave Illinois State its second touchdown of the game at the 8:13 mark. But before the halftime buzzer sounded, a Kevin Glenn interception, his first of two on the day, by Ryan Doak of UNI set up a Panther touchdown, upping its lead to 21-14 as Jake Soliday scored off a 39-yard pass from Helming to end the half.
A field goal by Mac Hoambrecker and another Northern Iowa touchdown by Berlin at the 1:05 mark of the third period proved crucial for the Birds, as Northern Iowa capitalized on its lead, 31-24. ISU rallied back twenty second later as Garry Davis lifted the Redbirds on an 80-yard pass from Glenn to keep ISU within ten after three periods of play.
A second Hoambrecker field goal for UNI with two minutes remaining in the game secured the Panther victory. Davis tried to rally the Redbirds with his second touchdown of the day with :33 seconds on the clock, but it wasnt enough for ISU as they fell 28-34.
The Panthers offense out-gained Illinois State 524-418 for the game while the Redbirds ran 88 offensive plays to UNIs 69. Troy Hunter of ISU had seven catches for 39 yards while Davis completed six for 136 yards.
Illinois State returns to action next Saturday, Oct. 7, as Youngstown State travels to Normal for a Gateway Conference matchup. The Redbirds meet the Penguins in its Homecoming game at 3:30 p.m. at Hancock Stadium.
