Northern Iowa scored on its first five possessions and handed Illinois State a 41-14 loss in the final Gateway Football Conference game for both teams at the UNI-Dome Saturday night, while senior linebacker Boomer Grigsby surpassed his position coach and former Redbird great Galen Scotts school career tackle record.
Grigsby led the Birds with 10 tackles and now has 580 in his storied career, but it wasnt enough to stop the Panthers from winning their fifth straight game. Northern Iowas (6-4, 5-2) first two drives resulted in a pair of Terrance Freeney touchdowns. UNI took the opening kickoff and went 62 yards in five plays before Freeney scampered in the endzone from 20 yards out. After ISUs Yance Vaughans first interception on a tipped pass, Freeney gave UNI a 14-0 lead on a 4-yard pass from Eric Sanders.
After an ISU punt, on the first play from scrimmage, Sanders found Patrick Hunter in the middle of the field for a 74-yard touchdown and a 21-0 UNI lead. Brian Wingert tacked on a 44-yard field goal and Richard Carter scurried 33-yards for another UNI touchdown and a 31-0 advantage.
The Redbirds (4-6, 2-5) narrowed the gap right before intermission, when Vaughan connected with Laurnt Robinson from six yards out capping a 10-play, 88-yard drive. UNI rounded out its scoring with 10 more tallies in the third quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Reggie Brown and a 19-yard field goal by Wingert for a 41-7 lead.
ISU added a late touchdown when Vaughan found Pierre Jackson in the corner of the endzone from three yards out. Vaughan finished with 168 yards on 17-for-38 passing, but threw four interceptions, including three to UNIs Dre Dokes. Brian Thompson led the ISU rushing attack with 71 yards on 15 carries, while Robinson was the leading receiver with six grabs for 31 yards.
The Redbirds close out the 2004 season next Saturday, when they travel to Florida Atlantic.
