By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – No. 17/20 Northern Iowa jumped out to a 38-0 halftime lead and never looked back as No. 23 Indiana State fell 59-13 to the Panthers at the UNI-Dome on Saturday.

The Panthers (5-4, 3-3 MVFC) had an average starting position at the ISU 45 in the first half as their incredible defense helped propel the UNI offense to a huge first-half lead over the Sycamores (4-5, 2-4 MVFC) and helped pile-on in the back half as well.

“I don't know what to say,” said ISU head coach Mike Sanford. “That was not the Indiana State Sycamore football team that I know that played out there today.”

UNI QB Aaron Bailey – a transfer from the University of Illinois – scored five total touchdowns on the Sycamore defense. However, the Panther offense didn't need much help as their defense scored two touchdowns on their own – a 30-yard interception return for a TD in the second quarter and then a 77-yard interception return for a score with 4:24 remaining in the game.

Those two pick-sixes were just a small part of the unfortunate issues that plagued the Sycamores on Saturday, which also included 12 penalties for 114 yards and two fumbles lost to push ISU's turnover total to five on the day.

“Way too many penalties, way too many mistakes, way too many turnovers, way too many punt returns,” Sanford said. “It started off bad with some false starts, and then it just went from bad to worse.”

Not to mention, Indiana State – already banged up entering today's contest – suffered a bevy of injuries. ISU was without star wide receiver Gary Owens and freshman safety Haki Woods prior to kickoff due to concussions, but also received injuries to LeMonte Booker, Antonio Broadus, Sampson Levingston and – once again – All-American linebacker Connor Underwood among many others.

“We have a lot of guys beat up,” Sanford said. “I have no idea how many are out or how long-term some of them are. I know we have a lot of guys hurt, and there's too many of them for me to even comment on.”

However, the Sycamores did look good in the opening stages of the second half. After stopping the UNI offense, ISU put together a nine-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard trick-play touchdown from WR Kelvin Cook to SportsCenter Top-10 veteran Robert Tonyan Jr. Tonyan again ended as ISU's leading receiver with 80 yards on three catches.

Speaking of trick plays, ISU has scored on four different trick plays this season and has had three position players complete a pass: Gary Owens, TD; Kelvin Cook, TD; Robert Tonyan, 42-yard gain.

ISU's final touchdown came not much later in the third quarter at the 0:54 mark, when Matt Adam hit Levingston for a 42-yard score – a career-long for Levingston.

Adam -- despite throwing three interceptions – had a solid day with 214 yards and a touchdown. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all 10 of his career starts.

Indiana State returns home for its final two games of the season against Western Illinois (Nov. 14) and Youngstown State (Nov. 21).

“We've got to look at it, evaluate it, learn from it, grow from it and we have to come back,” Sanford said. “We have two more games left, both at home starting with Western Illinois next week.”

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