CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Indiana State nearly matched Northern Iowa in an explosive back-and-forth offensive game as the Sycamores fell to the host Panthers in the 2024 regular season finale inside the UNI-Dome, 41-34.
 
The Sycamores (4-8, 3-5) trailed UNI (3-9, 1-7) 34-17 midway through the third quarter as Northern Iowa took advantage of Tye Edwards' 229 rushing yards and three Sergio Morancy touchdowns to build the lead in the MVFC season finale for both squads.
 
Indiana State looked to battle its way back into the contest through the luck of the bounce as Elijah Owen's pass near midfield toward Rashad Rochelle was tipped into the air and settled into the hands of Sycamore receiver Kevin Barnett with open space ahead. The Indiana State wideout took it 73 yards to the house bringing the game back to within 10 points with 4:58 to play.
 
After the Sycamore defense forced a UNI missed field goal attempt, the Sycamores struck quickly with another big offensive play. On the third play of the drive, Shen Butler-Lawson broke through the middle for a 68-yard touchdown run (his longest carry of the season) and brought the game back to within 34-31 with 14:06 to play in the contest.
 
The Panthers slowed the game down in the fourth quarter embarking on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that spanned 6:22 on the clock. UNI quarterback Aidan Dunne found Morancy for his third receiving touchdown of the contest as the 13-yard connection again made it a double-digit lead midway through the fourth quarter.
 
Indiana State mounted another scoring drive capped by Ryan O'Grady's second field goal of the game, this one from 27 yards, to make it a 41-34 contest with 3:37 to play.
 
The Sycamore defense had one final chance to send the ball back to the offense, but a personal foul on the UNI punt attempt led to a Panther first down and allowed the home team to run out the clock in securing the conference win.
 
A fast-paced first half went back-and-forth as Elijah Owens scored a pair of rushing touchdowns to highlight the Sycamores' offense, while Morancy scored two receiving touchdowns and a third touchdown on a punt return to give the Panthers the 24-17 lead at the halftime break.
 
Owens finished 14-of-20 through the air for 168 yards and a touchdown. He added his third 100-yard rushing contest of the season with 107 yards and two scores on 20 carries to lead the Indiana State offense.
 
Butler-Lawson added 17 carries for a season-high 124 yards and a score as Indiana State posted 273 rushing yards in the contest. Barnett led the Indiana State receivers with 73 yards and a touchdown, while Zavion Taylor (four catches, 32 yards) and Ethan Chambers (three catches, 45 yards) were also among the team leaders.
 
Geoffrey Brown led all players with a game-high 10 tackles to go with 2.0 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 sacks. JP Osafo added eight stops and a career-high 1.5 TFLs, while Maddix Blackwell and Kaleal Davis both had seven tackles.
 
Dunne led UNI's passing attack going 13-of-15 for 204 yards and three touchdowns. Morancy finished with five catches for 119 yards and three scores, while Edwards finished with 22 carries, 229 rushing yards, and a score.
 
Tucker Langenburg and Ben Belken finished with nine tackles apiece to lead the UNI defense. Mo Olowo added UNI's lone sack, while Anthony Isley added a forced fumble.
 
How They Scored

• Elijah Owens put the Sycamores on the scoreboard early as the redshirt freshman quarterback took the ball in from four yards out on the opening drive to give Indiana State the 7-0 lead with 10:49 to play in the first quarter. The drive was aided by Korbin Allen's 36-yard carry down to the UNI 4 yard line the play before the touchdown.
• UNI cut into the lead with 7:16 to play in the first quarter as Caden Palmer connected on a 39-yard field goal to end an eight-play, 53-yard drive and make it a 7-3 game.
• UNI's special teams swung the lead to the Panthers as Sergio Morancy broke several tackles on his way to a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown with 5:55 to play in the first quarter giving the Panthers a 10-7 lead.
• Owens capped a five-play, 38-yard drive with his second rushing touchdown of the game taking it in from two yards out with 14:22 left in the second quarter to put Indiana State back ahead 14-10.
• Morancy found the end zone on the receiving side hauling in a 24-yard pass from Aidan Dunne with 11:06 to play in the second quarter staking UNI to the 17-14 lead.
• Morancy and Dunne connected again, this one from 69 yards, with 7:47 to play in the second quarter to make it a 24-14 game.
• Ryan O'Grady provided the final points of the first half as the Sycamore placekicker knocked through a 26-yard field goal as time expired to put the score at 24-17.
• UNI scored on their opening possession of the second half as Tye Edwards broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run with 14:07 left in the third quarter to make it 31-17.
• Palmer connected on a 19-yard field goal with 6:26 remaining in the third quarter capping a seven-play, 75-yard drive to make it 34-17.
• The bounce went the Sycamores' way in the third quarter as Kevin Barnett hauled in a deflected pass around midfield and went the rest of the way for a 73-yard touchdown reception with 4:58 on the clock to make it a 34-24 game.
• The Sycamores brought it back within three as Shen Butler-Lawson broke loose for his longest carry of the 2024 season going 68 yards for a touchdown with 14:06 left in the fourth quarter to make it a 34-31 game.
• Morancy and Dunne connected for the third time in the contest with a 13-yard touchdown completion with 7:44 to play ending a 10-play, 75-yard drive that spanned 6:22 in the fourth quarter making it a 41-31 game.
• O'Grady provided the final 41-34margin as the Sycamore placekicker connected from 27 yards out with 3:37 to play. 

Notes

• Elijah Owens' eight rushing touchdowns broke Jeff Miller's (7) single-season rushing touchdowns by an Indiana State quarterback set back in both the 1983 and 1984 seasons.
• Owens' 645 rushing yards breaks the single season rushing mark by an Indiana State quarterback of 610 set by Ryan Boyle back in the 2018 season.
• Geoffrey Brown's 10-tackle game marked his fifth of the 2024 season and third in the last four games.
• Brown finished the year with a career-high 112 tackles marking the sixth most by a Sycamore player since the 2012.
• Brown wrapped up his career with 334 total tackles after becoming the 19th Sycamore to eclipse the 300-tackle mark earlier in the 2024 season.
• Ryan O'Grady converted his first two field goals of the 2024 season hitting from 19 yards and 27 yards in the contest. It marked Indiana State's first made field goals since Oct. 12 against Murray State.
• The Sycamores' 273 rushing yards were a season-high and the fourth time Indiana State eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark on the year.
• Saturday's contest marked the first time Indiana State reached both 200 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards in the same contest in 2024 and first time Indiana State achieved the offensive feat since October 9, 2021, against Western Illinois (219 rushing, 226 receiving).
• Shen Butler-Lawson's 68-yard rushing touchdown marked Indiana State's third rushing touchdown of 50-plus yards in the 2024 season.
• Kevin Barnett's 73-yard receiving touchdown marked Indiana State's longest reception of the 2024 season and longest overall since Phazione McClurge hauled in an 88-yard touchdown reception on Oct. 9, 2021, against Western Illinois. 

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