CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — UNI football hosted the Indiana State Sycamores on senior day inside the UNI-Dome. The matchup was the final game of head coach Mark Farkey's UNI career as well as long-time PA announcer Bob Justis' final game. The Panthers battled to the final whistle and sent coach Farley off on a high note with a 41-34 victory inside the UNI-Dome.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Sycamores struck first on a four-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Elijah Owens. The Panthers answered with a 39-yard field goal off the foot of Caden Palmer. The UNI defense forced a punt which Sergio Morancy took to the house to give UNI the lead.

Indiana State was the next team to score after each team had failed to advance the ball on their offensive possession on a two-yard rush from Owens once again. The Sycamores took a 14-10 lead with the touchdown. Morancy answered with back-to-back touchdown receptions on a 24 and 69-yard receptions to give UNI a 24-14 lead. The 69-yard touchdown came on the heels of a converted fourth and one by Indiana State on a fake punt after which Anthony Isley forced a fumble before the play was over which was recovered by Derek Anderson to give UNI the ball back on offense.

A field goal from Indiana State was followed with a UNI touchdown on a 75-yard run from Tye Edwards to give UNI a 31-17 lead just out of the halftime break. Palmer drilled his second field goal of the day to tack on three more for the Cats before a 73-yard and a 68-yard touchdown by the Sycamores cut into the UNI lead at 34-31.

Morancy caught his third touchdown pass of the day to push the lead back to 10 at 41-31 on a 13-yard pass from Aidan Dunne. The Sycamores added three points to their total on a field goal, but came up short in the end and fell to the Panthers 34-41.

Aidan Dunne finished with 204 yards and three touchdowns on 13 completions. Dunne was 13-for-15 for an 86.7% completion percentage and a QBR of 266.9. On the ground, Edwards finished with 229 yards and a touchdown on 22 rushing attempts. Sergio Morancy led the receiving core with 199 yards and three touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, Ben Belken and Tucker Langenberg led UNI with nine tackles each. Mo Olowo was the lone Panther with a sack for eight yards. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The Panthers improved to 3-9 on the season and 1-7 in the MVFC with the 41-34 victory.
• Sergio Morancy's punt return touchdown was the first punt return for a touchdown for the Panthers since Jalen Rima took one to the house against Indiana State in 2016. Morancy also became the first Panther since Rima in 2016 to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same season.
• Morancy recorded the first 3+ touchdown game of his career. He also became the first Panther since Isaiah Weston in 2019 to record three reception touchdowns in the same game.
• Morancy's 119 yards are the third-most in his career and the fourth time breaking the 100-yard threshold. It is his second time this season.
• Tye Edwards' 75-yard touchdown rush was the Panthers' longest rush of the season, Edwards' longest of his career, and the longest touchdown of his career.
• Edwards set a new career high with 229 rushing yards. He is the first Panther since 2015 to rush for over 200 yards.
• Aidan Dunne finished the game with a career-high 204 passing yards. He also tied a career-high with three passing touchdowns.