Northern Iowa rallies to stay perfect

The Panthers broke away from a halftime tie to drill Missouri State, 38-17.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Northern Iowa scored on its first two drives of the second half to break a halftime tie and beat Missouri State 38-17.

Northern Iowa (9-0, 5-0 Gateway Conference) and the No. 1-ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision, took the second-half kickoff and drove 77 yards, scoring on a 4-yard pass from Eric Sanders to Schular Oordt with 9:58 left.

Brannon Carter intercepted Missouri State quarterback Cody Kirby on the first place of the Bears’ next possession and returned it to Missouri State’s 22. A personal foul against Missouri State on the play put the ball on its 7.

Sanders scored four plays later on a 1-yard run to put Northern Iowa up 31-17 with 7:29 left.

S. Illinois 10, W. Illinois 9

MACOMB, Ill. — Quarterback Nick Hill scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter for Southern Illinois.

Hill completed 22-of-29 passes for 250 yards for the Salukis (8-1, 4-1 Gateway). His top targets were Justin Allen, who had five receptions for 62 yards, and Phil Goforth, who had five receptions for 44 yards. John Randle rushed for 42 yards for the Salukis.

Leatherneck (6-4, 3-2) running back Herb Donaldson rushed for 147 yards. Quarterback Matt Barr completed 16-of-25 passes for 208 yards for Western Illinois; he also rushed for 71 yards and scored one touchdown.

N. Dakota St. 54, Illinois St. 28

FARGO, N.D. — Running back Tyler Roehl returned to the North Dakota State lineup after a forced layoff to rush for 257 yards and four touchdowns.

Bison coaches held out Roehl — over his objections — last week because of a sore shoulder suffered during a school-record 263-yard performance against Minnesota. He looked rested against the Redbirds.

Roehl’s 257 yards were the most ever given up by an Illinois State team.