CEDAR FALLS, IA - Northern Iowa (8-4, 6-2 MVFC) threw for four touchdowns while forcing four turnovers in a 46-7 victory over Monmouth University (9-3, 4-1 Big South) on Saturday evening in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Playoffs.

Panther quarterback Eli Dunne threw for 260 yards on 18-of-26 passing and four touchdowns, including two to Daurice Fountain in the win. Senior J'Veyon Browning had 136 yards on 14 carries to lead all rushers.

The Hawks were led offensively by Reggie White Jr. (Randallstown, MD / Milford Mill Academy), who caught seven passes for 81 yards. Freshman Lonnie Moore IV (Sicklerville, NJ/Paul IV) totaled 217 all-purpose yards on 193 kickoff return yards and hauled in Monmouth's lone score, a 19-yard touchdown pass from Kenji Bahar (Baltimore, MD/Calvert Hall).

The Panthers struck first, forcing a turnover on the second play of the game, giving their offense a short field to work with. UNI needed just seven plays to go up 7-0, with Eli Dunne hitting Isaiah Watson on play action for a 16 yard touchdown pass.

Monmouth would put together a drive but dropped passes ultimately led to a Matt White punt which pinned the Panthers on their own seven. UNI used that opportunity to drive the length of the field over 10 plays, capped off with a one yard Jared Farley TD reception, putting the home squad up 14-0 with 3:04 left in the first quarter.

UNI added 10 quick points and the Hawks trailed 24-0 at the midway point of the second frame. The Panthers would add nine more points before the frame was up to lead 33-0 at the break.

The Panthers scored another 13 before Bahar connected with Moore IV on a 19 yard scoring strike with 8:00 left in the game to get MU on the board.
Notes and Quotes

"It was a tough game for us tonight, a lot of the credit for that has to go to Northern Iowa. They executed extremely well out there and gave us troubles in a lot of different areas and that showed in the final score. It was a difficult way for our players to end the season and our seniors to end their careers but they laid a foundation that we can build on and we'll be back." – Monmouth Head Coach Kevin Callahan

"I think going 9-2 in the regular season is a accomplishment for this team. There is only one team that is going to win the NCAA Championship and everyone is else is going to end with a loss. In the four seasons that we have been in the Big South we have shown significant improvement" Coach Callahan on the team's season

• Reggie White Jr. caught seven passes for 81 yards. White Jr. set Monmouth's single season receptions record with 74, passing Adam San Miguel total of 73 in the 2006 season
• Lonnie Moore IV totaled 193 yards on eight kickoff returns to set the Monmouth single-game record for kickoff return yardage
• UNI's extra point miss was the 10^th time an opponent missed a PAT this season against Monmouth

 
Numbers Crunch

• UNI scored 17 first half points off of three turnovers
• UNI's first punt of the game came with 11:05 in the fourth quarter
• Moore IV finished with 217 all-purpose yards – a career high
• Lonnie Moore IV's 39 yard kick return in the third quarter was the longest of his career
• Agbai Iroha finished with a career-high 11 tackles for the Hawks
• Mike Basile led the Monmouth defense with 13 tackles

UP NEXT
Monmouth closes its 2017 season, the program's 25^th year of football, with a 9-3 overall record.