CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Sergio Morancy returned a punt for a score and caught three touchdown passes while Tye Edwards ran for 229 yards to lead Northern Iowa past Indiana State 41-34 Saturday in Mark Farley’s final game as coach of the Panthers.
Farley, 61, announced Nov. 10 that he would step down at the end of his 24th season. He retires as the winningest football coach in both Northern Iowa and Missouri Valley Conference history with 183 victories. He guided the Panthers to seven conference titles, earned two conference Coach of the Year awards and was named the 2007 FCS National Coach of the Year.
Morancy returned punt 63 yards for Northern Iowa’s first touchdown, then pulled in a 24-yard pass from Dunne followed by a 69-yard bomb to put the Panthers in front for good 24-14.
Edwards broke free for a 75-yard touchdown to open the second half and Caden Palmer, who kicked a 39-yard field goal in the first quarter, converted a 19-yarder midway through the third quarter to make it 34-17. The Sycamores battled back to get with a field goal to start the fourth quarter. Elijah Owens threw a 73-yard touchdown to Kevin Barnett and Shen Butler-Lawson scored on a 68-yard run with 14:06 left in the game. Morancy’s 13-yard touchdown reception with 7:44 left pushed the lead back to 41-31.
Dunne was 13-of-15 passing for 204 yards and Morancy finished with five catches for 119 yards for Northern Iowa (3-9, 1-7 MVC).
Owens was 14-of-20 passing for 168 yards and carried 20 times for 107 and two touchdowns to lead the Sycamores (4-8, 3-5). Butler Lawson carried 17 times for 124 yards.
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The Associated Press