The 2018 FCS Playoffs are here and we've got game-by-game wrap ups.
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Northern Iowa 16Lamar 13 |
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Next up: Northern Iowa (7-5) at UC Davis (9-2) Date: Dec. 1 | TV: ESPN3 COMPARE: UNI @ UC Davis |
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THE STANDOUTS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Austin Errthum, K, Northern Iowa — Errthum was 3-of-3 on field goals, nailing kicks from 21, 44 and 35 yards out. The last one gave UNI the go-ahead score with 13:09 remaining in the game.
OTHER STAT STANDOUTS:
Marcus Weymiller, UNI – 29 carries, 131 yards; Jaylin James, UNI – 4 rec., 55 yards; Darrel Colbert, Lamar – 268 passing yards, 2 TDs; Kirkland Banks, Lamar – 2 rec., 77 yards, 1 TD
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THE TURNING POINT
With just a couple minutes to go before halftime and Lamar holding on to a 13-6 lead, UNI receiver Jalen Rima found a hole in the defense for a 32-yard touchdown catch. The Panthers then scored the only points in the second half, an Errthum 35-yard field goal, early in the fourth quarter.
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THE SKINNY
It wasn't pretty. But in the playoffs, a win is all you need. UNI was the heaviest favored first-round team to win. However, the Panthers found themselves in a battle with Lamar. The Cardinals battled tough, but missed field goals and turnovers proved costly.
Lamar made a statement early, needing just two plays to go 75 yards and jump out to a 6-0 lead 37 seconds into the game. Its defense held strong when it needed to, forcing field goals when UNI was looking for touchdowns.
The Cardinals had 417 total yards to UNI's 346. But it was the Panthers who made the plays when they needed to, perhaps aided by their playoff experience.
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PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK
UNI travels to sixth-seeded UC Davis. The Panthers are wildly unpredictable this season, beating No. 2 South Dakota State and battling No. 1 North Dakota State into the fourth quarter. They have also put up some clunkers. This could be a terrific game on Saturday. UNI definitely has the talent and physicality to pull off an upset. A sharper performance will be needed to do so, though.
