N. Iowa 42, SW Missouri St. 20

Saturday, October 30th 2004, 8:55 pm

By: News On 6

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) _ Terrance Freeney ran for 164 yards and Northern Iowa scored three times in the final five minutes of the first half en route to a 42-20 victory over Southwest Missouri State on Saturday.

Northern Iowa (4-4, 3-2 Gateway Conference) controlled the ball with its running game and had scoring drives of 95, 97 and 98 yards. But the Panthers, winning their third straight game, also showed the ability to strike quickly.

Southwest Missouri State (5-4, 2-3) trailed 7-3 midway through the second quarter. By halftime, Northern Iowa led 28-6.

Eric Sanders' 40-yard touchdown pass to Justin Surrency made it 14-3 with 4:49 left in the half. After a quick three-and-out by Southwest Missouri, Sanders hooked up with Surrency again, this time from 14 yards out with 42 seconds remaining.

On the next play from scrimmage, defensive tackle Kevin Stensrud intercepted an A.J. Porter pass and returned it 7 yards for another Northern Iowa touchdown, making it 28-3. The Panthers were penalized for excessive celebration, forcing them to kick off from their own 20, and Southwest Missouri State got close enough for Jon Scifres to kick a 49-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Freeney, who carried 35 times, ran 19 yards for a first-quarter touchdown and scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter. His second touchdown capped a 98-yard drive in which he carried on eight of the 11 plays.

Sanders finished 14 of 17 for 232 yards with one interception.