Missouri State University

Oct. 1, 2011

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State has outgained visiting Northern Iowa by a 176-173 margin in the first half but trails the visiting Panthers, 21-7, at the intermission at Plaster Field.

The Bears, who are 1-for-3 in the red zone in the first 30 minutes, have 53 rushing yards on 9 carries by Chris Douglas and 37 yards from quarterback Trevor Wooden at the midway point. 

The Panthers drove 87 yards on 9 plays on their first true possession of the game, and Chad Owens punched it into the end zone at the 6:12 mark of the opening quarter to give the No. 2 Panthers an early 7-0 lead.

The Bears, who are riding a six-game home win streak, tied the game early in the second quarter on a five-yard run by Wooden. The short, 30-yard drive was set up by a partially-blocked punt. Seven plays later, Wooden capped MSU's shortest scoring drive of the year to finish the three-minute series.

On the ensuing drive, UNI went 80 yards in 10 plays to retake the lead, 14-7. David Johnson scored from four yards out for his sixth TD of the year.

Later in the quarter, the Bears started at their own 17 after forcing UNI into a three-and-out series. But Wooden was picked off on the second play of the drive when Varmah Sonie snagged the pass at the MSU 30 and returned it to the end zone to make it 21-7.

Tirrell Rennie was 9-for-12 through the air for 125 yards and added just 5 yards on the ground on four carries.