Cook’s 18-yard FG lifts UNI over South Dakota State 13-10

Dec 8, 2020, 07:16 am

BROOKINGS, S.D. -- Matthew Cook kicked an 18-yard field goal with 2:10 remaining to give Northern Iowa a 13-10 victory over South Dakota State on Saturday in the second round of the Football Championship Series playoffs.

UNI (10-4) will face second-seed James Madison (12-1) in a quarterfinal.

Cook's game-winner capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive for the Panthers. On the ensuing possession, seventh-seeded South Dakota State (8-5) was aided by two penalties that kept the drive alive but didn't get past its own 30-yard line when Keaton Heide threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-15.

Trevor Allen had 90 yards rushing on 24 carries, including a 2-yard scoring run in the third quarter that tied the game 10-10. Cook kicked a 23-yard field goal in the second.

Heide threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Adam Anderson and Chase Vinatieri, nephew of NFL kicker Adam Vinatieri, booted a 22-yard field goal in the first quarter for the Jackrabbits.