SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — David Johnson was the workhorse for Northern Iowa, carrying the ball 37 times and scoring twice in a victory over Missouri State 17-10 on Saturday.
Johnson gained 167 of the Panthers’ 212 yards rushing, and had TD runs of 1 and 21 yards in the close contest. Northern Iowa (6-5, 2-5 Missouri Valley Conference) ended the Bears (5-7, 5-3) four-game win streak. Missouri State has not defeated Northern Iowa since 2005.
Five turnovers — three fumbles and two interceptions — hurt Missouri State, which had jumped ahead 3-0 on an Austin Witmer 37-yard-field goal on the opening drive. Successive possessions ended with six punts, three fumbles, an interception and two missed field goals but the Bears were still only down 17-10 after scoring on a Ryan Heaston 8-yard run with 4:57 to play.
After forcing a Panthers punt, however, Missouri State’s Ashton Glaser was intercepted a second time.
