CEDAR FALLS — Xavior Williams returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown with 23 seconds left in the game to put the finishing touches on Northern Iowa’s 24-9 upset win over South Dakota State in Missouri Valley Football Conference play on Saturday.

Eli Dunne passed for 172 yards and a TD and Marcus Weymiller rushed for 108 yards on 20 carries for the Panthers (4-3, 3-1 MVFC), who shut down the Jackrabbits (4-2, 2-2) and the MVFC’s top-ranked offense. South Dakota State, ranked third in the FCS coaches’ poll, and averaging 530 yards and 48 points per game on offense, managed just 51 yards rushing and 376 total yards.

Chase Vinatieri gave the Jackrabbits a 3-0 first-quarter lead on a 37-yard field goal, but Dunne’s 27-yard scoring strike to Jalen Rima in the second quarter put UNI up 7-3 at halftime.

Trevor Allen’s 1-yard TD plunge pushed the Panthers’ lead to 14-3 after three quarters.

Vinatieri connected on 47- and 57-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to pull SDSU within 14-9. Austin Errthum’s 32-yard field goal pushed the Panthers’ lead back to eight and Williams’ pick-6 sealed the victory.

Taryn Christion threw for 325 yards and two interceptions for the Jacks. Cade Johnson finished with seven catches for 121 yards.

UNI 24, South Dakota St. 9

At Cedar Falls

S. Dakota St. 3 0 0 6 — 9

N. Iowa 0 7 7 10 — 24

First Quarter

SDST–FG Vinatieri 37, 11:04.

Second Quarter

UNI–Rima 27 pass from Dunne (Errthum kick), 7:00.

Third Quarter

UNI–Allen 1 run (Errthum kick), 8:43.

Fourth Quarter

SDST–FG Vinatieri 47, 11:19.

SDST–FG Vinatieri 57, 6:34.

UNI–FG Errthum 32, 3:53.

UNI–Williams 30 interception return (Errthum kick), 0:23.

TEAM STATISTICS

SDST UNI

First downs 16 15

Rushes-yards 20-51 35-154

Passing 325 172

Comp-Att-Int 25-50-2 13-22-0

Return Yards 78 0

Punts-Avg. 6-44.2 9-43.2

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-0

Penalty-Yards 8-59 4-35

Time of Possession 30:53 29:07

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–S. Dakota St., M. Daniel 10-36, D. Campbell 1-7, P. Strong Jr. 8-6, T. Christion 1-2. N. Iowa, M. Weymiller 20-108, T. Allen 10-39, E. Dunne 5-7.

PASSING–S. Dakota St., T. Christion 25-50-2-325. N. Iowa, E. Dunne 13-22-0-172.

RECEIVING–S. Dakota St., C. Johnson 7-121, B. Kunz 3-72, A. Anderson 6-67, D. Campbell 2-27, J. Brown 2-21, M. Daniel 3-14, P. Strong Jr. 1-5, B. Mulholland 1-(minus 2). N. Iowa, D. McShane 4-67, B. Moore 4-60, J. Rima 2-28, J. James 2-10, N. Fossey 1-7.