Published: Sunday, November 04, 2007
Updated: Sunday, November 4, 2007 7:36 AM CST

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Eric Sanders threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead Northern Iowa to a 38-17 victory over Missouri State on Saturday.

Corey Lewis ran for 167 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers, the top-ranked team in team in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Northern Iowa (9-0, 5-0 Gateway Conference) scored on its first two drives of the second half to break a tie.

Sanders connected on a 4-yard touchdown to Schular Oordt with 9:58 left of the third. Brannon Carter intercepted Cody Kirby’s pass on Missouri State’s next possession and returned it to the Bears 22. A personal foul against Missouri State on the play put the ball on its 7.

Sanders scored four plays later on a 1-yard run to put Northern Iowa up 31-17 with 7:29 left in the quarter. Missouri State was held to minus-3 yards in the quarter.

Northern Iowa held Missouri State (5-5, 2-4) scoreless in the second half and scored once in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard run by Darian Williams.

Northern Iowa closes the regular season against Indiana State and Southern Utah, which are a combined 0-19.

Lewis scored on a 14-yard run to make it 17-10 in the second quarter, but Missouri State tied it on a 4-yard run by Kirby with 32 seconds remaining.

UNI finished with 471 yards of offense with Sanders passing for 199 yards.