SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 3, 2011
Steele Jantz accounted for 267 total yards and ran for the game-winning touchdown to help Iowa State escape with a 20-19 comeback victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday night in Ames, Iowa.
Jantz led the Cyclones on a nine-play, 60-yard drive in the final minutes of the game and scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 40 seconds left.
Aaron Horne had seven catches for 69 yards for Iowa State, which narrowly escaped losing to Northern Iowa for the second time in five years.
Iowa State is now 20-4-3 all-time against the Panthers, who entered this season ranked No. 7 in the FCS Coaches Poll.
Jantz, a junior college transfer making his first career start, also threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Josh Lenz on a fourth-and-10 play with 4:30 left in the game to put the Cyclones up 14-13.
But Northern Iowa responded on the ensuing possession with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Tirrell Rennie to David Johnson to give the Panthers a 19-14 lead.
Rennie finished with 308 total yards and two total touchdowns for the Panthers.