FAYETTE, Iowa – Two missed field goals, a fumble on their own 13-yard line and a number of costly penalties all added up to a one-point loss by No. 11 Winona State University on Saturday night. The Warriors surrendered a 13-point third quarter lead as Upper Iowa University netted its first win while handing WSU it first loss of the season, 34-33.
For the second straight week, the Warriors trailed at halftime, 14-9, but came out of the locker room looking like the 11th-ranked team in the country. WSU blanked the Peacocks in the third quarter to take a 27-14 lead into the fourth quarter before the home team rallied for 20 points to upset the Warriors.
The two teams were flagged for a combined 21 penalties with four of Winona's miscues resulting in Peacock first downs. The most untimely of the 11 Warrior penalties came on a 2nd-and-goal pass interference call at the two-yard line to set up Upper Iowa's game-winning touchdown with 1:11 left on the game clock.
On Winona's ensuing drive, Owen Burke connected with Jake Balliu on third down for a momentous 41-yard strike to the Upper Iowa 49-yard line and suddenly the Warriors looked poised to get into scoring position for a thrilling win. With time dwindling, WSU rushed to the line of scrimmage to get off another quick play, but Burke's pass was intercepted and Upper Iowa iced its shocking upset.
Paul Ortiz put the first Warrior points of the night on the board with a 24-yard field goal to cap the game's opening drive. Four plays into the Peacocks' first offensive drive, Romario Gayle jumped a pass and returned his second interception of the year 41 yards deep into Upper Iowa territory.
The Warrior offense stalled after the turnover and set up a 29-yard field goal attempt by Ortiz. The junior missed the kick wide right and was the first of two misses in the ballgame.
Winona State's defense halted Upper Iowa once again on the ensuing possession and led to a punt which Balliu uncharacteristically fumbled in the red zone. The turnover led to a Peacock touchdown to give the home team its first leads of the contest.
Early in the second quarter, Burke engineered a tidy seven-play, 61-yard drive that culminated with a 23-yard pitch and catch to Greg Rooney. Ortiz's point after attempt was blocked by the Peacocks which proved to loom large in the final score.
Upper Iowa followed with a lengthy 20-play, 75-yard drive midway through the quarter that took eight minutes off the clock and gave the Peacocks a 14-9 lead at the break.
The third quarter was highlighted by a pair of Isaiah Frandsen touchdown receptions and a 40-yard field goal by Ortiz.
With a 27-21 lead in the fourth quarter, Sam Santiago-Lloyd rumbled for a 23-yard touchdown scamper while shaking off multiple Peacock defenders. The Warriors two-point conversion attempt failed as Upper Iowa went on to score 14 unanswered points to stun Winona State.
Santiago-Lloyd carried the lion share of the Warrior carries for the second straight game, rushing for 88 yards on 18 attempts. Frandsen posted his second 100-yard game in a WSU uniform and found the end zone for the first time this season.
Carter Duxbury, Isaiah Hall and David Smith recorded 10 tackles apiece. Hall also forced a fumbled and totaled 107 yards on four kick returns.
The Peacocks cashed in on all five of their red zone trips while the Warriors scored on just two of its four trips.
The Warriors return home next Saturday for a pivotal NSIC South showdown with No. 2 Minnesota State Mankato. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium.
