The Peacock football team went to northwest Minnesota to battle the Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead on Saturday afternoon, looking for their first win. Upper Iowa committed two turnovers and missed two field goal attempts in a tightly contested game and fell to the Dragons 23-21. MSU Moorhead improved to 2-1 on the season, while the loss sends UIU to 0-3.

On the opening drive for the home team, MSU Moorhead went 71 yards in 11 plays to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Demetrius Carr found the his favorite target Damon Gibson for a nine-yard touchdown pass on a fade route in the corner of the end zone. The Dragons attempted to go for two, but the holder Jake Hodge's pass fell incomplete and the home team took a 6-0 lead early. Both teams defenses played well in the first quarter, but the Peacocks started to put together a drive as the quarter came to a close.

Sophomore quarterback Brent Lammers, replacing the injured Dimitri Morales, got great field position after the defense held the Dragons deep in their own territory. UIU began the drive at the 50 with two minutes remaining in the first frame, and went right down the field. A minute and a half into the second quarter, running back Derrick Portis walked into the end zone on a fourth and goal at the 1 to get the Peacocks on the board. The 12-play, 50-yard drive gave UIU a 7-6 lead.

Upper Iowa got the ball back, but on the ensuing drive, Lammers was intercepted by Demietrie Taylor, and the home team took advantage. MSU Moorhead went on a 9-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a Cory Ambrose 12-yard touchdown reception to put MSUM back in front. But the Peacocks would get more chances.

Missed opportunities started plaguing UIU late in the first half. Facing a short fourth down at the Dragons' 39 yard line, Brent Lammers threw a pass intended for Jalen Amis that fell incomplete and gave the ball back to the home team. After a couple punts before halftime, MSUM capped of a 7-play, 28-yard drive that ended with a 28-yard field goal to give MSU Moorhead a 16-7 halftime advantage.

The second half started with a bang for the Peacocks. MSU Moorhead was forced to punt, and the ball went out of bounds at the UIU 48 yard line. Derrick Portis, who missed the first two games due to injury, took a handoff on the left side, broke a tackle, and sprinted 52 yards to the end zone and got Upper Iowa back into the game. Trailing 16-14, the Peacock defense stepped up. The Dragons punted three times in the third period, and their fourth drive ended with a blocked field goal by UIU's Zach Ries. However, the Upper Iowa offense struggled after the big touchdown run, and Lammers had another pass intercepted, this time by linebacker Joe Rademacher. MSUM began the ensuing drive at the Peacock 30 yard line, and took advantage. The drive bled into the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, and was capped off with an Austin Stone one-yard touchdown run, and Upper Iowa was facing its largest deficit of the game, 23-14. Both turnovers by the Peacocks led to touchdowns for the home team. UIU now has committed 10 turnovers on the season.

But the Peacocks were not going to go down without a fight. With a backup quarterback, they took the ensuing kickoff and marched on a 7-play, 65-yard drive to get within two points. Portis found the end zone for the third time on the afternoon, taking it in from 10 yards out on the right side on a zone rush. With 12:06 remaining, UIU found themselves within two points, 23-21.

Outstanding defense ensued for the visitors. Upper Iowa forced a punt on the ensuing drive, and then defensive back Tanner Thompson picked off quarterback Jake Hodge at the MSUM 38 yard line, giving the Peacocks a great opportunity. However, four plays later, Lammers was stopped short on a fourth-and-1, and gave the ball right back to the Dragons. The Peacocks would send their defense out on the field with 6:00 left, and hope to get the ball back with a chance.
 
UIU got that chance. After using all three timeouts, MSUM punted to Upper Iowa and the Peacocks took over at their own 23 yard line with 1:46 remaining. With no timeouts, down two, Lammers and the offense put together their best drive of the game.

Lammers completed five straight passes to begin the drive, moving the ball down the opponent 33. After an incompletion, the sophomore found David Esswein for 8 yards to get to the 25 yard line, and hit Portis out of the backfield for a first down at the 22. Portis then rushed to the 18 yard line, and Lammers then found Jarred Edmonds for 10 yards to get UIU down to the 8 yard line. With seven seconds left, Lammers spiked the ball to stop the clock, and UIU sent out their kicking unit to try and win the game. Brady Beuschel missed a 25-yard field goal, his second miss of the game, and the home team celebrated a 23-21 victory.

Upper Iowa had their best rushing game of the season, with Portis leading the way with 139 yards and three scores. The Peacock defense held the Dragons to just 94 total rush yards on 50 attempts.

Lammers, after playing the final four games of 2015, made his first start this year and put up solid numbers. The sophomore finished 24-43 with 202 yards and two interceptions. Carr started for the home team, finishing 16-25 for 141 yards and two scores, but was replaced by Jake Hodge for most of the second half. Hodge finished with 67 yards. Damon Gibson led the way for the Dragons with 101 yards and a touchdown, while the Peacocks leading receiver was Esswein with 66 yards. Nine different players caught a pass for Upper Iowa on the afternoon.

UIU's defense totaled six sacks on the afternoon, constantly putting pressure on the opposing quarterback. Adam Lytle led the team with 10 tackles, with 1.5 tackles for loss. Zach Gardner tallied 9 tackles, with 2 for loss and one sack. Darius Cohen, Tanner Thompson, Zach Ries, and Jojo Simpson each finished with 7 tackles.

The two turnovers combined with a 1-3 conversion on fourth down ultimately spelled doom for the Peacocks. UIU has now lost the turnover battle in each of its first three ballgames.

Upper Iowa will return to Harms-Eischeid Stadium next Saturday, Sept. 24 looking for its first win of the season. The Peacocks will square off with the Minot State Beavers on Ag Day, with kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m. Fans that cannot make it out to the game can tune in live on the radio, AM 950 KOEL, or on their television, on KCRG TV 9.2.