LIBERTY, Mo. - The Peacock football team (6-2, 4-1 GLVC) scored 21 unanswered to defeat William Jewell (2-6, 0-5 GLVC) 28-10 on Saturday afternoon. Senior quarterback Darryl Overstreet Jr. was very efficient, throwing 17-of-21 with 172 yards and three touchdowns.
Senior receiver Lonny Melvin Jr. was the recipient of the first two touchdowns of the game. Melvin Jr. caught a nine-yard touchdown over the middle to give the Peacocks a 7-3 lead with 1:27 left in the opening half.
That touchdown capped off a 16-play 88-yard drive by the UIU offense that took 8:29 off the clock. A big play that sparked the drive was a 41-yard rush on an end-around by wide receiver Angelo Butts.
On William Jewell's first drive of the second half, quarterback Tyler Kubat found Layne Cavanah for a 12-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead, 10-7. That ended up being the Cardinals' last score of the game.
The Peacocks went down the field on the next drive. Overstreet Jr. threw a jump ball to Melvin Jr. in the front right corner of the endzone, where both Melvin Jr. and the William Jewell defender came down with the football. After an initial incomplete ruling on the field, the referees later awarded Melvin Jr. the touchdown to take a 14-10 lead. The play was upheld after a William Jewell coach's challenge.
After a Cardinal punt, the Peacocks moved down the field again. Butts had a 25-yard rush, and a Cardinal pass interference helped UIU on the drive. Overstreet Jr. found tight end Eddie Burgess for a 12-yard touchdown to cap off the drive. Burgess had three catches for 43 yards on the possession.
Junior defensive back Brycen Hendrix intercepted Kubat on the next possession, marking the first of his career. Jayden Gordon rushed for a 16-yard touchdown on the very next play for the 28-10 lead. Shaquille Roman strip-sacked Tyler Kubat on the ensuing possession, helping the Peacocks ice the game.
Burgess led the Peacocks in receiving with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. Mante Morrow had three catches for 53 yards. Melvin Jr. finished with four catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns.
Gordon was the top rusher for the Peacocks, totaling 86 yards on 18 carries (4.8 per carry). Butts was the leading rusher for most of the game and finished with 76 yards on three carries. Calvin Swinney added 68 yards on 12 carries (5.7 per carry).
Upper Iowa's defense was led by Evan Dorn, who totaled nine tackles with seven solo. Avery Dixon totaled six tackles, and Braden Powers had five tackles. Both Dorn and Dixon had a tackle for loss.
The Peacocks totaled four sacks as a team, led by Roman with two. Demontay Mack and Gavin Sweeney both had a sack as well. Sweeney was the team's leader in tackles for loss with two. This is the second straight game with four sacks for the Peacocks.
Upper Iowa finished the game outrushing William Jewell 229-40. UIU has now held three out of its last four opponents to less than 50 yards rushing. It's the fourth time this season the Peacocks have held a team under 60 yards rushing.
William Jewell outgained Upper Iowa 276-172 through the air. Kubat finished the game 16-of-19 with 186 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Receiver Nate Barnett had seven catches for 49 yards. Cavanah had four catches for 64 yards and Ronnie Thomas Jr. had four catches for 76 yards.
This marks the first time the Peacocks have won six or more games in back-to-back seasons since 2014-15. Upper Iowa will attempt to match last season's win total of seven games at home next weekend against McKendree (4-4, 4-2 GLVC). Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Harms-Eischeid Stadium on Nov. 1.
