Rolla, Mo. - Damon Head Jr. rushed for 111 yards and four touchdowns in Upper Iowa's (4-1, 2-0 GLVC) 36-26 victory over Missouri S&T (3-3, 1-2 GLVC). The redshirt freshman running back totaled a career-high in rushing yards and touchdowns in Saturday's win. 

The Peacocks were dominant on the ground, outrushing the Miners 249-47. Upper Iowa averaged 6.2 yards per carry while holding S&T to 2.0 yards per carry. Head Jr. ran 19 times (5.8 per carry), Jayden Gordon ran six times for 58 yards (9.7 per carry) and Darryl Overstreet Jr. ran 10 times for 69 yards (6.9 per carry). 

This win marks four-straight for the Peacocks, a feat they have not accomplished since 2014 when they started the season 5-0. Upper Iowa's 249 rushing yards were the most for the team in a game this season, edging out the 220 against Lincoln (Mo.) last week. 

Cornerback Darrell Matchem broke up a pass on Missouri S&T's opening drive to force a three-and-out. On Upper Iowa's first play, Gordon ran for a 67-yard touchdown. But, it was called back due to an illegal formation penalty. 

That penalty didn't deter the Peacocks, who drove down the field in six plays for the touchdown. The big play of the drive was an Overstreet Jr. 31-yard rush. Head Jr. ran up the middle for the 13-yard score a few plays later. Five of the six plays were rushes on the opening drive.

The Peacock defense got a stop on the next possession, allowing the offense to drive 60 yards down the field in seven plays for the second score. Overstreet Jr. found Eddie Burgess for 12 yards and Mante Morrow for 28 yards on the first two plays. UIU then got the ground game going again, scoring via a 3-yard touchdown run by Head Jr. 

Missouri S&T woke up after that, getting a touchdown on the next two possessions in the second quarter. Jake Farrell found Sam Ryan on a go-route down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown to get the second score. A fake extra point that the Peacocks stopped after the first touchdown kept them in the lead, 14-13. 

The Miners were going down the field a third time late in the half with a 13-play, 73-yard drive. The drive was halted after Evan Dorn tipped the ball high into the air and tracked it down himself for the interception. This kept the UIU lead at 14-13 heading into the halftime break. This was the first time UIU had been scored against and outscored in the second quarter since the opener vs. Drake.

Upper Iowa went tempo on the second drive of the third quarter. Head Jr. found the endzone for a four-yard rushing score to cap off the nine-play 73-yard drive. Overstreet Jr. found a rhythm, going 4-of-5 for 54 yards on the possession.

S&T scored on the following possession, but a breakup by Yashua Pettis-Taylor on the two-point conversion kept UIU in the lead, 21-19. The Peacocks marched down the field again. Gordon capped off the drive with a 26-yard rushing touchdown, breaking two tackles to reach the endzone. 

Demontay Mack then had a key sack to stop the Miners. That set up the Peacock offense to complete a nine-play 80-yard touchdown drive to seal the game. Head Jr. scored for the fourth time with a 14-yard touchdown rush. Overstreet Jr. found Lonny Melvin Jr. in the back corner of the endzone for the conversion to make it 36-19. 

Missouri S&T scored a late touchdown to make the final score, 36-26. The Miners' passing attack came as advertised with 363 yards through the air. Farrell, the reigning GLVC Offensive Player of the Week, was 29-of-48 (60.4%) with four touchdowns and one interception. 

Overstreet Jr. finished the game 17-of-23 (73.9%) with 183 yards. The senior quarterback has had a 70% or higher completion percentage in all four wins. He is 84-of-109 (77.1%) in the last four games. 

Burgess was the leading receiver with five catches for 71 yards. Koda Gates-Bridges totaled four catches for 22 yards. Morrow had three catches for 45 yards. Head Jr. added two catches for 34 yards. This game snapped a 10-game touchdown streak for Morrow. 

Trevor Thompson led the Peacocks defensively, tying his career-high with 12 tackles (seven solo). The team captain tied his previous mark of 12 tackles vs. Winona State (Minn.) in 2022. He also tallied a tackle-for-loss early in the game. 

Avery Dixon had three tackles and a tackle-for-loss. Dorn had eight tackles (two solo), Tade Parsons had seven tackles (four solo) and Brycen Hendrix had six tackles (four solo). Mack had four tackles and the sack. Parsons led the team in pass breakups with four. 

Nathan Behne made an impact on special teams with four punts for 198 yards (49.5 average). He knocked three punts inside of the 20, one of which rolled to inside the one-yard line on his first punt of the second half. 

Missouri S&T was led in receiving by Ryan, with four catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. He's the first player with over 100 yards receiving vs. UIU this season. Justis Braden had seven catches for 79 yards, while Tyler Giola had four catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns. 

Upper Iowa never trailed in the game. The Peacocks had a slight edge in time of possession, 30:51-29:09. The turnover battle was even at 1-1. 

The Peacocks stay on the road next Saturday against Truman State (Mo.) (2-3, 1-1 GLVC). The Bulldogs enter the game coming off a bye week. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Stokes Stadium in Kirksville, Mo.