FAYETTE, Iowa - Ugly cold and rainy weather did not deter the Peacock football team (8-2, 6-1 GLVC) from finishing undefeated at home for the first time in the Division II era on Saturday. Upper Iowa ran for a season-high 407 yards in the cold rain to defeat Quincy (Ill.) (5-5, 3-4 GLVC) by a score of 41-8 at Harms-Eischeid Stadium. 

This win marks 15 wins in back-to-back seasons, the most in Upper Iowa football history. The Peacocks tie the 1964 team that went 8-1 with the most wins in a season in program history. UIU has now won four straight games for the second time this season. 

Jayden Gordon led the Peacocks on the ground with 14 carries for 198 yards and two touchdowns. The redshirt freshman running back averaged 14.1 yards per carry. This marked a career-high for Gordon and is the most yards in a game by a Peacock rusher this season. 

The Peacocks had four other rushers with 39 or more yards. Damon Head Jr. totaled 56 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown. Angelo Butts had three carries for 51 yards and a score. Senior quarterback Darryl Overstreet Jr. totaled 48 yards rushing and a touchdown. Darius Willis-Newell iced the game with 39 yards on the final drive. 

It took a bit for the Peacock offense to get going after being stopped on its first two drives, including an interception by the Hawks on a tipped ball. A false start backed UIU up to the one-yard line on its third drive, but that didn't deter the team. The Peacocks went down the field in 12 plays, capped off by an Overstreet Jr. seven-yard touchdown run to rebound from the early interception. 

A Quincy bad snap helped the Peacocks force a three-and-out on the next possession. Butts found the end zone on a jet sweep from 36 yards out in the second quarter, tiptoeing down the sideline. The Hawks then drove the ball down the field for a field goal, which Eddy Latanauskas blocked for UIU's first of the season.

Gordon added a touchdown on the next possession from nine yards out with 1:54 left in the half. An interception by Tade Parsons before the half set up a Nathan Behne 40-yard field goal, marking four straight scoring possessions for the 24-0 advantage.

Quincy responded with a touchdown pass from Bradyn Little to Jackson Burnett with three seconds left in the half. The Hawks trailed 24-8 after converting on the two-point try. 

Cornerback Brycen Hendrix made a key deflection to get Quincy off the field, preventing the double score. Behne added a 31-yard field goal on the next possession to lead, 27-8. 

Damon Head Jr. found the endzone on the opening play of the fourth quarter from six yards out. Gordon then tacked on the biggest run of the game from 55 yards out to score with 13:03 remaining. That marked the longest rush of the redshirt freshman's career. 

Overstreet Jr. finished the game 12-of-20 (60%) passing with 112 yards. His top receiver was Mante Morrow, who had two catches for 42 yards. Morrow's catches came on a 20-yard and a 22-yard play on the two opening scoring drives. 

Butts added two catches for 34 yards. Eddie Burgess had two catches for 26 yards. Waylon Bolibaugh added a catch for nine yards. 

Evan Dorn led the Peacocks in tackling with nine while also breaking up two passes. Parsons added seven total tackles with five solo. He also had an interception and a pass breakup. Braden Powers had Upper Iowa's lone sack of the game while Shaquille Roman totaled two quarterback hurries. 

The Peacocks outrushed Quincy 407-59. That's the first 300+ rushing yard game for the program since 2017. This marked the fifth game this season that UIU has held a team to under 100 rushing yards. The Hawks held a 233-112 advantage through the air. 

Upper Iowa totaled 519 yards of offense compared to 292 for Quincy. That's the third most yards of offense Upper Iowa has recorded this season. The Peacocks only had one punt in the game. 

The team also honored 24 seniors before the game on Saturday, which included Connor Andresen, Emerson Bennett, Eddie Burgess, Avery Dixon, Dionte Fliss, Koda Gates-Bridges, Eddy Latanauskas, Brady Leonard, Darrell Matchem, Ryan McDonough, Lonny Melvin Jr., Elon Mondy, Mante Morrow, Darryl Overstreet Jr., Tade Parsons, Braden Powers, Shaquille Roman, Klay Seehase, Gavin Sweeney, Trevor Thompson, Mason Walthart, Ben Werner, Caleb Williams and Wes Willis.

The Peacocks will now prepare for a matchup against No. 12 Indianapolis (9-1, 7-0 GLVC) with a share of the GLVC Championship on the line. UIndy defeated Southwest Baptist, 66-21, on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT on Nov. 15.