Dec. 16, 2005
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The game marked the first national championship appearance for both UNI and Appalachian State.
Western Kentucky was the last Gateway Conference school to win the I-AA national championship. The Hilltoppers defeated McNeese State, 34-14, in 2002.
The Panthers entered the game having won six straight contests against ranked I-AA opponents. UNI's last loss to a ranked I-AA opponent came on Oct. 9, 2004, when No. 6-ranked Western Kentucky scored a 17-10 win.
Brian Wingert's 50-yard field goal in the first quarter was a career-best. Wingert's previous best was a 49-yarder back in the 2003 season.
Junior Adam Kos' (Kalona, Iowa) punt that was downed on the one- yard line in the first quarter became the first I-AA play to be overturned. Junior Dre Dokes (Springfield, Mo.) brought the ball over the goal line when he downed the punt and the instant replay official overturned the call. Friday's game was the first-ever I-AA game to use instant replay.
UNI held Appalachian State to no points in the first quarter. It was the 8th time this season that the Panthers held the opposition to zero after 15 minutes of play.
It also marked the third straight playoff game, UNI shutout the opponent in the first quarter.
Tanner Varner's (Ottumwa, Iowa) interception of ASU's Trey Elder was the first interception of the playoffs by a Mountaineers'
quarterback.
David Horne (Omaha, Neb.) set the UNI single-season rushing touchdown record in the game. Horne's two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave him 17 rushing touchdowns and broke the record of
16 held by Jeff Stovall (1993) and Terrance Freeney (2003).
Horne eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the third time this postseason. Horne rushed for 100+ yards on six occasions this season.
It was the largest crowd (20,236) for the NCAA I-AA national championship game since moving to Chattanooga and the largest crowd since 1996.
The game was broadcast to a national television audience on ESPN2.
