CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Sean McGuire threw three touchdowns including the game-winner in the final seconds as Western Illinois beat Northern Iowa 38-29 on Saturday.
The Leathernecks (4-1, 1-1 Missouri Valley Conference) trailed 29-25 with six seconds to play when McGuire hit Jaelon Acklin at the goal line for a 20-yard touchdown and a 31-29 lead. Michael Bishoff recovered a NIU fumble on the ensuing kickoff and took it 20 yards for another Leathernecks' touchdown for the final score as time expired.
Earlier in the fourth, Western Illinois had gone ahead 25-14 on a 38-yard McGuire-to-Acklin scoring pass but Northern Iowa had taken the 29-25 lead later in the quarter on two quick Eli Dunne TD passes highlighted by a diving end zone catch by Aaron Graham with 1:12 left in the game.