MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa – The University of Northwestern wrapped up its 2014 regular season with a 34-12 victory over Iowa Wesleyan College on Saturday afternoon. The win puts the Eagles at 8-2 overall, matching 2012 for the best regular season finish for the program since 2008.

Northwestern was a little slow to start, but once the wheels started to turn, the points on the scoreboard began to add up quickly. Ben Lyons (North Olmstead, Ohio/Ohio Distance & Electronic Learning Academy)' 25-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining in the first quarter was the first score of the game, and ended up being the only points for either team in the initial 15 minutes. The Eagles really got going not too much later, stringing together three straight second quarter touchdowns to lead 24-6 at the break. After quarterback Jacob Fletcher (Moorhead, Minn./Park Christian) connected with Joe Sutton (Minneapolis, Minn./Benilde St. Margaret's) for a seven-yard passing play that resulted in a score, Jacob Fettig (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) took advantage of Grant Stroud (Moorhead, Minn./Hillcrest Academy)'s interception on the Tigers' next possession, plunging over the goal line for his sixth touchdown of the year.

Iowa Wesleyan got on the board on a 49-yard pass with a failed point-after attempt before UNW responded with an 11-play, 62-yard drive that finished with Josh Sinnen (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) scoring the 28th touchdown of his career in a two-yard scamper.

Marc Ballatori's eight-yard touchdown reception from Caleb Huss put the host-Tigers within 12, but Northwestern again answered right back with a quick touchdown run by Chris Simon-Wallace (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) that was setup by Kyle Anenson (Chanhassen, Minn./Chanhassen)'s 42-yard kick return. A personal foul penalty by Iowa Wesleyan put the white-clad UNW squad even closer, giving the Eagles first and 10 at the Tigers 32-yard line to start the drive.

Lyons booted his first kick of 30 yards or more for the season through the uprights just as the fourth quarter got started to cap Northwestern's scoring at 34 for the day. UNW's defense held Iowa Wesleyan to three-and-out on two of the Tigers' three remaining drives and six of Iowa Wesleyan's 12 total charges to solidify the Purple and Gold's 24-point victory.

While the Tigers nearly matched Northwestern in its passing effort, the Eagles steam rolled Iowa Wesleyan in the rushing attack, piling up 247 yards of offense on the ground while watching its defense limit the Tigers to just 51 yards on 29 carries.

Northwestern was pleased with the effort, but offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Bryan Johnson was most likely ecstatic to have the bulk of his season-opening depth chart in place in the backfield. Chris Simon-Wallace (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) needed just 16 carries to go over 100 yards, while Sinnen rushed 20 times for an 80-yard performance, both grabbing a TD along the way. Fletcher finished 15 of 25 for 201 yards, throwing for both a touchdown and an interception.

Lyons' 10 points on Saturday put the freshman at 56 for the season, 10 behind Steve Gibbs' record-66 from 2001.

The Eagles picked off Huss three times while forcing a pair of Iowa Wesleyan fumbles. Luke Sommerlot (Pocahontas, Iowa/Pocahontas Area ) recorded at least one tackle for a loss for the ninth game this season en route to a team-high seven tackles.

Northwestern's immediate future is uncertain, but the win certainly solidified the Eagles' pitch to receive an invitation to the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Victory Bowl in Rome, Ga. on Nov. 22. If it came, that invitation would most-likely come in the next week as most of the other 14 NCCAA-eligible teams finish their regular season schedules with games on Nov. 15. Like the nine other Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) teams, Northwestern has a bye in Week 11. Stay tuned to unweagles.com for details as they become available.