Darin Heideman's football journey has ended.

It has taken him from Council Bluffs St. Albert High School to Cedar Falls and then all over the country in search of a national championship.

After three straight three-point victories - the last two on the road - Northern Iowa has arrived in every NCAA Division I-AA player's ultimate destination, Chattanooga, Tenn. The seventh-rated Panthers (11-3) will meet No. 5 Appalachian State (11-3) Friday at 7:06 p.m. in Finley Stadium for a national title. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

"It's been an unbelievable ride the last seven games," said Heideman, a 6-foot, 227-pound senior linebacker. "It's been crazy, playing in so many close games. We feel like the whole state of Iowa is behind us now, and that's an awesome feeling."

The Panthers had come up empty in five previous trips to the national semifinals, but broke through last Friday with an improbable 40-37 overtime victory over No. 4 Texas State. UNI trailed by eight points with 4:55 to play, but marched 72 yards for a score, and then added the two-point conversion to send it into overtime. In the extra session, the Panthers kicked a field goal and then Matt Tharp intercepted a pass to seal it.

Northern Iowa won at No. 1 New Hampshire 24-21 in the quarterfinals after opening the playoffs with a 41-38 home win over Eastern Washington.

Hard to believe just a month ago the Panthers were in danger of not even making the playoffs. They trailed Southern Illinois 24-10 late in the third quarter before rallying for 15 fourth-quarter points and a 25-24 victory. A loss in that game would have meant a much quieter month around the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area.

"We just keep finding a way to win," Heideman said. "We've developed great unity as a team, and we actually like being around each other."

While high school classmate Mike Stuntz, now a senior at Nebraska, was receiving more recruiting attention, Heideman had some offers from NCAA Division II schools. He also could have walked on at Iowa or Iowa State. But after one visit to Cedar Falls, he felt at home.

"Cedar Falls is a great college town," he said. "I developed so many good friendships in my first year. I'm so glad I ended up here."

The feeling is mutual with the Panthers. Heideman leads the team with 60 solo tackles and 67 assists. After collecting nine tackles and a fumble recovery in the Southern Illinois victory, he was named the Sports Network's co-national defensive player of the week.

Heideman doesn't sound like a guy who wants it all to be over. "We just had our last actual practice today," he said. "It's kind of sad. I've really enjoyed playing with these guys."

Heideman hopes his college football farewell coincides with a shining moment in Northern Iowa's athletic history. "We've been working for this our entire careers," he said. "It's time to cut it loose."

- Kevin White; Omaha World Herald