Cedar Falls, IA -- (Sports Network) - Pat Grace threw for 229 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead Northern Iowa to a 40-15 thrashing of Maine in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

Grace completed 15-of-24 passes and was picked off once. Derrick Law ran for 64 yards and a pair of scores for the Panthers (11-2), who will play New Hampshire next weekend in the quarterfinals. Jarred Herring had three receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns, and Corey Lewis ran for 75 yards and a TD.

Michael Brusko connected on 15-of-23 passes for 180 yards and a TD, but was picked off four times for the Black Bears (8-5). Derek Session had five receptions for 70 yards and a TD. Session also ran for a score.

Law's two-yard run represented the lone scoring of the first quarter, but Session tied the game with just under eight minutes left in the second on a two-yard TD run.

Northern Iowa then took control with 16 straight points going to the half. Herring caught a 42-yard TD pass, and Brusko was then tackled in the end zone for a safety. Grace then connected on a 55-yard TD strike to Herring with 2:51 left in the half for a 23-7 margin.

Billy Hallgren kicked a 39-yard field goal in the third quarter before Lewis scored on a two-yard run early in the fourth for a 33-7 difference.

Session caught a 10-yard TD pass with 5:49 left, but Law capped the scoring with a 10-yard run.