Penguins get a win and learn a lesson

Football is a strange game, and nothing was stranger than Saturday's Youngstown State-Indiana State Gateway Conference battle in Terre Haute, Ind.
With 7 minutes, 31 seconds remaining in Saturday's game, the Penguins trailed 24-14 and appeared headed for their second straight conference loss and fourth of the season.
But sophomore quarterback Aaron Marshall came off the bench, taking over for an injured Matt Rycraft, and sparked the team to a 30-24 overtime win over the Sycamores.
Marshall did against the Sycamores what Rycraft almost did the previous Saturday against Western Illinois, when he came in to relieve Marshall.
Besides improving to 5-3 overall and 2-1 in the Gateway, just what did the Penguins gain with the win?
Two-man position
Well, for one thing, you can look for coach Jon Heacock to continue to use both quarterbacks this season and not be afraid to make a change under any circumstance.
Rycraft, who earned a start against Indiana State, went into the game slightly banged up from practice.
"It really limited his running ability," said Heacock.
Marshall entered in the fourth quarter and ran and passed well. He completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Phil Larmon on a third-down play.
The Penguins only converted on 2-of-11 third-down plays, and both of them came on that touchdown drive with Marshall passes.
"It was a wild one," said Heacock. "The kids just kept hanging in there and playing hard. There was a lot of learning coming out of that game."
The win was a big one for the Penguins, or "huge" as Heacock put it after the game. They are still alive in the hunt for both the Gateway championship and the I-AA playoffs.
Southern Illinois on top
Southern Illinois is the new king of the hill in the Gateway after knocking off No. 2-ranked Western Illinois 37-32 Saturday in Macomb.
Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa sit atop the conference at 3-0, and the Penguins still have to play both of them. Unfortunately for YSU, both games are on the road.
The Penguins are home against Illinois State in the homecoming contest at 4 p.m. Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Redbirds are 3-5, 0-3, but last Saturday took Western Kentucky to the wire before losing 27-24.
The Penguins and Redbirds have had some big battles over the years, with YSU holding a 6-5 edge in the overall series.
"Nothing ever changes from week to week in the Gateway," Heacock said. "Every week it's a battle and you just have to line up and go at it."
Must-win
Youngstown State's situation hasn't changed after the win at Indiana State. The Penguins are still in a must-win mode and will remain in it the rest of the season, since another loss will most likely eliminate them from the postseason.
There are still teams ranked in the Sports Network Top 25 poll with three losses, but they are teams such as Georgia Southern and Maine, which started the year at the top and are now nearing the bottom.
Hopefully Saturday's homecoming crowd will be big enough to help the Penguins against the Redbirds. And hopefully this past Saturday's stunning come-from-behind victory will put hope and enthusiasm back into fans to get out and root the Penguins on to victory.
It's obvious the football team and coaching staff haven't given up. Hopefully the fans can say the same.
XPete Mollica covers Youngstown State athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.