COLLEGE FOOTBALL Florida Atlantic at YSU tonight

The Penguins are down to their final two tuneups before Gateway play begins.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State is now just two weeks away from its Gateway Conference opener and the Penguins still have a long way to go to be a contender this year.
Today the Penguins take on Florida Atlantic University in a 7:30 p.m. contest at Stambaugh Stadium. Next week the Penguins go on the road at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
In two weeks they open the Gateway Conference schedule at home against Southwest Missouri State.
The next two opponents, Florida Atlantic today and Liberty next week, are not formidable opponents. The Owls are 1-2, but have played a tough schedule, while Liberty, which takes an 0-3 record into today's game with Kentucky Wesleyan, has been blown out in its three games.
These two final tune-ups will be important to the Penguins, who have not finished better than third place the last two years in the Gateway and missed the playoffs both years despite 8-3 and 7-4 records.
Owls in/out of Top 25
The Owls, who had never been ranked in the I-AA poll since starting football in the 2001 season, beat Division I-A Middle Tennessee in its opener and popped into the Top 25 in 24th place. They lost to a good Div. II team, Valdosta State, in their second game and dropped out of the poll.
YSU, which has not been ranked either in preseason or in the three inseason polls this year, defeated the Owls 24-17 last year at Pro Players Stadium in Miami, Fla. The Penguins led 24-3 after three quarters and had to hang on for the victory.
Six of the other seven teams in the Gateway are in action this week. Southern Illinois (3-0) is idle.
The week began Thursday night when Northern Iowa (2-1) defeated Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas, 38-24.
Hilltoppers tested
Today the big matchup will be in Bowling Green, Ky., where defending national champion Western Kentucky (2-0) takes on intrastate rival Eastern Kentucky at 7 p.m.
The Hilltoppers lead the overall series 43-33-3 and won the last meeting in 2000, 6-3.
Illinois State (2-1) also has a tough opponent in intrastate rival Eastern Illinois today at 2:30 p.m. The Redbirds lead the series 44-37-9, but Eastern won a year ago 45-10.
Western Illinois (2-1), the preseason favorite in the Gateway, and coming off a 35-7 loss to No. 11 ranked LSU, will be home to Tennessee-Martin at 7:05 p.m. in Macomb, Ill. This will be the first meeting between the teams.
Southwest Missouri State (1-1) will travel to meet Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Mo., at 7 p.m. The Bears hold the edge in this intrastate rivalry 42-28 and won a year ago 28-21.
Indiana State (1-2) rounds out the action with a contest at Murray State in Murray, Ky., The Sycamores own a 3-2 edge in the series and posted a 34-31 win a year ago.