Saturday, October 23, 2004
The Penguins have won their last two games at Hancock Stadium.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NORMAL, Ill. -- The 12-game series between Youngstown State and Illinois State is deadlocked at six wins apiece going into today's Gateway Conference battle at Hancock Stadium.
Kickoff is 3:30 p.m.
But the series is really even during the most recent meetings.
The Penguins (2-5, 0-3 Gateway) are 3-3 at Hancock Stadium.
YSU has won the last two meetings there, winning 24-17 in 2002 and 14-12 in 2000. Prior to those two wins the Redbirds (3-3, 1-2) had won three straight at home against the Penguins.
The Penguins suffered one of their worst defeats against the Redbirds at Hancock Stadium, 48-14 in 1998. They also dropped an overtime thriller in 1996, 31-28.
But probably the biggest loss for the Penguins against the Redbirds came in 1999, the last time YSU played in the I-AA national championship game.
That season the Penguins lost to the Redbirds 31-28, but held a halftime lead of 21-0. The loss cost the Penguins home field advantage in the opening round of the playoffs, sending them up against top-seeded Montana. They still finished 12-3 before losing to Georgia Southern 59-24 in the title game.
Other games
Elsewhere in the Gateway Conference today, Southern Illinois, unbeaten in conference play at 3-0 and 6-1 overall, will visit Southwest Missouri State (5-2, 2-1 Gateway) at Plaster Field in Springfield, Mo., at 2:30 p.m.
The Salukis, ranked No. 1 in I-AA for the fifth straight week, defeated the Bears 20-6 last year, but SMS holds the overall lead in the series, 16-10.
Western Kentucky, tied with SMS for the No. 2 spot in the conference standings at 2-1 (4-2 overall), will play host to Indiana State (4-3, 1-2).
Today's contest at L.T. Smith Stadium at 5 p.m. in Bowling Green, Ky., is the 17th meeting between the teams with the Hilltoppers holding a 10-5-1 advantage, including a 59-14 rout of the Sycamores last year.
Northern Iowa (2-4, 1-2), which snapped a three-game losing streak with a 22-20 win over Youngstown State last week, returns to the UNI-Dome today to take on Western Illinois (4-3, 2-1).
The Panthers defeated the Leathernecks 38-30 last year and leads the series 21-11. The visiting team has won each of the last four meetings. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
mollica@vindy.com