Despite a bundle of turnovers, YSU still gives McNeese a game

The Penguins overcame a 17-3 deficit to take the lead before falling, 24-20.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
LAKE CHARLES, La. -- Youngstown State turned the ball over seven times, but still gave No. 17 ranked McNeese State a game before losing 24-20 Saturday night at Cowboy Stadium.
The Penguins managed to survive the first four turnovers, and battled from a 17-3 halftime deficit to take a 20-17 lead early in the final quarter.
But a fumble and two pass interceptions in the final nine minutes were too much for the Penguins to overcome, as the Cowboys rallied for the go ahead score with 5:28 remaining in the contest.
Junior quarterback Aaron Marshall came off the bench to replace red-shirt freshman Tom Zetts early in the third quarter, and rallied the Penguins to two straight touchdown drives to tie the score; and then followed that with another drive that ended with senior Nick Terracina's second field goal, a 41-yard thump that gave the Penguins the lead with 12:52 remaining.
Terracina, a Lake Charles, La., native playing before his family and friends, even contributed a perfectly executed on-side kickoff following the Penguins first score that set up the second TD.
Briggs blocks FG try
On YSU's first series of the second half, Zetts was intercepted at his own 32-yard line, but the defense held and senior Matt Briggs blocked a 46-yard field goal attempt of John Marino.
On the second play after the block, sophomore tailback Monquantae Gibson broke off tackle and raced 67 yards for the first YSU score. Gibson led all rushers with 168 yards on 23 carries.
After Terracina's onside kick, the Penguins drove 61 yards on 12 plays with Marshall hitting junior Kyle Smith with a 7-yard TD pass.
After taking over again, the Penguins drove down to the Cowboys 24 where Terracina buried a 41-yard field goal to give the Penguins the lead.
But then the turnovers returned as junior Josh Cayson fumbled at the YSU 33, and the Cowboys recovered and went on to score on an 18-yard pass from Scott Pendarvis to Chris Thomas.
Foiled by interceptions
The Penguins had the ball twice more and both times Marshall threw an interception, killing any hopes of a late rally.
"You cant turn the ball over seven times and expect to win," said YSU coach Jon Heacock. "We played much better in the second half and the kids never quit, but the turnovers were the difference."
YSU finished with 195 yards rushing and just 70 passing for 265 total yards, while McNeese totaled 296 yards, 209 rushing and 87 passing.
The Penguins got the first break of the game when McNeese State's Chris Thomas fumbled on the game's first play at his own 31 and Marty Hutchison recovered for the Penguins.
Zetts hit fullback Demetrius Ison on a 9-yard pass on first down and then Gibson picked up the first down on the next play, but the Penguins could get no closer than the Cowboys' 14 and Terracina came on to kick a 32-yard field goal.
But for the rest of the half the Penguins were to get no more breaks.
After McNeese's John Marino kicked a career-best 48-yard field goal to tie the score with 7:13 remaining in the opening quarter, the Penguins did little right the rest of the half.
Fumbles lead to scores
They lost three fumbles, all in the second quarter, and two of them were inside their own 10-yard line and led to both McNeese first half scores. When the Penguins weren't giving the ball away, McNeese State punter Jason Cook was kicking them into a deep hole.
Cook hit one out of bounds at the YSU 1-yard line early in the second period. Two plays later Gibson fumbled at the 5 and Vaalyn Jackson recovered at the YSU 6.
On the first play Thomas slanted over for the score.
The Cowboys did make a second mistake after they drove from the Penguins' 44 to the 8-yard line. On third and 1, Kris Bush fumbled and Jeremiah Wright recovered at the 4.
But the Penguins gave it right back on the first play as Ison fumbled and Jamelle Juneau recovered at the YSU 8.
Three plays later the Cowboys faked an end around and pitched back to Thomas who ran untouched to the end zone from 7 yards out.
Fumbled kickoff
To make matters even worse, the Penguins fumbled the ensuing kickoff as Ison grabbed the short kick and promptly dropped the ball at the YSU 21, where Kyle Richey recovered.
The Penguins got away with that one as the defense held and Marino missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.
If Cook's punting wasn't enough in the half, he also ran pretty well also. After a high snap on a punt attempt from his own 25 yard line, Cook decided to run the ball and raced 34 yards for a first down.
When the Penguins stopped them finally, Cook then punted the Penguins into another hole at their own 4-yard line.