YSU-OSU matchup possible

Youngstown State athletic director Ron Strollo has made some outstanding decisions in recent months that have been beneficial to the YSU program.
First, Strollo worked out a deal with the University of Pittsburgh for a football game this season. Then he fired basketball coach John Robic and replaced him with Jerry Slocum, a proven winner.
Now, Strollo is working on a deal for the Penguins to play Ohio State in football and it could be as early as the 2006 season.
Strollo has a lot of help in his corner on this decision, namely former YSU coach and athletic director Jim Tressel, the coach of the Buckeyes.
Strollo played for Tressel at YSU and when his playing days were over Tressel hand-picked him to run the business end of the YSU athletic program. When Tressel left for OSU, he was solidly behind Strollo's choice as his replacement as athletic director.
Tressel is all for the Penguins and Buckeyes getting together and as soon as possible.
Adding 12th gamewill open doors
What made all this possible was a decision by the NCAA Division I board of directors, who recently approved a 12th game for Div. I-A teams beginning in 2006 and also allowed for one victory over a Div. I-AA team each season to count toward the wins needed for bowl eligibility.
Until now, a victory over a I-AA school counted only once every four years toward bowl eligibility.
Since 1997, Ohio State has played an in-state team from Mid-American Conference as well as Cincinnati. The Buckeyes have played Cincinnati and Bowling Green three times, and will play Miami (Ohio) for the second time this season.
Now maybe it's Youngstown State's turn.
Strollo is excited about the possibilities.
"It's possibly that this may not just be a one-time shot," Strollo said Sunday while taking in the YSU-Kent State baseball doubleheader at Eastwood Field.
"They're [Ohio State] are going to be scrambling to find games for that 12th date," he said. "This could result in a couple of games over the next few years."
Tressel excited aboutplaying the Penguins
Strollo said that he and Tressel have talked recently.
"We talked several times since the NCAA made the changes and he's all for the idea."
Tressel was coach of the Penguins for 15 seasons, winning four Division I-AA national championships and finishing runner-up twice.
While he was at YSU Tressel tried on several occasions to get the Buckeyes to give the Penguins a game, but they were never interested.
"I've had people tell me we're crazy to play Ohio State and we should be playing teams like Kent State and Akron instead," Strollo said.
"The last time we played Kent State our guarantee was $85,000 and we'll get at least $400,000 if we play Ohio State," he said.
"Not only would this be a tremendous deal for us financially, but what an experience it would be for out young kids to get a chance to play at the horseshoe," he added.
YSU is Ohio State's only logical in-state I-AA opponent. The only other I-AA school in the state with football is Dayton and it is a non-scholarship sport for the Flyers.
More games againstI-A schools possible
Strollo is also hoping that this season's game against Pitt is also not a one-time shot. Wouldn't it be nice to get a schedule going playing Pitt one year and Ohio State the next?
The new ruling by the NCAA also opens up so many other possibilities for the Penguins now that Division I-A schools can count games against I-AA teams every year instead of just once in four.
Who knows -- the days of playing Division II teams like Slippery Rock and Clarion might just be a thing of the past.
Strollo also announced Sunday that the Penguins have signed a new five-year contract to play baseball games at Eastwood Field in Niles.
"There are no set number of games that we will play here each year and we will continue to play games at Cene Park also," he said.
This season the Penguins had nine dates scheduled at Eastwood and five at Cene Park.
XPete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.