Ranked Penguins on road

Today at 2 p.m., Youngstown State plays at Indiana State University.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- For the first time since 2002, Youngstown State will go into a contest ranked nationally in the Division I-AA poll.
The No. 22 Penguins (4-1, 1-0) meet Indiana State University today at 2 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in a Gateway Conference matchup.
It has been three years since the Penguins cracked the Sports Network and the ESPN/USA Today national I-AA polls, and they are No. 22 in both this week.
Indiana State is winless in five games, but the Sycamores battled No. 3-ranked Western Kentucky last week before losing, 38-28.
The teams meet for the 15th time today and the Penguins have won 13 of the previous 14, including the last eight in a row.
Indiana State hasn't beaten the Penguins since YSU joined the Gateway Conference in 1997 and they also have never beaten the Penguins at Memorial Stadium.
Indiana State's only win came in 1995, a 13-6 victory at Stambaugh Stadium.
Close calls
But the teams have had some close battles at Memorial Stadium.
Of the seven previous games played here, five have been decided by a touchdown or less. In 2003, the Penguins emerged with a 30-24 victory.
YSU also had close calls in 1999 (31-28), 1992 (30-24) and 1989 (20-19).
The Sycamores also have an Ohio flavor since their coach, Lou West, is a 1973 graduate of Niles McKinley High.
Indiana State is the only Gateway school which has never beaten YSU coach Jon Heacock, who is 4-0 against the Sycamores.
The Penguins are one of four Gateway teams ranked among the Top 25 teams in the country this week.
Southern Illinois (3-1) is No. 2, Western Kentucky (3-1) is No. 3 and Northern Iowa (3-1) is No. 7.
The Salukis, who struggled to beat Missouri State 30-23 in overtime last week, will be on the road today at Western Illinois for a 7:05 p.m. kickoff at Hanson Field in Macomb, Ill.
SIU won 66-13 last year, but Western leads the series 33-13-4 and at one time had won 18 straight from the Salukis.
Western Kentucky will be on the road for the second straight week as the Hilltoppers travel to Normal, Ill., to meet Illinois State at 3:30 p.m.
The final league contest will be in Springfield, Mo., as Missouri State plays host to Northern Iowa at Plaster Field at 3 p.m.
mollica@vindy.com