YSU set to make amends for loss

The Penguins are 4-0 at
Stambaugh Stadium.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State returns to the security of Stambaugh Stadium today for its first meeting with Southern Utah.

The Penguins (4-2, 1-1 Gateway) are coming off a 24-17 loss at Southern Illinois last week. Both of their losses have been on the road.

On the other hand the Penguins are 4-0 at Stambaugh Stadium and have won seven straight dating back to a year ago against Northern Iowa.

Although the Penguins and Thunderbirds (0-5) have never met, the Penguins are 2-0 overall against teams from the Great West Conference in the past two seasons.

A year ago the Penguins defeated UC-Davis 38-24 and earlier this season stopped South Dakota State 23-17. Both games were at Stambaugh Stadium.

This will also be the latest regular season non-conference game for the Penguins since playing Samford in the season finale in 2002.

YSU will return to Gateway play next Saturday when it entertains Illinois State in the homecoming game at Stambaugh Stadium.

The Penguins are in a must-win situation the rest of the season if they want to control their own destiny for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

If the Penguins win out they would finish with nine victories and even if they don’t claim a share of the conference title they would still be a shoo-in for an at-large bid.

Another loss and the Penguins would be looking at an 8-3 season and would have to depend on the NCAA selection committee, which hasn’t been too kind to YSU recently.

Three Gateway Conference game are scheduled today.

The big one will be at Cedar Falls, Iowa, where Northern Iowa (5-0, 1-0) plays host to Southern Illinois (6-0, 2-0) at 5:05 p.m.

It is homecoming for the Panthers, who lost a year ago to the Salukis 47-23 in Carbondale, Ill.

UNI holds the series lead 14-11, and the home team has won each of the last nine games.

Western Illinois (4-2, 1-0) will play host to Missouri State (4-2, 1-1) in a 2:05 p.m. kickoff at Macomb, Ill.

The Leathernecks hold a slim edge in the series 13-12-1, but the Bears won a year ago, 24-21.

Illinois State (2-4, 0-2) will try to get its act together when it plays host to Indiana State (0-6, 0-2) in a 2:30 p.m. kickoff in Normal, Ill.

The Redbirds have won eight of the last nine meetings with the Sycamores, including a 42-20 romp last year. It’s also homecoming for the Redbirds.

mollica@vindy.com