YSU’s streak is on the line
The Penguins haven’t lost to a Division II team since joining Division I.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN — Since Youngstown State became a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), it has never lost to a Division II team.
Today, the Penguins go after their 29th straight victory against a Div. II team when they play host to Lock Haven at 4 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Penguins (2-1) are 2-0 all-time against the Bald Eagles (0-3), and the teams last met in 2001 in YSU coach Jon Heacock’s first season, posting a 38-7 victory.
The only other meeting between the two teams was back in 1966 when the Penguins posted a 36-6 victory.
Lock Haven is coached by former YSU assistant John Klacik, who is in his third season with a record of 4-21. Klacik spent 16 years as an assistant coach at YSU, nine of them as the offensive coordinator under Jim Tressel and Heacock.
YSU is also trying to extend a non-conference home winning streak of 10 straight, and extend their home winning streak to six straight, dating back to a loss to Northern Iowa last October.
YSU ranked high
The Penguins are ranked No. 9 in the latest SportsNetwork Poll and No. 7 in the coaches poll. For the third straight week, the Gateway Football Conference has five teams ranked among the top 20 teams in the country.
Northern Iowa, one of two Gateway unbeaten teams, is No. 4 in the poll, while Southern Illinois, the other conference unbeaten, is No. 7. The Penguins are No. 9, followed by Illinois State at No. 14 and Western Illinois at No. 19.
Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois will be trying to become the first two teams in the 23-year history of the Gateway Conference to begin the season 4-0.
The Panthers (3-0) will travel to Drake today in a 5 p.m. kickoff at Des Moines, Iowa. Drake, which already owns a victory over Illinois State this year, leads the series 26-19-1, but UNI won last year’s contest, 48-7.
Salukis home today
Southern Illinois will be at home today against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a 2:30 p.m. kickoff in Carbondale, Ill. This is the second meeting and the Salukis won last year’s contest, 48-16.
Illinois State (2-1) will have its hands full today when it travels to Missouri at 2 p.m. in Columbia, Mo. This is the first meeting between the teams.
Western Illinois (2-1) will visit Nacogdoches, Texas to take on Stephen F. Austin today at 7 p.m. The teams met just once before in 2005 with SFA winning 63-36.
Missouri State (2-1) will be at home today against Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. in Springfield, Mo. The Bears trail in the series 3-2 and lost a year ago 16-14.
Indiana State (0-3) will try to pick up its first win of the season today when it plays host to Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m. in Terre Haute, Ind. EIU won last year 31-21 and holds a series advantage of 40-37-3.