Next up: Bison No. 2 in country

By Pete Mollica

North Dakota State has won 22 of its last 25 games.

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State and North Dakota State will play tonight for the first time in nearly 35 years when the Penguins play host to the No. 2-ranked Bison at Stambaugh Stadium.

YSU (1-2, 0-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) and the Bison (2-1, 0-0) have only met twice, the last time in 1973 when the Penguins won 12-10 in a game played at Campbell Memorial High’s stadium.

Cliff Stoudt, who went on to an NFL and USFL career with the Steelers and other teams, was the Penguins’ quarterback.

The two teams also played in 1972 in Fargo, N.D., with the Bison taking a 16-10 victory.

Both teams were classified NCAA Division II during those meetings.

Today’s contest will be the first for the Bison in the MVFC. This is also the first season that the Bison are eligible for the FCS playoffs.

YSU coach Jon Heacock knows his Penguins will have their hands full against North Dakota State.

“They are a very good football team. they like to run the football and use the play action pass,” he said. “We must slow down their running game for us to have any chance at winning.”

The Penguins, who lost their conference opener to South Dakota State, 40-7, two weeks ago, have only started conference play with two losses one other time, in 2004, when they started 0-4.

Since the start of the 2005 season the Penguins have won 20 of their last 22 games played at Stambaugh Stadium, while North Dakota State has won 22 of its last 25 games overall.

“They don’t have many weaknesses,” said Heacock. “Our only advantage is that we are playing them at home.”

Asked if this week’s game would be a chance for his Penguins to make a statement, Heacock added, “Anytime you play a team ranked No. 2 in the country you have a chance to make a statement, but that statement only lasts for one week and then you have to get ready for the next team coming in.”

There will be one other MVFC matchup this week when Northern Iowa (1-1) plays host to South Dakota State (2-1) at the UNIDome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Kickoff is set for 5:05 p.m. The Panthers lead the overall series, 24-16-2, including a 31-17 win last season.

Illinois State (1-1) will take on Eastern Illinois in the 97th meeting of their intrastate rivalry. The contest at Normal, Ill., will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. The Redbirds hold the series edge 50-37-9 and won 24-21 last season.

Western Illinois (1-2) will play host to Stephen F. Austin in a 7:05 kickoff at Macomb, Ill, while Missouri State (0-2) travels to Southeast Missouri State in a 7 p.m. kickoff at Cape Girardeau, Mo. Indiana State (0-2) travels to Northern Illinois for a 3 p.m. game.

mollica@vindy.com