Penguins looking to pull off another surprise

August 30, 2014 at 12:08a.m.

Champaign, Ill.

In 2009, Eric Wolford’s only year in South Carolina, Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier spent a week warning his team about overlooking that year’s FCS opponent, South Carolina State.

It took another 30 minutes to get the message.

“We hung on for dear life to win that football game, until the second half,” said Wolford, whose Gamecocks led just 10-7 at halftime before pulling away for a 38-14 win. “The first half, they were toe-to-toe with us.”

That’s been the story in three of Wolford’s four years at Youngstown State.

In 2010, the Penguins led Penn State 7-6 with less than two minutes left in the first half before the Nittany Lions broke the game open, winning 44-14. Still, YSU scored its first two touchdowns since it began playing money games in 2005.

In 2011, at Michigan State, the Penguins trailed by just two touchdowns until midway through the fourth quarter before falling 28-6.

In 2012, the Penguins did more than just compete in the first half, they dominated Pitt 31-17 to earn one of the biggest wins in school history.

Last year’s 55-17 loss at Michigan State was the only game out of the four lacking suspense, but at least it came against a team that finished No. 3 in the country.

“It’s still 11 guys on 11,” Wolford said. “I know they have 85 scholarships and we have 63, but you can only play 11 guys out there at one time. That makes it a little bit more of an even playing field.”

Today at noon, the Penguins will play their first game at Illinois, where Wolford served as the offensive line coach in 2007 (when the Illini went to the Rose Bowl) and 2008. It’s also the last Big Ten game for the foreseeable future for the Penguins, since the Big Ten is phasing out FCS opponents.

“I do know a lot about Youngstown State,” said Illini coach Tim Beckman, who served as Jim Tressel’s cornerbacks coach at Ohio State in 2005 and 2006. “Of course, [it’s] one of those programs that is known throughout this country. They’ve been involved in a lot of championships, of course with Coach Tressel. We texted back and forth with each other [Tuesday] morning and he’ll be up for the football game. So I can’t wait to see him and Ellen and his family. But we know the challenge that Youngstown State will bring here because they will play to the last second of the football game and they will give you everything they’ve got.”

Illinois is 13-0 against FCS teams, although the Illini escaped with a 42-34 win over Missouri Valley-member Southern Illinois last season.

“A lot of times it’s a chance for us to show there really isn’t a huge difference between the FBS and the FCS,” YSU senior tight end Nate Adams said. “That win total increases for FCS programs [against FBS teams] each year. So this is our opportunity to go out there against the big guys and give them our best shot and that’s what we’re gonna do.”

In 2013, FCS teams earned a record 16 victories over FBS teams, including two by Missouri Valley teams (North Dakota State over Kansas State and Northern Iowa over Iowa State). While YSU is 0-6 against Big Ten teams, the Penguins are 20-26-1 all-time against the FBS.

“We’re confident,” senior wide receiver Christian Bryan said. “Yeah, it’s a Big Ten opponent, but we’re looking at it like we’re playing another Missouri Valley team.”