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ICE CASTLE MELTDOWN
Defending champ NDSU rallies to send Penguins to fifth loss
By Steve wilaj
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown State started with a burst.
The Penguins went into Saturday’s halftime — as well as the fourth quarter — to a standing-ovation. But in the end, they finished Saturday’s crucial showdown against North Dakota State with a meltdown.
Squandering a 14-point fourth-quarter lead, YSU fell to the No. 2 Bison, 27-24, at Stambaugh Stadium to drop to 5-5, 3-4 Missouri Valley Football Conference to lose its playoff hopes.
Following a controversial third-down pass interference call deep in Penguins territory, NDSU quarterback Easton Stick scored the game-winning touchdown on a 4-yard TD run with 35 seconds remaining. YSU coach Bo Pelini was then flagged for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the final 30 seconds to cap the collapse.
“It was a good football game,” Pelini said. “There was counter-punching and counter-punching. I wish the kids could have decided it.”
The costly pass interference call came with less than two minutes remaining and the Penguins clinging to a 24-20 lead.
On third and 3 from YSU’s 18-yard line, Stick tossed a floating pass to receiver Nate Moody, who — along with Penguins defensive back Kenneth Durden — jumped for the ball. Durden knocked it away to prompt a brief YSU celebration, but a flag flew in late to penalize Durden for interference and award NDSU a first down at the YSU 6. Stick ran in the go-ahead touchdown two plays later.
“It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?,” Pelini said when asked his thoughts on the call. “The refs didn’t give me an explanation on anything,”
Added Penguins linebacker Lee Wright: “I asked the referee ‘Who was it on?’ — he couldn’t tell me. He’s calling the game and he apparently seen something and he called his call. We gotta live with it.”
Following YSU’s ensuing kickoff return to the 30 yard-line, Pelini — still steaming about the pass interference call — picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to push YSU’s offense back to the 15 with 29 seconds remaining. A couple plays later, the first-year YSU coach earned another one as the Penguins’ last-ditch effort stalled thereafter.
“[The referees] didn’t like the way I was talking to them,” Pelini said. “Because I told them ... you know, I’m not gonna get into it.”
It was an ugly ending to such a pretty start.
A 13-yard touchdown run by Ricky Davis, touchdown runs of 45 and 77 yards by Jody Webb (137 yards on just five carries) and a strong defensive performance jumped YSU to a 24-10 lead entering the fourth quarter.
“I thought there schemes, offensively and defensively, were exceptional against us,” NDSU coach Chris Klieman said. “I thought we really struggled, especially with Webb. He was a difference-maker today.”
Then YSU’s wheels came off. King Frazier’s early fourth-quarter scoring run cut the Bison deficit to 24-17, while the Penguins offense fell apart as YSU — in four fourth-quarter possessions — went three-and-out three times and gained just one first down.
“I guess maybe things could have been done differently — maybe not,” Webb said. “We didn’t make plays when we needed to.”
Meanwhile, Penguins punter Nick Sheely notched fourth-quarter punts of just 24, 35 and 38 yards to give NDSU good field position all quarter and help set up the meltdown’s final acts.
“Thought the defense played a good football game,” Pelini said. “Overall, I thought we played a good football game in a lot of different areas. The special teams didn’t show up. Hurt us — really hurt our football team. Still should have won the game.”