Cook carries Youngstown St. past W. Illinois 31-7

[IAA Fan]

MACOMB, Ill. (AP) -- Jamaine Cook rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns and Youngstown State held Western Illinois to 157 yards of offense en route to a 31-7 victory Saturday.

Cook eclipsed 100 yards for the 19th time in his career, and his two short touchdown runs gave him 38 career rushing TDs.

The Penguins (6-4, 3-4 Missouri Valley) also got rushing touchdowns from Kurt Hess and Torrian Pace while piling up 225 yards on the ground.

Western Illinois (3-7, 1-6), which lost its fifth straight, got its only points on a 1-yard run by Hayden Northern in the first quarter. That play was set up by a David McDaniel interception that put the ball on the Penguins' 17-yard-line.

The Leathernecks had just 67 yards rushing on 23 carries, and Northern was 10 of 18 passing for 90 yards.

Hess completed 14 of 22 passes for 152 yards for Youngstown State.

[GuinsAndNoles]

Knock off the Sycamores and I think we're playoff bound. This is a team that can lose to teams they have no business losing to, but they can really be dangerous in the postseason. Would help recruiting anyway. Big game this weekend! I'm half-ready to make the 20 hour drive.

[Pita]

Don't see how anyone expects us to make
playoffs with our record, regardless of next
weeks game.  In past years we were much
better (record wise) and we still stayed home.

But keep hoping .... that's what I used to do.
The selection committee will never go for
7-4.  I know they have added teams, but
if we didn't make it on 8-3.  Well we'll see.

GO PENGUINS

[GOpenZ]

Congrats on the victory!! It was a stong performance on both sides of the ball including our OL and DL.  I feel as though our team took the NDSU loss too hard, and couldn't get over the hurdle of a victory to get back onto track.  Coming so close to (but not) winning those games has really brought about the worst in all of us.  However, I think we are back on track and project and expect a win this Saturday!!

Based upon the current polls, I don't know that a W against Indiana State is enough to get us in.  Even if all the pieces of the puzzle fell in line.  I will "hope" for it, but will not have any overwhelming expecations. 
Even with our win...and the expected NDSU win over Ill St., the polls will line up just like so many other final regular season polls.  A pack of Missouri Valley teams between 18-24. 

Z

[guinpen]

Not saying that a win against indy would get us in but there is always a chance. Biggest wildcard for us is the Pitt card.

[Wick250]

Just let it go.  Don't torture yourself this week with expectations that cannot be fulfilled.  We have zero chance to make the playoffs.  If you followed the events in other FCS conferences, you would realize that 7-4 won't get you close this year.  Last year, yes; next year, probably with four more spots added; this year, not possible.  Our unprepared coaches puked away the season with those back-to-back bizarre losses to Illinois State and Southern Illinois.

[ysufan0505]

That win over Pitt might loom large if we win next week

[penguinpower]

Just let it go.  Don't torture yourself this week with expectations that cannot be fulfilled.  We have zero chance to make the playoffs.  If you followed the events in other FCS conferences, you would realize that 7-4 won't get you close this year.  Last year, yes; next year, probably with four more spots added; this year, not possible.  Our unprepared coaches puked away the season with those back-to-back bizarre losses to Illinois State and Southern Illinois.

Good post.  I would also like to mention that we haven't looked good against a bad team until this week. At least we finally put a game together however the offense is still struggling.

[IAA Fan]

I would also like to say that this is not OUR offense out there. At least not the offense coach Shane crafted, that won the first-4 games ...especially against Pitt. This is a watered-down base offense. The defense is simply stopping the run ...which is fine if it holds up next week, we can win. I would not want to go into a play-off game with this offense or defense ...unless it was an OHSA game. If this was a young team, I would be praising the efforts ...but after 3-years more is expected.

[ysufan0505]

Can we give some credit to the defense??? I know we haven't played the best teams as of late but they have really stepped up! D Line is getting pressure. LB's are playing better (Especially #3 and #6). They really have clamped down. If it wasn't for the stupid INT Hess threw yesterday, that game would have been a shutout.

[IAA Fan]

Can we give some credit to the defense??? I know we haven't played the best teams as of late but they have really stepped up! D Line is getting pressure. LB's are playing better (Especially #3 and #6). They really have clamped down. If it wasn't for the stupid INT Hess threw yesterday, that game would have been a shutout.

I agree with that, and more. However, the only reason we are ranked so a high against the run is because any coach in the land is going to throw against us. A run once in a while is just to draw our LB's in & keep the middle open. All I am saying is that this type of play is what I expected 3 years ago, when we "started over". I want the offense we had early-on, and our defense to step-up.

I will take the wins, and look forward to senior day. Again, I expect everyone out there to pack the place!!

[Double ET]

Defense deserved the credit the way they played in the last 2 games. However, let us don’t forget those 2 teams have the worst offense in the league. When we were able to put pressure on their QB’s, they had to run the ball. We lost those 4 games in a row when our D could not pressure the QBs. Our DB’s had trouble covering the receivers for more 2-3 seconds. If we cannot pressure the QB from ISU this Saturday, we will give up 30 points again.

[ysuguins4]

Just let it go.  Don't torture yourself this week with expectations that cannot be fulfilled.  We have zero chance to make the playoffs.  If you followed the events in other FCS conferences, you would realize that 7-4 won't get you close this year.  Last year, yes; next year, probably with four more spots added; this year, not possible.  Our unprepared coaches puked away the season with those back-to-back bizarre losses to Illinois State and Southern Illinois.

You are spot on.  Eastern Illinois won the OVC, yet may finish 7-4, and there are too many teams from the top 6 conferences with at least 8 wins. Besides the teams listed below, South Dakota State, Villanova, and Richmond can all get to 8 wins by beating teams with non-winning records this weekend.

Big Sky - E. Washington, Cal Poly, Montana St., N. Arizona
CAA - Old Dominion, New Hampshire
MVFC - N. Dakota St., Illinois St.
OVC - E. Kentucky, Tennessee St.
Southern - Georgia Southern, Wolford, Appy St.
Southland - Sam Houston St., Central Arkansas

[ysuindy]

Just let it go.  Don't torture yourself this week with expectations that cannot be fulfilled.  We have zero chance to make the playoffs.  If you followed the events in other FCS conferences, you would realize that 7-4 won't get you close this year.  Last year, yes; next year, probably with four more spots added; this year, not possible.  Our unprepared coaches puked away the season with those back-to-back bizarre losses to Illinois State and Southern Illinois.

You are spot on.  Eastern Illinois won the OVC, yet may finish 7-4, and there are too many teams from the top 6 conferences with at least 8 wins. Besides the teams listed below, South Dakota State, Villanova, and Richmond can all get to 8 wins by beating teams with non-winning records this weekend.

Big Sky - E. Washington, Cal Poly, Montana St., N. Arizona
CAA - Old Dominion, New Hampshire
MVFC - N. Dakota St., Illinois St.
OVC - E. Kentucky, Tennessee St.
Southern - Georgia Southern, Wolford, Appy St.
Southland - Sam Houston St., Central Arkansas

I agree with each of you, but just for clarification purposes, four of those 8 schools have only 7 Division I wins:  Northern Arizona beat Fort Lewis, Wofford beat Lincoln (PA), Central Arkansas beat Bacone College and Sam Houston State beat Incarnate Word. 

I was somewhat surprised there were not more (Montana State beat Chadron State, but already has 9 overall wins). 

[ysuguins4]

Just let it go.  Don't torture yourself this week with expectations that cannot be fulfilled.  We have zero chance to make the playoffs.  If you followed the events in other FCS conferences, you would realize that 7-4 won't get you close this year.  Last year, yes; next year, probably with four more spots added; this year, not possible.  Our unprepared coaches puked away the season with those back-to-back bizarre losses to Illinois State and Southern Illinois.

You are spot on.  Eastern Illinois won the OVC, yet may finish 7-4, and there are too many teams from the top 6 conferences with at least 8 wins. Besides the teams listed below, South Dakota State, Villanova, and Richmond can all get to 8 wins by beating teams with non-winning records this weekend.

Big Sky - E. Washington, Cal Poly, Montana St., N. Arizona
CAA - Old Dominion, New Hampshire
MVFC - N. Dakota St., Illinois St.
OVC - E. Kentucky, Tennessee St.
Southern - Georgia Southern, Wolford, Appy St.
Southland - Sam Houston St., Central Arkansas

I agree with each of you, but just for clarification purposes, four of those 8 schools have only 7 Division I wins:  Northern Arizona beat Fort Lewis, Wofford beat Lincoln (PA), Central Arkansas beat Bacone College and Sam Houston State beat Incarnate Word. 

I was somewhat surprised there were not more (Montana State beat Chadron State, but already has 9 overall wins).

That's true, but those 4 teams will finish with no more than 3 losses, and they all have a higher GPI than YSU.