Penguin News
YSU (5-2 overall and 3-1 in the MVFC) suffered its first Missouri Valley Football Conference defeat of the season at South Dakota State last Saturday. The Penguins lost 24-10 to the Jackrabbits and were never really able to get on track after allowing two touchdowns in the first four minutes. Brady Mengarelli's two-yard scoring run 2:48 into the contest gave SDSU a 7-0 lead. And just 70 seconds following a YSU turnover, the Jackrabbits went in front 14-0 after a four-yard pass from Taryn Christion to Connor Landberg. The team's exhanged field goals as YSU trailed 17-3 at halftime. SDSU extended its lead to 24-3 on a three-yard touchdown reception by Jake Wieneke. Late in the contest, Tevin McCaster scored for the Penguins on a two-yard run for the final margin.
Indiana State (4-4 and 2-3) picked up a 22-14 victory at Southern Illinois last Saturday. The Sycamores trailed 7-0 before scoring 22 unanswered points in the victory. Isaac Harker threw three touchdown passes in the win, two of which went to Robert Tonyan. Early in the fourth, Harker connected with Miles Thompson on an 85-yard scoring pass. SIU cut the deficit to 22-14 with 10:11 left in the contest but could not get any closer. Harker was impressive completing 23-of-39 passes for 336 yards.
This is the 26th all-time meeting between the Penguins and Sycamores. YSU has a commanding 20-5 lead in a series that has featured its share of close games. Indiana State has won the last two contests by identical 27-24 scores on final-play field goals.
Last year's season finale in Terre Haute was played in an unexpected snowstorm. Jody Webb returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns and the Penguins led 24-21 with just under six minutes left in the contest. However, Eric Heidorn made a 25-yard field goal to tie the contest and added the game winner from 38 yards out as time expired. In 2014, the Penguins trailed 24-10 in the fourth quarter before scoring two touchdowns in the last five minutes to force overtime. However, the Guins turned the ball over in OT and Heidorn made a 28-yard field goal to win that contest.
Quick Notes
• YSU surrendered its first rushing touchdown of the season early in the contest. The Penguins were the last Division I program in the nation to allow a rushing TD in 2016. In 28 quarters they still have allowed just one rushing score, the fewest in the FCS.
• TB Tevin McCaster scored a fourth-quarter touchdown for the third consecutive game. McCaster scored in the fourth at South Dakota State, against UNI and at Illinois State. All five of his rushing TDs this season have come in the last quarter.
• YSU's last five offensive touchdowns and last six TDs overall have all been scored in the fourth quarter.
• Also, 48 of YSU's last 54 points - since the third quarter of the South Dakota game - have come in the fourth quarter - 10 vs. USD; 17 of 20 at Illinois State; all 14 vs. UNI; and 7 of 10 at South Dakota State.
• YSU had two sacks against South Dakota State and has been credited with 26 in seven games. The Guins' defense has also produced 28 QB hurries. Last year in 11 games, YSU was credited with 27 sacks for the season.
• Saturday's contest is the annual Homecoming game for the Penguins. The Guins own an all-time mark of 51-23-1 in Homecoming contests having won four of their last five.
• DE Derek Rivers ranks third in the FCS with 1.16 sacks per game. UNI's Karter Schult leads the country with 1.36 sacks a contest while Alcorn's Darien Anderson is second at 1.33.
• Rivers has had at least one sack in 16 of his last 23 games. He is the school's record-holder with 34 in his career.
• PK Zak Kennedy has made a field goal in 16 of his 18 career contests. He is now 8-of-11 in field-goal attempts this season and 19-of-23 (82.6 percent) in his career against MVFC foes. In his career he is 27-of-34 (79.4 percent).
Last Time Out: SDSU 24, YSU 10
The Penguins lost 24-10 to the Jackrabbits last Saturday at new-look Dana J. Dykehouse Stadium. YSU was never really able to get on track after allowing two touchdowns in the first four minutes of the game.
Brady Mengarelli's two-yard scoring run 2:48 into the contest gave SDSU a 7-0 lead. Following a YSU turnover, and just 70 seconds later, the Jackrabbits went in front 14-0 after a four-yard pass from Taryn Christion to Connor Landberg.
The teams exchanged field goals as YSU trailed 17-3 at halftime. SDSU extended its lead to 24-3 on a three-yard touchdown reception by Jake Wieneke.
Late in the contest, Tevin McCaster scored for the Penguins on a two-yard run for the final margin.
SDSU had 14 points off two YSU turnovers.
Indiana State's Eric Heidorn kicked a game-winning 38-yard field goal as time expired as the Penguins dropped their season finale 27-24 at Indiana State on a snowy, chilly day at Memorial Stadium.
The Penguins took the lead when Jody Webb returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. Later in the quarter, Alex Stowers returned a fumbled YSU handoff 37 yards for a touchdown to tie the contest.
Webb scored on a 26-yard run later in the period to put YSU back in front 14-7.
In the second quarter, the teams scored three touchdowns in 2:04. ISU QB Matt Adam scored on a 14-yard scamper to tie the game at 14. However, Webb returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown to put YSU back in the lead. Three plays later, Adam took a keeper 74 yards to tie the game at 21.
In the fourth, YSU went ahead 24-21 on a 25-yard field goal by Zak Kennedy. ISU tied the game with 5:04 left on a 25-yard field goal by Heidorn. Heidorn then beat the Guins on the final play of the game for the second straight season with his 38-yard kick.
Homecoming Happiness
The Penguins are playing their 76th Homecoming contest this Saturday against Indiana State.
YSU had a streak of four consecutive Homecoming victories snapped last year by South Dakota State.
The Penguins own an all-time mark of 51-23-1 in Homecoming contests. Indiana State has been YSU's Homecoming opponent on just one occasion. The Penguins picked up a 42-7 win at Stambaugh Stadium on Oct. 28, 2000.
At Stambaugh Stadium, YSU 23-11 in Homecoming games with eight defeats coming after 2003.
McCaster Has TD Streak
TB Tevin McCaster has scored touchdowns in three straight games and four of the last five. McCaster had rushing TDs, all of which came in the fourth quarter, against Illinois State, UNI and South Dakota State.
McCaster has had the best year of his YSU career in 2016. He is second on the team with 372 yards and five touchdowns. He has scored touchdowns in five of the seven games this season.
No Drive Time
The YSU defense has allowed one drive of 70-or-more yards in the past five contests (first quarter at SDSU). In the last 61 drives, the opposition has had just eight drives that have marched 50-or-more yards. In the last three games, a span of 33 drives, YSU has allowed just four drives to go for 50-plus yards.
Still Leading the Nation
Despite giving up their first rushing touchdown of the season against SDSU, the Penguins still lead the FCS in fewest rushing TDs allowed. In seven games, YSU has allowed just one rushing score. The Penguins rank ahead of Central Arkansas and Colgate (three each) in that category. UCA has played in seven games like YSU while Colgate has played six contests.
Last year, YSU allowed 20 rushing touchdowns, including 14 in the conference portion of the schedule.
YSU Defense Ranks Highly
The Penguins' defensive unit ranks highly in the FCS in numerous categories entering the Indiana State contest.
YSU ranks second in sacks per game (3.71), fourth in scoring defense (16.3 points per game), seventh in total defense (283.1 yards per game), eighth in first downs defense (103), 14th in rushing defense (106.3 yards per game) and 14th in third down percentage defense (29.8 percent).
YSU's defense has allowed just five touchdowns in the last 16 quarters. The Guins did not allow an offensive touchdown against Illinois State and UNI.
On third down, the defense has been extremely tough. In the five wins, opponents are 13-of-68 (19.1 percent). In the four MVFC games, only 13 conversions have been successful in 52 tries (25 percent).
