The largest crowd to ever watch a home opener in Stambaugh Stadium history saw the eighth-ranked Youngstown State football team begin its 2002 campaign with a 27-14 victory over Clarion.

The Penguins outrushed the Golden Eagles 300 yards to 127 and never trailed as 17,834 fans watched the opener.

Leading the offensive attack for YSU was Walter Payton Award hopeful tailback P.J. Mays, who rushed for two touchdowns and 174 yards on 26 carries with a 73-yard run in the first quarter.

Junior tailback Josiah Doby ran five times for 129 yards and scored on a 53-yard scamper with no time remaining in the first perioud.

Colby Street went 3-for-7 with a touchdown and an interception, connecting with John Schumacher on a 26-yard scoring strike.

Jon Tekac had 13 tackles, two sacks and five tackles behind the line of scrimmage to head the defense for the Penguins. Martin Stachowicz forced the only turnover, recovering fumbled Clarion snap in the first quarter.

Despite the victory over a veteran Golden Eagle squad, Coach Jon Heacock was displeased with the overall performance of the team.

"We turned the ball over, we had careless penalties, and we had kicking game errors," he said. "They came out and played championship football, and Youngstown State did not."

Robert Walker returned the opening kickoff 78 yards to the YSU 19 for Clarion, but the fumble by Adam Almashy ended the opening drive in just two plays.

With 5:34 remaining in the first quarter, the Penguins got the ball on their own 22 yard line and started their first scoring drive. After running for four yards, Mays ran 73 yards to the Clarion one yard line to set up his one yard plunge on the next play.

The Penguins' second scoring drive started at their own 32 with 2:27 left in the opening period and was capped by Doby's 53-yard touchdown run.

Following a 66-yard punt return by Jake Godec, the Penguins increased their lead to 20 after Street threw a bullet to Schumacher over the middle on the first play of the drive from 26-yards out.

On Clarion's first drive of the second half, Brandon Sweeney rushed for 47 yards on two carries and scored from seven yards out to give the Golden Eagles their first points of the contest.

Coming in for the injured Colby Street, who had a minor injury to his non-throwing (left) hand, Luis Gonzalez and the Penguins struck back on a 10-play, 58-yard drive, ending with an 18-yard scoring run by Mays.

Kareem Shelton had an 11-yard touchdown rush for Clarion with 14:03 left in the game to finish the scoring.

Next Saturday, the Penguins take on 11th-ranked McNeese St. at Stambaugh Stadium at 7 p.m.